Monday 28 January 2019

Craigbeath Hill and Culliloe Hills (Fife)

28 January 2019

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Craigbeath Hill, 181m/594', P 30m, Tump, OS 58, NT 154 926 and Cullaloe Hills, 219m/718', P 82m, Tump, OS 65/66, NT 183 886
 
Snow was forecast for later in the week so I decided to head to Fife today to climb these two Tumps, one in Cowdenbeath and the other not far to the south. Craigbeath Hill was at the back of a new housing estate so there was no problem finding a place to park. The hill has been laid out as a small country park with good tracks, the high point was beside a covered reservoir, surrounded by an impenetrable fence. I thought that the highest ground was actually inside the fence although that might all have been man made. However, there was no way that I was getting in so I searched for the high point outside the fence which was in the middle if gorse. Aaah the Tumps!
 
The summit area from the east.....
 
 
and from the west.....
 
 
looking north to Kelty from the middle of the gorse.....
 
 
and to Benarty Hill, a Marilyn that I have climbed on a number of occasions.....
 
 
Then it was back to the car and a short drive south on the A909 to park at the entrance to Cullaloe Woods. I followed the track for a couple of  hundred yards before striking off uphill on an MTB path. This joined another, now unused, track which I followed further west, passing a folly, before striking uphill again over some very slippery ground- dead leaves on top of unconsolidated earth. Not pleasant when Ben was dragging me, especially going down! The initial walk along the track.....
 
 
I couldn't take Ben to the highest point of this one; it was right on the lip of a massive quarry. He got tied to a tree a few yards down while I visited the top, but he gets to claim it anyway. Looking along the quarry rim to the top.....
 
 
Across the quarry to Benarty Hill and Bishop Hill.....
 
 
And to the distant Ochil Hills.....
 
 
I don't know if they're still quarrying into the hill but there could be changes to the highest point in the future!

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