Stronend

24 September 2010.

Participants - Just me
Where - Stronend, 511m/1,678', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 57, NS 629895

Steven was looking after Ben for a few hours (or should that be chewed up by Ben) so that I could get a hillwalk. The weather had changed from warm and unsettled to cool and bright and with superb visibility; autumn was definitely on the way. Stronend is the highest point of the prominent escarpment north of Fintry and provides an uninterrupted view of the hills of the Southern Highlands. This is it from the north.....

I was climbing it from the south however. I left the car in the Sports Centre car park in Fintry and took the private road to the Culcreuch Castle hotel. Stronend rises directly beyond the hotel.....

 Just before the hotel, I took a right turn and passed through Culcreuch farmyard which seemed to be full of barking dogs- fortunately constrained in kennels! It was obviously an "animal day" as I quickly came across a herd of cows with calves on the hillside which necessitated a detour. Having been charged by cows on a couple of occasions, I am very wary of them. Anyway, cows avoided, I was soon on the open hillside and a steep climb up the escarpment easily avoiding all the rocky bits. Looking back, there was a good view of Fintry......

The plateau when I reached it was gently sloping and a bit wet underfoot (the cairn is in the distance at the extreme north edge of the plateau)......

but a path of sorts followed the edge of the escarpment and kept to the hard and dry ground. This route also provided the views; across the Forth valley with Ben Lomond prominent.....

along the escarpment to the hills of the Southern Highlands.....

and there was also a view south east to the Carron Valley reservoir and Meikle Bin.....

There was a substantial cairn with plenty of shelter from the cold wind and a great view to the hills to the north.....

and it contained an unusual trig, I can't recall seeing one built of local stones before although I am sure that there must be others.....

I returned by the same route, again avoiding the cows. I was walking for 3 hours and 30 minutes and it was about 5 miles with c. 500m of ascent.