Ben Gulabin

16 March 2010.

Participants - Me and Steven
Where - Ben Gulabin, 806m/2,644', Corbett, Map 43, NO 101722

 Ben Gulabin (hill of the beak) is situated above the Spital of Glenshee. Its name apparently relates to the Fingalian legend of Diarmid, the hunter.

It is an easy walk; we parked about 1/2 mile north of the hotel at the start of a track that ascends gently to the col on the north side of the hill. This is looking back to the start of the track.....

The track passes the remains of an old ski tow, all that is left of an early ski development in this area. Since I was last here a few years ago, a new track has been bulldozed from the col to almost the summit of Ben Gulabin, presumably for the benefit of shooters. There were a lot of grouse about, more than I have seen before in this area so it looks as though this hill is being managed specifically for grouse shooting. Anyway, here I am approaching the top of the track.....

It was not far from there to the summit cairn and a fine view down to the Spital.....

It was quite cold on top so we didn't linger too long. This is the view on the way down looking north to the Cairnwell (centre, with the radio masts on top)......

Although the snow cover is now disappearing fast, there were still some deep drifts for the unwary to fall into.....

This is one of the easier Corbetts; the return walk is only about 4 miles with 530m of ascent and it took 2 hours and 50 minutes.

Sgiath a'Chaise

10 March 2010.

Participants - Just me
Where - Sgiath a'Chaise, 645m/2,116', Graham, Map 57, NN 583169

 Sgiath a'Chaise (steep wing i.e. shelter) is the highest point of the ridge on the west side of Glen Ample, north of Callander. It's western spur, Meall Mor, is well seen when driving north from Callander.....

It was an absolutely cracking day- deep blue sky and with a fair amount of snow on the ground- when I parked in the lay-by at Ardchullarie More at the side of Loch Lubnaig. This is the same starting point as for Stuc a'Chroin and Beinn Each or just a walk along Glen Ample. I had a fairly early start and the track was a bit icy so I donned my micro spikes. From the spot where I put them on there was a good view back to Ben Ledi on the other side of the loch.

And soon Sgiath a'Chaise came into view.....

My route was to strike uphill when just past the trees and to reach the ridge as soon as possible. The most recent snowfall must have come in from the north west for whereas the hills on the east side of the glen were well covered, my destination was almost clear. This is the view from the ridge to the summit....

The combination of blue skies and snow covered hills certainly enhanced what are good views at any time. Here is the view up Glen Ample towards Loch Tay and the Ben Lawers hills...

and across the glen to Stuc a'Chroin with the top of Ben Vorlich just visible top left....

and west to Stobinian and Ben More.

All in all, it was an excellent day. I lazed about for quite a while on top so the whole trip took me a shade over 4 hours. The distance was about 5 miles and there was around 520m of ascent.

Cairn Hill

8 March 2010.

Participants - Just me
Where - Cairn Hill, 449m/1,473', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map71/78, NS 852070

Cairn Hill is a western outlier of the Lowther Hills in southern Scotland. I drove down the M74, turned off at Abington for Leadhills and Wanlockhead and then joined the A76. A few miles further on there is a narrow side road that goes to Cashogle farm; I took this and parked at road end at the start of a track that goes to the ruined Kirkbride church and graveyard. This is the way that I approached the hill.

All that I can find out about the church is that it was probably built early in the 16th century. There are only a few of the old gravestones left standing in the graveyard.

Past the church, the route crossed a field and then went through a small wood. There was a sort of firebreak but the trees did encroach a bit but I was soon through it and out on to the open hill. It was an easy walk over gently angled slopes to the summit which was at a junction of fences and gates. And, yes, there was a cairn!

The best of the view was to the main Lowther hills.....

This was a very easy day, the walk was c.4 miles with only 260m of ascent and it took around 2 hours.

Meikle Bin

6 March 2010.

Participants - Me and Steven
Where - Meikle Bin, 570m/1,870', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 57, NS 667822

Unlike most of the Campsie Fells, Meikle Bin (big hill) has a bit of a shape to it. Here is a view from the Craw Road to the west....

