The Inneans (Cleish Hills)

 10 November 2023

Where: The Inneans, 336m/1,102', P 43m, Tump, OS 58, NT 088964

It was thick mist when I got up in the morning and I wondered if I should continue with my plan to go walking. However, the forecast was good and a look at some on-line webcams showed that the sun was already out in the area of the Cleish Hills so I set off. I parked at the end of the track to Loch Glow and walked down to the fishery buildings. The Inneans from the fishery buildings, there are 3 tops of which the central one is the Tump.....

There were lots of paths; I started by following one below the dam wall and on to the open hillside. This skirted the east shore of the loch from where there were fine views of Knock Hill, Georgeton Hills and Dumglow.....

The view to the east opened up as I climbed the slopes of the first of the Inneans.....

From it's top, I could see the route to the Marilyn, Dumglow, done many years ago and not on todays agenda.....

The best view however was to the east, towards Loch Leven and the Lomond Hills, what a fantastic view it was in the clear conditions.....

The Tump top was next, looked steep but turned out to be easy when approached from the east side.....

There was still a lot of fog to the south, over the Forth but I could just make out the Pentland Hills beyond.....

The Tump summit with the Lomond Hills distant.....

The final top to the north which I didn't bother visiting.....

I returned more or less by the same route, but missing out the first top. What a perfect walk it had been!

Muckle Knock (Pentland Hills)

 31 October 2023

Where: Muckle Knock, 465m/1,526', P 52m, Tump, OS 65/72, NT 117563

I took advantage of a rare good weather day to get out again to the Pentland Hills, this time to bag Muckle Knock from West Linton. I parked at Badinsgill Farm and followed the Thieves Road, an old drove road that goes through the range. Leaving the track, I climbed the west slopes of Muckle Knock. It had been cool in the valley but on top there was a strong east wind blowing and it was baltic! I wouldn't have liked to have been on a higher hill today. This is a very short walk to a lesser visited Pentland hill and with the autumn colours still on the trees, a perfect day to do it.

Autumn colours around Badinsgill.....

On the Thieves Road approaching Muckle Knock.....

Looking to Mount Maw and Badinsgill reservoir from the slopes of Muckle Knock.....

East Cairn Hill.....

The Kips appear in the far distance.....

The summit.....

Birniehill (nr Milnathort)

 9 October 2023

Where: Birniehill, 262m/863', P 54m, Tump, OS 58, NO 125083

I had aimed to get my Tump total up to 1,600 before my partner, Steven, went on holiday; a totally arbitrary objective! It had seemed to be an age getting through the 1,590's and I had one to go before 12 October. So it was back to the wee hills above Milnathort for Birniehill, another pasture Tump.

I parked in an old quarry and followed the fields up. The high point was in an area of rushes. That's Tumping for you!

Moonzie Hill, Tay Mount and Temple Hill (Fife Tumps)

 2 October 2023

Where: Moonzie Hill, 138m/453', P 37m, Tump, OS 59, NO 337 176, Tay Mount, 189m/620', P 42m, Tump, OS 59, NO 348 224, and Temple Hill, 283m/928', P 38m, Tump, OS 58, NO 107 096

A breezy day but mainly dry for another visit to north-east Fife. Moonzie Hill was first on the agenda and was almost a drive up. It is crowned by Moonzie Kirk which went out of ecclesiastical use in the 1970's but which still has a well tended graveyard. I parked at the farm just short of the church and walked up the track to it. The high point of the hill is in a field at the back of the church and was accessed by a side gate in the graveyard. Best of the views was to the Marilyn, Mount Hill.....

I then drove a short distance north to Tay Mount where there was a convenient parking spot just inside a field gateway. I walked along the side of the field and found a rough path through a wood which led to a style over a barbed wire fence into another field which contained the high point of the hill. There was a trig which was almost but not quite at the high point.

Heading for home, I remembered as I approached Milnathort that I had not yet bagged Temple Hill; a herd of cows had taken possession of the hill last time I was up this way. So I decided to take a look and drove to and parked in a car park for off road driving participants. The hill had sheep in it today so that was a good decision. It was the best viewpoint of the day particularly looking south to the Lomond Hills from the grass covered cairn.....

Another 3 Fife Tumps bagged!

Borders Tumping

 12 September 2023

Where: Dunhog Moss, 303m/994', P 36m, Tump, OS 73, NT 469 244; Gersit Law, 195m/640', P 61m, Tump, OS 74, NT 612 268; Brox Law, 99m/325', P36m, Tump, OS 74, NT 697 338; Hume Castle, 224m/735', P 64m, Tump, OS 74, NT 704 414.

I set off early on the long drive with the first stop just south of Selkirk. The target was Dunhog Moss which is the highest point south of the town and is crowned by a large transmission mast. There is a service road to the mast and I could have driven up but I decided on the short walk. The actual summit was close to the mast and next to a wall. There were good views to the south.....

Back at the car I next drove cross country to join the A7 at Ashkirk. The next hill, Gersit Law was a couple of miles to the north. I parked in a layby south of the track to it and walked north along the road verge. I could have walked through a caravan site instead, I returned that way. There was a fine view north to the Eildon Hills from the track.....

The hill is crowned by the Mausoleum of Sir Thomas Monteith.....

It is only open to the public by appointment but when I reached it, a guide was talking to a couple of visitors and I was allowed in for a look. There were a couple of large statues inside which the guide told me were reckoned to represent Sir Thomas' daughters and a wonderful domed ceiling......

Again the hill was a good viewpoint looking south to the Waterloo Tower with the Cheviot hills beyond.....

Next it was on to Kelso and Floors castle. Brox law is the highpoint of the castle grounds easily reached along a good track from the castle car park. It was however a bit of a nothing hill next to a pond in an area used for rearing pheasants. There were dozens of them about.....

Turning for home, I headed for Hume Castle, which I'd never heard of until I started looking for Tumps. It was a peaceful spot with the best views of the day, looking south to the Cheviot. The high point of the hill seemed to be inside the castle beside a seat.....

An interesting outing, the only downside was the Edinburgh City bypass which is more like an endless car park than a major road!

Black Hill (near Abington)

 30 August 2023

Where: Black Hill, 383m/1,258', P 100m, Hump, OS 71/72, NS 904 243

The weather had changed for the better as autumn approached. I decided on a short walk and drove down towards Abington, taking the old road as I got south and parked up opposite the house at Strand where there was space for a couple of cars. I climbed a gate onto the hillside and followed a track and then sheep trods to the small pile of stones that marked the summit. It was a gentle ascent. Fine open views as I got higher. Tinto dominated the eastern view......

Lots of wind farms, looking towards Crawfordjohn....

Looking south east, the M73 was in view in this direction and I could hear the noise of the traffic......