Thursday 4 July 2019

Three Iron Age Forts and an impressive War Memorial....and a drive-by TuMP

2 July 2019

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: White Caterthun, 300m/984', P 103m, Hump, OS 44, NO 547 661; Brown Caterthun, 286m/938', P 44m, Tump, NO 555 669; Drumcuthlaw, 188m/617', P 32m, Tump, OS 44, NO 474 615; Balmashanner Hill, 174m/571', P 51m, Tump, OS 54, NO 478 493; Denoon Law, 210m/689', P 36m, Tump, OS 54, NO 354 444.
 
I climbed the White Caterthun north of Brechin a few years ago before I started bagging TuMPs so didn't bother to climb its neighbour. As I wanted to climb Balmashanner Hill at Forfar, I decided to add on a few miles and rectify that omission and as I was there anyway, I just did White Caterthun again as well.
 
The two hills are topped by Iron Age hill forts sitting about 1km apart in a fine position overlooking Strathmore to the south and north to the Grampians. A narrow road runs between them and there is a small car park, as they are in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.. Both forts are enclosed by a series of earthworks, and HES say that it is likely they had multiple functions, serving both as military and ceremonial centres; indeed, they could be regarded as one site with two summits. They were built over 2,000 years ago and radiocarbon dating suggests a construction date of between 750 BC and 200 BC. They are certainly perfectly positioned if you wanted to see anybody approaching. I climbed Brown Caterthun first, it is the poorer of the two with a large covering of heather.
 
Brown Caterthun from car park.....
 

Hill of Wirren dominates the view to the north.....
 

Ben at summit.....
 

White Caterthun from Brown Caterthun.....
 

White Caterthun from car park.....
 

Hill of Wirren from ascent......
 

The outline of the fort is much more pronounced on White Caterthun, with impressive boulder ramparts. Ben at the summit.....
 

 I was heading for Forfar next but the Hillbagging website said that if I took a back road via Noranside, I would pass within a few metres of the summit of another TuMP, Drumcuthlaw. So I did. The trees that had previously covered the top of the hill had recently been felled so it was simply a case of looking for the highest tree stump.....
 

There was a reasonable view north to the Glenogil area.....

 
After that strenuous effort (!) it was on to Forfar and the hill that overlooks the town, Balmashanner Hill. I somehow found my way to a small car park at the foot of Reid park and followed paths uphill through the park to join the local path network which led to the impressive stone tower that marks the summit of the hill. It was built in 1921 in memory of local people who died in WW1.....
 
 
 
There was a great view from here north over the town to the Angus glens. Here is a composite photo.....
 
The final stop of the day was west of Glamis for another Iron Age hill fort, Denoon Law. This one was less impressive than the Caterthuns and the former fort area was entirely grassed over and providing good eating for a herd of sheep.......
 
 
 
So a good day's outing and another 4 TuMPs bagged to add to my total. 

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