Lochan Hill and Dunoon

 5 October 2021

Participants: Just me

Where: Lochan Hill, 95m/312', P 54m, Tump, OS 63, NS 174 789

Brilliant sunshine in the west of Scotland, rain in the east so a no brainer to go west. Lochan Hill was unbagged and a trip across the Clyde is always a good day out so that was the target. I got the train to Gourock, bus to McInroy's Point and the Western Ferries service to Hunters' Quay.....

On the ferry approaching Hunter's Quay.....

The west slopes of Lochan Hill are part of the Cowal Golf Course and the easiest way to the summit was to follow the edges of the fairways. There were only a few golfers about and nobody seemed to be worried by my presence.  The summit was a short way above the 8th tee and there were some views down to the Clyde.....

I decided to add to the day by walking along the promenade into Dunoon and catching the Cal Mac ferry back to Gourock......

There is a small viewpoint above the ferry terminal and for minimum effort you get a great view up and down the river.....

Looking over Dunoon towards Hunter's Quay.....

The old ferry terminal looking up river.....

The wooded hills to the west of Dunoon, there are a few Tumps among them.....

Down the Clyde.....

The ferry arriving.....

Leaving Dunoon.....

Looking down the Clyde from the ferry, the hills of Arran distant. I could also see Ailsa Craig......

This was probably the best days walk of the year.

 

Back to Edinburgh- Salisbury Crags and Calton Hill

28 September 2021

Participants: Just me

Where: Salisbury Crags, 174m/571', P 65m, Tump, OS 66, NT 267 731 and Calton Hill, 106m/348', P 49m, Tump, OS 66, NT 263 741

It was a beautiful early autumn day with the best of the weather forecast for the east. I had been up Salisbury Crags a few times but didn't have any digital photographs from it so decided to correct that omission. I got the train to Waverley and walked down the Royal Mile and into the park past the Scottish Parliament building.....

There were a lot of tourists about but most were heading for Arthur's Seat with only a few taking the path to the top of the Crags. The views soon opened out. Holyrood Palace, Royalty must have been in residence as the Royal Standard was flying....

Edinburgh castle.....

It was a steady pull up to the summit rocks situated at the very edge of the cliffs.....

The views to the west extended over the city to the distant Forth bridges.....

Looking to the Pentland hills.....

Arthur's Seat had a lot of visitors....

I carried on to the end of the Crags and descended to the col between them and Arthur's Seat before taking the path back to the start via Hunter's Bog.....

I then made my way to Calton Hill, primarily to get a photo of the Crags.....

But of course I had to go to the top! There are a lot of interesting buildings here- the National Monument, a monument to Lord Nelson, a Monument to Burns, a Monument to Dugald Stewart and the City Observatory and it is another excellent viewpoint for the city and the Forth estuary as far as North Berwick Law....

There is even a trig point....

although it is not at the highest point which is here.....

Another excellent day out.

A visit to London- Harrow on the Hill and Barn Hill

 15 September 2021

Participants: Just me

Where: Harrow on the Hill, 124m/407', P 71m, Tump, OS 176, TQ 153 874 and Barn Hill, 86m/282', P 33m, Tump, OS 176, TQ 200 879.

A visit to London for my birthday. I had a few hours to fill before travelling to the airport for the journey home and decided to get a London Tump on my hill list. I set off for Richmond Park but the trains to there were cancelled so I diverted to the Tube and the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines to do firstly Harrow on the Hill and then Barn Hill. It proved to be a fortuitous decision as I got two hills done rather than one and it was a straightforward journey there and back.....

The hill, Harrow on the Hill, is very close to the Tube station and there were a number of paths up.....

I chose to walk up the streets which pass through a number of Harrow School buildings. Another world here.....

The hill is crowned by St Mary's church, the spire of which can be seen from miles around, I saw it from the train on the way down to London. The church was consecrated by St Anselm in 1094 and there have been a number of alterations over the years. Lord Byron, who attended Harrow School, is reputed to have sat and written poetry here.....

The high point of the hill is at the north side of the church in the graveyard.....

and there are old gravestones much of the way down the north side of the hill.....

There are some views over the town but I didn't get the best of them as it was a bit of a cloudy day.....

Then it was back to the Tube and three stops back to Wembley Park station for Barn Hill.....

A 20 minute walk took me to the hill which was a haven of peace among the bustle of London streets, apart, that is, from the parakeets which chattered noisily in the trees around the summit. It was marked by a trig, a signpost and a bench, immediately behind which was a small pond.....

The arch on Wembley stadium was visible to the south.....

and I could just see the City tower blocks in the distance (this is a telephoto shot).....

An interesting few hours and something really different!