Berrie Craigs and Glenbuck village

 8 July 2024

Where: Berrie Craigs, 389m/1,276', P 38m, Tump, OS 71, NS 735 300

Berrie Craigs sits in the heart of former mining territory, In fact its east side has disappeared as part of a vast open cast coal min which also saw the village of Glenbuck removed from the face of the earth. The whole area is being reclaimed and the site of the village is now being developed as a tourist attraction. As well as a story of past industry, Glenbuck also has a football connection. Bill Shankly, the famous Liverpool manager was born in the village. There is a memorial to him and one also to the local team, the Glenbuck Cherrypickers. The memorial is visited by Liverpool fans as is clearly evidenced. There is lots of information on the site where houses once stood- a fascinating place. Well worth a visit.

As to Berrie Craigs, there is a track from the car park almost to the high point- a rocky crag with a fine view of the area. 

A different sort of walk, very enjoyable.

Approaching Berrie Craigs.....

Summit area.....

Artificial lake with Hareshaw Hill beyond.....

View south to Cairn Table.....

Drum Maw (Romano Bridge)

 29 June 2024

Where: Drum Maw, 445m/1,460', P 93m, Tump, OS 72, NT 177 471

Drum Maw from Mountain Cross.....

I parked at the cemetery which is just east of the village and joined the Cross Border Drove Road.....

The route initially went through some forestry before emerging at a col where there was a great view of  more hills to the south- typical Borders scenery.....

Drum Maw from near the col.....

Immediately on leaving the forest, I turned up the grassy east slopes of the hill- quite steep but with traces of a path. The summit was not far and was marked by a cairn. There were excellent views of the Pentland Hills to the north-east and the Broughton hills to the west with Tinto in the far distance.....

Another pleasant hill.

Archibald Gair Head

23 June 2024

Where: Archibald Gair Head, 494m/1,621, P 91m, Tump, OS 78, NS 983 141

I decided to investigate one of the Tumps in the western arm of the Clyde wind farm south of Abington. A track went to within a few metres of the summit; one of the advantages of wind farms as this would have been a difficult hill otherwise due to the terrain. There was a large parking area at the start, Gate E.....

Heading up the track, it was a gentle incline.....

The summit area was rough and the high point was a knoll, although I wondered if it was man made.....

Looking north to the Lowther Hills and south to the Moffat hills.....

Heading down.....

Kildoach Hill and the Hunter Blair Monument

 19 June 2024

Where: Kildoach Hill, 354m/1,162', P 53m, Tump, OS 77, NS 396 040

The Hunter Blair Monument is Craigengower Hill south of Straiton with Craigengower Hill being a top of the Tump Kildoach Hill. I parked opposite the cemetery where the track to the Monument started.....

It went through a field then a wood before going very steeply up to the Monument.....

The 20m high granite Monument commemorates Lt. Col. James Hunter Blair MP who died in the Crimean War. It is an impressive obelisk seen from miles around......

There was a tremendous view down over Straiton as far as the Arran hills on the distant horizon.....

Kildoach Hill wasn't far away and only a few metres higher......

But it involved a walk over rough, boggy ground. On the way back, I followed an ATV track which took a circuitous route but avoided the tussocks and bog. There were a number of possible high points but I was confident that I found the correct one. There was a good view south to the Galloway hills; the only downside was that there was a wind farm close by.....

Lochlyoch Hill and Howgate Hill

 12 June 2024

Where: Lochlyoch Hill, 529m/1,736', P 43m, Tump, OS 71/72, NS 930 342 and Howgate Hill, 450m/1,476', P 71m, Tump, OS 71/72, NS 911 342

These two Tumps form the westward extension of Tinto Hill and indeed could be climbed with it if you had two cars available. I decided to climb them from the south, the B 7055, and found a parking spot c.300m east of Burnhead Cottage from where a track went up to (and past) a col between the two hills. The view up the track with Howgate Hill on the left and Lochlyoch Hill on the right.....

The main objective of the day was Lochlyoch Hill and I tackled it first, leaving the main track before reaching a quarry on to another track which went steeply through the forest. This emerged on to open slopes not far from the summit.....

The highest point wasn't marked and there was a good view east to Tinto....

and west to Howgate Hill.....

I retraced my steps to the main track (Howgate Hill ahead).....

and carried on past the old quarry to the col from where another track started very steeply up the slopes of Howgate Hill. This almost disappeared higher up where the forest had been cut down but there were traces of a path through the brash. Again the summit was unmarked, I made it to be just inside the trees.....

There were good views of Lochlyoch Hill and Tinto on the way back down......

And then it was a case of retracing steps on the track back to the car.....

Lindston Hill, Pennyvenie Colliery, Patna Hill

 6 June 2024

Where: Lindston Hill, 126m/413', P 41m, Tump, OS 70, NS 376 169; Pennyvenie Colliery, 247m/810', P 32m, Tump, OS 70, NS 484 067' and Patna Hill, 260m/853', P 47m, Tump, OS 70, NS 405 109

A day of sunshine and heavy showers, just right for doing these hills which are situated in the Ayr- Dalmellington corridor. Lindston Hill was a drive up but to do it properly I parked at the foot of the road and walked up the few hundred yards to the top. The highest point is probably in the garden of the house but for the purposes of the bag, the point immediately outside the gate is sufficient.....

I then drove through Dalmellington for Pennyvenie Colliery, an old bing although you wouldn't know it once on it as the vegetation has fully taken over. It was a very pleasant short walk along the ridge and the top provided a good view over Dalmellington and north to the Marilyn Benbeoch.....

I the drove back along the road to Patna and a 40 minute wait in the car while a very heavy rain shower passed over. There was good parking at the start of the track up the hill and then a grassy trod to the obvious high point. Good views down to Patna with the Arran hills just visible on the western horizon. The first picture is the hill from the east, not from the starting point which is from the south....