Mounthuillie/Blairskaith Muir

25 February 2016

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Mounthuillie and Blairskaith Muir, 231m/758', Tump, Map 64, NS 605772

This is a Tump near Lennoxtown which I had not visited before, despite it being only 4 miles from home.

There was virtually no ascent, as a drivable road goes to a Forestry car park only a few hundred yards from the highest point which is now the top of a spoil tip of a disused quarry.....

but remarkably there is a view from it in a northerly direction towards the Strathblane Hills.....

I hadn't realised what a great network of forest tracks that there were up here, ideal for dog walking. After wandering along a few, I left the forest for the open ground on Blairskaith Muir where there was a trig and good views of Glasgow, the Strathblane Hills and the Loch Lomond hills beyond.....

I'm sure that I'll be back here again.

Bengairn

24 February 2016

 

Participants: Just me

Where: Bengairn, 391m/1283', Sub2k Marilyn, Map 84, NX 770545

 

The weather wasn't so good today. There had been a light fall of snow overnight and although clear, the skies were cloudy.

 

The start point was a side road to Collin, off the A711. There was a sign marking the start, and space to park a couple of cars, although as the verges were so soft, you might not have got a second car out again.

 

 

It was however a good solid track through the forest, but after that section, was as wet and muddy as I have come across in many a day. This area suffered badly in the rain storms of December and January although I suspect that this is always a wet hill. After leaving the track, the route was through a couple of fields; this is the view south to the Solway Firth from there.....

 

Bengairn was now fully in view.....

I made my way across a tussock ridden, reedy, area to the foot of an obvious gully where the going became better as I gained height. It was quite steep in places but brought me out about 50 yards from the top. There were a couple of substantial cairns.....

 

 

Unfortunately, the cloud hadn't lifted so the expected views weren't there. This is looking to the coast.....

 

 

and this is looking west to the Galloway hills, where it was obviously raining/snowing.....

 

 

In fact, it started snowing slightly while I was at the top so I didn't hang about too long. I simply followed the upward route back down again and, looking back, could see that a fairly heavy shower had set in.....

 

 

I stopped for a chat with the shepherd who was gathering in his sheep for vaccination. He said that he was missing 15 and was setting off to look for them in the direction of Screel Hill. Despite the weather and the wetness underfoot, I enjoyed the walk- 3 hours and 10 minutes car to car.

White Top of Culreoch

23 February 2016

 

Participants: Just me

Where: White Top of Culreoch, 344m/1,130', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 83, NX 600633

 

Well, that was a wonderful day's weather. And not too bad a hill either. I found space to park at the start of the track off the Laurieston to Gatehouse road, about 4 miles north of Gatehouse. The track started off going downhill, not the best of starts. It's a bit like having your pudding before your soup. It skirted the Craig of Grobdale.....

 

 

and shortly after, where it started to level out, I left it and set off up the hill, following the line of a wall and fence.....

 

 

There were traces of an ATV track which greatly eased the ascent, the only problem being that higher up I had to cross the fence which had a barbed top wire. I made a bit of an exhibition of myself crossing it on the way up but seemed to have mastered it on the way down! This is the view that greeted me when I got closer to the top and could see to the north.....

 

 

The summit area has been cleared of trees; I believe that it used to be a wooded horror with no view and the cairn difficult to find. Having to pick my way through fallen timber and brash was a small price to pay for the view today. This is the actual summit, looking north.....

 

 

In the opposite direction was Bengray which I climbed last autumn.....

 

 

but the main view was to Cairnsmore of Fleet.....

 

 

Although a bit too distant to get in a good photograph, I could also see the Pennines, the Lake District and the Isle of Man. It was a summit to sit about on- the sun was warm for the time of year- so I did. Including time sitting around, 2 hours 30 minutes car to car. A real Marilyn baggers hill this one- I doubt if many people have even heard of it.

 

 

Torlum (again)

22 February 2016

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

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

 

A sudden change in the weather from grey and dreich to cold and sunny and it looked like hanging around for a while. The higher hills in winter conditions- in any conditions really- are beyond me now but the sub-2ks provide plenty of enjoyment for much less effort. If I'm not going after a new "tick" then I tend to go for ones that I know are good viewpoints. Torlum just west of Crieff, is one of these.....

 

After all the rain that we have had this winter many of the side roads are no better than farm tracks with potholes everywhere. I had to endure a few miles of these to get to the start point just east of the hill. The forestry track that we walked up had a much better surface! This is an easy hill, a track then path to a trig that had a Christmas tree growing beside it- just like Craig of Monievreckie last week. Here's Ben having a look with the Munro of Ben Chonzie in the background.....

 

 

And here's the northern panorama, still lots of fresh snow around.....

 

 

When I first visited Torlum there was an almost uninterrupted view west to Ben Vorlich. Today the forest almost obscures the view. Looks a bit Alpine, if you ignore the height....

 

 

A good day and with a continuing good forecast I have decided to head south tomorrow to do a couple of new Galloway sub-2k's.

Annual Craig of Monievreckie climb

15 February 2016

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Craig of Monievreckie, a sub-2k Marilyn at Aberfoyle.

Tremendous weather, and there was some snow on the ground making the scenery even better. We did the usual walk from the Braeval car park, east of Aberfoyle. Here are a few photos.....

Looking to Ben Lomond from the final slopes.....

The summit with the Marilyn, Beinn Dearg distant.....

The Corbetts Ben Ledi and Benvane.....

The Graham Ben Venue with the distinctive tops of Ben More and Stobinian back right.....

A zoom of Ben Lomond.....

Calkin Rig

10 February 2016

Participants: Just me
Where: Calkin Rig,  451m/1,480', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 79, NY 289876

I managed my first new sub-2k Marilyn of 2016 today, Calkin Rig, west of Langholm. I had expected to encounter farm animals so I didn't take Ben, just as well as a herd of cows were near to the track close to the start. I parked on the verge at the bridge over the Boyken Burn at Hopsrig, on the Langholm to Eskdalemuir road, where the track started. I decided to leave the track after about a mile and head up Shaw Hill, passing what was marked as a "Settlement" on the map. It turned out to be quite a prominent ditch. There was a good view down the valley of the River Esk in the direction of Langholm from here.....

Various 4x4 tracks got me to the top of Shaw Hill from where it was about a mile across rough, tussocky ground to Calkin Rig.....

The tops of the hills around here are covered in conifers, including the highest point of the Marilyn, which is unmarked. It's in here somewhere.....

A couple of roe deer helped me to look.....

Fortunately, it's only the summit that is tree bound; there are good views to the east and south from the edge of the trees.....

I headed down fairly close to the forest edge to re-join the track at a disused house. This is the view back from the track, the strong sunlight coming straight at me meant that I couldn't get a decent photo of the hill so this will have to suffice.....

The walk took me 3 hours.

Bromley Muir

3 February 2016

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Bromley Muir, 304m/997', Hump, Map 63, NS 368 805

Climbed another local(ish)hill today- Bromley Muir, a Hump which lies to the west of Alexandria. I hadn't done this one before. We approached from the south, from the high point of the Alexandria to Cardross road. There was space for 4 or 5 cars at the end of the track.....

The track didn't go all that far before it was replaced by a path, which was very wet. Ben loved it though! It was a bit black looking over the Clyde estuary so I will have to go back on a better day for the views in that direction. There is no view north until you reach the trig but it is worth waiting for, the Luss hills to the left and Ben Lomond centre.....

I took a couple of zoom shots of the Ben (the hill, not the dog).....

This would be a great hill for a clear summer evening.