Benarty Hill (again!)

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Benarty Hill above Loch Leven in Fife; 356m/1168', Sub-2k Marilyn, OS Map 58, NT 153979

With a forecast for more ice and snow later in the week, I reckoned that I'd better get out. Benarty Hill is only a short drive from home and I like it at this time of year as I can combine it with a visit to the RSPB reserve at Vane Farm. A shower was coming in as I left the house and it didn't look too clever in the west; however the forecast said that the east would be better and so it was. I took my usual route from the south, up through some nice mixed woodland and then across the moor. There were snowdrops lurking in the sheltered areas and the garden birds were singing at Vane Farm, sure signs that spring is on the way.

It was a good day for photography, the air was clear and the horizons sharp. Here are a few:

 

On the plateau with the trig on the right horizon.....

The trig with the Ochils in the background.....

Looking to the industrial belt.....

Ben, Loch Leven and Bishop Hill.....

Loch Leven and Bishop Hill.....

And a wide angle shot of the loch with Bishop Hill on the right.....

It was lentil soup on the menu at the café at Vane Farm, very tasty.

Torlum: A New Year, an Old Hill

3 January 2015

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Torlum, 393m/1,290', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 57, NN 819192

 

A  new year and an early opportunity to get out on the hills. All of the new Marilyns that I have to do (or, rather, want to do) either require an overnight trip or involve too much driving for a short winters day so for today it was off to a hill that I had climbed on a few previous occasions. Torlum lies a few miles west of Crieff and is a grand viewpoint for the surrounding area. It had been frosty overnight and the skies were clear; absolutely perfect conditions. The hill is reached by one of a number of narrow country roads; this is the view of it that I got when I approached it from the south.....

 

 

The start was along a forestry track and there was space for a few cars at the gate at the start. Ben hadn't been out for a hill walk for ages and is putting on weight; I just managed to get him under the gate! There were another two gates at the top of the forest section but they both had side gates for pedestrians so no problem there. The track continued for a short distance beyond the forest before turning into a narrow path that wound steeply up the hill.

 

 

It was only a short climb and the trig with its attendant Christmas tree soon came into view.....

 

 

Torlum is a grandstand for Ben Chonzie to the north. Here is Ben at the summit looking pleased with himself.....

 

 

Ben Chonzie .....

 

A view of Crieff.....

 

 

The trees had grown quite a bit since my last visit in 2010 but I could still glimpse the snow plastered Stuc a'Chroin and Ben Vorlich through the branches.....

 

 

Getting a photo of the Ochils to the south was awkward as I was looking straight into the sun but by manoeuvring myself into the Christmas tree to get some branches between the camera and the sun I managed it.....

 

 

It was by no means a cold day but it did start to get chilly standing at the trig; well, it is the beginning of January after all! So we set off down again just as another party of five folk were arriving. On the way down, I took this picture looking to the low ground to the east over the Loch of Balloch, some great colours there.....

 

 

The walk took just under two hours, just right for the time of year.