Conic Hill and Inchcailloch Island

29 July 2010.

Participants - Just me
Where - Conic Hill, 361m/1,185', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 56, NS 432923

 Conic Hill is a favourite short walk close to home; although only about 20 miles from Glasgow, the views are highland rather than lowland. Rising above Loch Lomond, and with the route of the West Highland Way crossing it, it is also very popular! This is a view from the car park at Balmaha.....

On every previous occasion, I had followed the "tourist path" that leaves from the north side of the car park. Today I tried something different- I followed the WHW for a short distance, crossed a field,then the Balmaha- Rowerdennan road, and picked up a rather overgrown path at the foot of the west ridge. This soon got better and the views opened out. This is looking up the ridge from near its start. It shows the knobbly nature of the hill.....

And this is from a bit higher up near to where today's route joins the "tourist path" which is also part of the WHW.....

Conic Hill sits on the Highland Boundary Fault which separates the highlands and the lowlands. Apparently, around 400 million years ago, two continents collided pushing landmasses together to form Scotland; the Highland Boundary Fault is where the two continents met. The Loch Lomond islands seen here from half way up Conic Hill are also part of the Fault Line. Inchcailloch, which I visited later in the day, is the large island closest to the shore....

The Luss hills on the other side of Loch Lomond were seen well from here.....

While the westerly top is the best viewpoint and appears to be the one most visited, the most easterly "bump" is the true summit- by about 2m by the look of it- and a cairn is gradually taking shape on it. Here it is with Ben Lomond in the background.....

Conic Hill was only a short walk and the day was still young. What to do next? I love islands but had never been to Inchcailloch Island and a leaflet in the Visitor Centre said that a boat to there ran regularly from Balmaha boatyard.....

There were a couple of walking routes on the island, which was heavily wooded- oak and alder mainly.....

but there were a couple of viewpoints including one at the summit (85m). This is the view from the summit south over Endrick Bay to the Fintry hills.....

and north up Loch Lomond to Ben Lomond.....

I had picked up a guide book in the Visitor Centre. It said that, according to legend, St Kentigerna, an Irish princess, settled on the island about 1,300 years ago and set up a nunnery. She is apparently remembered in the name of the island which means island of the old women. 500 years later a church was built and dedicated to her memory; only the foundations remain plus some grave stones in the cemetery which continued in use well into the 20th century. It is all a bit run down today though.....

I spent a leisurely couple of hours wandering about the island; an interesting addition to a visit to Conic Hill.