Carleatheran

15 April 2012.

Participants - Just me
Where - Carleatheran, 485m/1,592', Sub-2K Marilyn, Map 57, NS 687918

Region 26 in my Marilyn book has been well filled in for some time now but, strangely, Carleatheran has remained unmarked. Yet it is only a few miles from home. I think that it must have been reports of parking difficulties plus the fact that the summit is a long way from the start point that has led me to dismiss it in the past in favour of second ascents of most of the other hills in the section. Anyway, today I was going to put things right.

I found the rough single track road that runs along the foot of Carleatheran and Stronend at the second attempt; I forgot to look at my map and just assumed that it started in Kippen. Doh! There was also plenty of parking- room for at least half a dozen cars- not far past the entrance to Ballochleam farm, which was also the track to the hill. The track wandered up at a gentle incline through a few fields with lots of sheep and lambs in them, and also some cows and calves. Just as well I hadn't brought Ben who would have had to stay on his lead which he hates. I stopped a few times to look at the view back towards the hills of the Southern Highlands, a view that stayed with me all day.....

I have climbed Stronend a couple of times and now that I have climbed Carleatheran as well, I reckon that it is the better hill because the view is with you all of the way. The track continued to the Spout of Ballochleam (about an hour's walking); it wasn't doing much spouting today as the burn was virtually dry. After the Spout, I was out on the open moor where a grassy track headed for the top of Lees Hill. The Southern Highland hills were now on my left and the view behind was to Stronend.....

I was on the plateau but where was the summit? Surely that couldn't be it....a pointed top away in the far distance? I took this photo on the way back just after I met some people who were also heading up; they give a sense of scale to the plateau..... the summit is the small point just sticking up second from left.....

There isn't much height gain on this walk but it sure is a long way and I was glad when the summit cone eventually came into view.....

The track was good for the most part but became a bit boggy in places close to the summit, which hosted a trig inside a large cairn.....

 I was glad to be able to sit down for a while in the shelter of the cairn, both for the rest and to get out of the cold northerly breeze. I had my woolly hat on by this stage and also my gloves! This distance across the plateau, the view to the east was now to Stirling and the Ochils.....

I was conscious of the distance that I had to travel to get back so didn't linger too long. It had taken 3 hours to reach the summit but with the advantage of more downhill bits I managed it back in a bit less time (but not much!). There was a good view looking west along the escarpment not long after leaving the summit.....

So that's the highest point of the Gargunnock hills visited. It was a grand airy walk well worth doing, although I was a bit stiff by the time I got back to the car.