The easiest approach is from the Carron valley and this was the route that we took. There is space for a few cars jsut before reaching the reservoir and this is the start of the walk which goes through forestry for most of the way. It is a popular walk and we met quite a few other people. After about a mile, we got our first view of Meikle Bin.....

It was quite hard going through snow that was more than a foot deep in places and we were glad that there had been others along before us to compact the snow a bit......

At the highest point of the track, where it starts to level out before descending again, there is a gap in the trees and that is the route on to the ridge. No problems today, the footprints in the snow showed where to go. This is me on the ridge with extensive views to the west.....

The snow had been completely blown off the summit.....

from where there was a good view down to a frozen Carron Valley Reservoir. The hills in the distance are the Ochils.....

This is one of a number of Scottish hills on which there is aircraft wreckage. A Fairey Firefly two-seater plane operated by the Royal Navy crashed close to the summit on 8 January 1950. Both the pilot and navigator were killed. The wing section, hydraulics, engine and other wreckage can still be found onsite. Here is Steven at a section of a wing and landing gear strut, to be found a couple of hundred feet west of the trig.....

The Fruin

1 March 2010.

Participants - Just me
Where - The Fruin, 361m/1,184', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 56, NS 276872

The cold spell had continued and the ground remained frozen. So I reckoned that it was time for another hill that I had put off climbing until the underfoot conditions were favourable. The Fruin is a Marilyn situated north of the road between Helensburgh and Garelochead. From the map, it looked like the best way of tackling it would be from the highest point of the old Glen Fruin road. That way, over half the ascent height would be gained before leaving the car. Here is a view of the hill from further down Glen Fruin, on the new road.

The first part of the walk looked as though it would be very wet in summer and the underfoot terrain is very rough all of the way. By following a fence that I reached about 1/2 mile from the start, I was able to avoid the worst of the tussocks. The summit is at the highest point on the left hand bump in the next picture.

The excellence of the views more than made up for the underfoot conditions. This is looking north to Beinn Chaorach in the Luss hills taken from about the half way point in the walk to the summit.....

And this is the view back to the Cowal hills across the Gareloch taken from slightly further on..... 

There were two small cairns at the top and I reckoned that the most northerly was the higher point. There were good views in all directions. As well as the Cowal hills in the west I could see north to Beinn a'Mhanach and Beinn Chaorach in the Luss hills.....

east to the Campsie's.....

and south down the Clyde estuary with Inverkip power station chimney clearly visible.....

It had definitely been worth saving this hill for a crisp winter's day. 4 miles, 165m of ascent, 3 hours and 50 minutes.

Hill of Stake

22 February 2010.

Participants - Just me
Where - Hill of Stake, 522m/1,713', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 63, NS 273630

Hill of Stake is the highest point in the Renfrewshire hills and a Marilyn. Despite its low height, I had failed to reach the top on two previous visits- it is rough, featureless country, the mist was down, and their didn't seem much point in carrying on beyond the end of the track on to the moor. However, today was different, the hill was clear and the ground frozen so I reckoned that it would be reatively dry underfoot.

I started from the Muirshiel Regional Park visitor centre beyond Lochwinnoch. The first couple of miles are along a track as far as an old barytes mine. The mine was apparently worked for over 200 years beginning in the mid-18th century. It closed in 1969 and although the buildings have now been demolished, some rocky gullies formed by open cast mining operations can still be seen.

After passing the mine, it was completely trackless across rough moorland with a few peat hags thrown in for good measure. Good walking country....not!

After a bit the hill came into view- an incentive to keep going. There is a trig at the summit and reasonable views. Looking north.....

Looking south.....

Looking west.....

Despite the rough ground, I rather enjoyed this one. It was a good half day's walk with some historical interest. 8 miles, 280m of ascent, 3 hours and 50 minutes.

