Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Benarty Hill, 356m, Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 58, NT 153979
Well that's my 2014 hill walking underway. The weather has been awful since the start of December with almost constant rain and gales but the forecasters seem a bit more optimistic that there is calmer weather to come. We shall see.
I decided to start the year with one of the smaller Marilyns, Benarty Hill in Fife and which I last climbed in 2011. It is lower than the other Lomond hills but has a very distinctive outline.....
The easiest approach seems to be from the south, from the road that goes to Ballingry. There was room to park a couple of cars at the start, and the path up was way-marked.....
The path rose steeply at first up some wooden steps. It got narrower higher up and there was an old fence and wall combination to cross to get out of the trees and on to the open moorland. From that point there was a good view west to Knock Hill and Dumglow....
It was then a simple task of following a narrow path across the moorland to the trig. A few yards past the trig the hill fell away steeply to the north down to Loch Leven. I only stopped at the edge long enough to take this photograph of the loch and Bishop Hill as I didn't want Ben to wander about at the top of a vertical slope.....
The flat moorland doesn't allow for extensive views but here is a picture of Ben at the trig with the Lomond hills in the background.....
and a view west to the Ochils.....
It was only a short walk, a leisurely 1 hour and 10 minutes car to car. After I got changed, I drove round to the RSPB Vane Farm reserve There were a lot of Whooper Swan on the loch but not a great deal else so after a quick look from the hides I repaired to the café for a plate of soup. It was carrot and orange, unusual but nice. What has become of good old fashioned lentil soup in cafes nowadays, I ask myself?
All in all, a pleasant day out.
2 comments:
It's a smashing hill Neil. Agree with the soup comment. Occasionally, I've tried to get a meal during weekend trips outdoors in several districts over the past few years and been offered some exotic overpriced fancy concoction or other. Fashionable but slightly anaemic grub. What's wrong with steak pie, peas and chips or sausage roll and baked beans? Cheap and filling food that gives you a lift after a cold day up the hills. Keep your rocket, celery and other sundry rabbit food for the summer months.
Looks like a pretty wee spot to start off the year!
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