Binnean nan Gobhar

Participants - Just me
Where - Binnean nan Gobhar, 586m/1,923', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 56, NS 419968

10 February 2010. It was another beautiful day so back out again! Binnean nan Gobhar was not a hill that I had really thought about doing- I had read a few reports about it and they all said that the ground was extremely rough and boggy. But the frost had set in for weeks now so I reckoned that if ever there was a good time to climb the hill then it was now.

Binnean na Gobhar (goat peak) is a Marilyn on the east side of Loch Lomond. I parked at Cashel where there is lots of space and some way marked walks, one of which meandered up the hillside to about the 300 metre contour. So that was an easy start; maybe this would not be as bad as I feared?

There were good views back to Loch Lomond and the Luss hills. And this is my first view of the hill.....

The track continued beyond the end of the marked path and a viewpoint and entered a small wood. I could clearly see my objective from here.....

The track ended at a gate and the rough stuff took over. Heather, tufted grass and bog- fortunately mostly frozen- was my lot after that but at least I could see the hill ahead of me. I aimed for a grassy gully that avoided the worst of the heather and climbed to the top of a knoll with a cairn on it.

Oops, it was not the summit! There was another knoll a few hundred yards further on that also had a cairn on it and which seemed to be higher. 

So I descended the first knoll and crossed over more rough ground. But there was a fine view of Ben Lomond to compensate.

This time it was the summit so I got out my flask and chocolate. I needed a rest before tackling the grass and heather again. On the way back, there was a good view of Loch Lomond and the islands.

All in all, this hill was no worse than many I have been on. The frosted ground certainly helped and winter may well be the best season to be here. The walk is about 8 miles with 600m of ascent and took me 4 hours and 15 minutes.

Beinn Dubh (Mid Hill)

9 February 2010.

Participants - Just me
Where - Beinn Dubh (Mid Hill), 657m/2155', Graham, Map 56, NS 322964

One of the advantages of being retired is that when a good weather day comes along I can go hill walking. Previously I would sit in the office on a lovely day wishing that I was out on the hills and then when the weekend came it would be acompanied by rain and low cloud and I either didn't go walking or plodded through poor conditions to another no view summit. Well not always but often enough..........

Beinn Dubh, (Black Hill) is a Graham in the Luss hills to the west of Loch Lomond. This is a photo of it that I took the following day when I was out again. I started from the car park at Luss village (free at this time of year), crossed the main road by a footbridge and took to the hill when immediately past the houses. There is a good path heading up and it wasn't long till I was getting the views. This is of Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond from quite near the start.....

Inactivity over the past weeks had led to a lack of fitness and it was a bit of a case of head down and plod on until I reached the top of Beinn Dubh- there were a few false tops on the way which is always a bit disheartening. But it was worth it when the slope eventually levelled out. This is the view of the Arrochar Alps from the top of Beinn Dubh.....

I continued the walk by following the fence and then crossing a short area of peat hags before climbing again to the highest point on Mid Hill and an even better view of the Arrochar hills. Approaching Mid Hill.....

The Arrochar Alps from the approach to Mid Hill.....

There are two cairns a couple of hundred yards apart on Mid Hill. I was not sure which was the highest- each looked higher from the other- but it didn't matter as I was following the ridge anyway. There was little wind and the sun was shining so I found a boulder to lean against and laze about for 10 minutes just taking it all in. This is at one of the cairns with another of the Luss Marilyns, Doune Hill, in the background.....

And this is looking towards Beinn Chaorach and Beinn Each, two more Luss Marilyns.....

I didn't linger too long as days are short at the beginning of February and there was still some way to go. The great advantage of Beinn Dubh is that you can complete a fine circular route by continuing down the south-west ridge to meet the head of the minor road in Glen Luss and then wander the remaining two miles along this quiet glen back to the car. The descent off the hill provides another fine view of Loch Lomond.....

This fine circular walk is c.7 miles, 670m of ascent and it took me just under 5 hours.

To end this account, here is another view of Beinn Dubh taken from the east side of Loch Lomond......