Hill of Tarvit

26 April 2016

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Hill of Tarvit, 211m/692', Tump, Map 59, 375 121

I had a meeting in Cupar so took the opportunity to have a look at this Tump, which seemed to be more interesting than many. It was a day of sunshine and heavy showers but we struck it lucky, the skies cleared and the sun came out when I drove into the National Trust car park and the clouds closed in again when we got back to the car after climbing the hill. The hill stands above Hill of Tarvit house.....

The hill was signposted from the car park; the sign says the walk will take an hour but I was up and down in 20 minutes. Through a small wood, over a style and up a steep grass slope.....
 

 

The monument on the summit was erected in 1817 by the then owner of the estate. For 80 years, it was crowned by the Old Mercat Cross of Cupar which was returned to the town in 1897 and a cast iron column, commemorating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, was erected in its place. The monument marks the spot where the Treaty of Garlie Hill was signed between the army of Mary of Guise (Mary, Queen of Scots mother) and the forces of the Congregation in 1559. As I said, a more interesting Tump than most.....

It is also a great viewpoint. This is looking west to the Lomond Hills.....
 

 

to Cupar.....
 

 

east towards St Andrews....

and across Fife with Largo Law in the distance.....
 

 

It looked a really nice estate through which to have a wander, but unfortunately I didn't have time today. Another visit required, methinks.

Beinn a'Mhonicag and Leana Mhor (West), Glen Roy

19 and 20 April 2016

Participants: Just me

Where: Day 1 Beinn a'Mhonicag, 568m/1863', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 34/41, NN 287854 and Day 2 Leana Mhor (West), 684m/2247', Graham, Map 34/41, NN 284879.

 

These two hills are next door to each other so although I climbed them on separate days, I am including them in one entry. The Glen Roy hills don't have the shapeliness of their neighbours but in my opinion are very under-rated. It is an interesting area and the Parallel Roads, formed by the retreating glaciers, are always worth seeing.

 

Beinn a'Mhonicag stands more or less at the entrance to Glen Roy; this is a view of it from further up the glen.....
 

 

The route up was obvious- straight up from the view point car park!  I followed an obvious grass strip and when it ran out, a developing walker's path took its place. It seems that this hill is quite popular.....

The Parallel Roads look good viewed from a distance but are a disappointment when you are actually standing on them; I always expect a wide, flat "track" running across the hillside but am always disappointed!

It was a fairly unrelenting climb but being steep, I soon gained height and was approaching the summit cairn in about an hour after leaving the car.....

The Loch Lochy Munros appeared just above the north-west horizon.....

 

But it was the still snow covered hills to the south that really caught my eye. This is a zoom to Stob Coire Easain and Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin.....

The weather was even better the following day as I went back up the glen and parked about a mile past the view point, next to a bridge and at the start of a track up the glen between yesterday's and today's hills. I stopped before I got to the parking place to take this picture of Leana Mhor.....
 

 

After less than a mile up the track, I took to the grassy slopes and just followed them all the way to the summit plateau- it took an hour 30 from the car to the cairn. On the way up, there was a good view of yesterday's hill with the Grey Corries etc. beyond (slightly zoomed).....

The cairn on this hill was just a small pile of stones. This is it with Ben Nevis in the background (slightly zoomed).....
 

 

with the Loch Lochy hills.....

looking to the hills around Loch Pattack.....
 

 

 a zoom to Loch Arkaig and the Knoydart hills.....

and a view up Glen Roy.....
 

 

All in all, it was a much better viewpoint than the day before. I stayed on the top wandering about looking at the view and taking photographs for about 20 minutes but a cold breeze then drove me to find a more sheltered spot lower down to sit and have my cup of chocolate. I descended more or less by the same route keeping the views in sight (slightly zoomed again). Easain and Mheadhoin again.....
 

 

and the Grey Corries.....

 

It wasn't a taxing day but it was a good one.

Loudoun Hill

16 April 2016

Participants: Neil climbed the hill, Ben had a walk along a nearby trail.
Where: Loudoun Hill, 316m, Tump, OS Map 71

I was continuing my visits to interesting Tumps today. Loudoun Hill has got it all, a steep volcanic plug, a fabulous viewpoint, the site of a roman fort nearby, Covenanter connections, battles involving William Wallace and Robert the Bruce (both won). There is a car park at the east side of the hill so it takes no more than an hour up and down. But in good weather, it is a hill to take time over. I had passed it on a number of occasions but had never bothered stopping before. I did a clockwise circuit of the hill plus cutting up and down the less steep north side to the summit. Unfortunately there were sheep and lambs about so Ben had to stay in the car (I also didn't want him dashing over the edge of the cliff) but there were good paths nearby so he got a good walk anyway.

Approaching the summit.....

Looking west along the Irvine valley, the hills of Arran distant.....

Looking south with Cairn Table, distant centre.....

Looking north to Whitelee wind farm.....

Looking down on the car park.....

Garrel Hill

8 April 2016

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Garrel Hill (Campsie Fells), 459m/1,506', Tump, Map 64, NS 704810

 

The forecast was for cloud and rain arriving so we did this walk early. Unfortunately, we were a bit too early as we caught the cloud from the previous weather system and it brightened up in the afternoon when we were back home. Ah well! I had climbed Tomtain a few times- the last occasion earlier this year- but had never extended the walk to take in the next hill along, Garrel Hill, another Tump. It was a straight out and back walk from the Tak-me-doon car park at the head of the road between Kilsyth and the Carron valley. There was a path all the way but it was a bit wet in places and a recent visit by a trail bike had not improved matters.

 

There was one moment of concern. Ben likes to be on the same side of a fence as me, even if I'm only a couple of feet away. I crossed the fence a few times so as to avoid the worst of the mud. On one occasion, he took a leap at the fence, failed to clear it, and landed on the top wire, with his head and front paws on one side and his back paws on the other and with nothing touching the ground. I had to rush over and remove him from his high wire, fortunately he wasn't hurt.

Garrel Hill from Tomtain.....

Meikle Bin from the ridge.....

Carron valley reservoir from the ridge.....

Approaching Garrel Hill.....

There was a small cairn marking the highest point (Meikle Bin background).....

Looking back at Tomtain.....

Dumbarton Castle

5 April 2016

Participants: Just me
Where: Dumbarton Castle, 74m/243', Tump, Map 63/64

Who would have thought that Dumbarton Castle would be on a hill list? But it is- it's a Tump. I had been before but I decided to re-visit so that I could "officially" tick it off. And anyway, it provides an interesting couple of hours out.

It's history stretches down the ages, from the 5th century AD until after the second world war. It saw the Vikings, Mary Queen of Scots, and Queen Victoria among other notable figures. The Rock commands the Clyde and from a hill walking point of view provides great views. And unlike nearly every other hill on the list, it has steps and handrails to aid progress to the top!

The topography is the highest point, although there is also a trig.....

View down the Clyde to the Cowal hills.....

View up the Clyde towards Glasgow.....

View across Dumbarton to Bromley Muir.....

Edinburgh and Stirling castles are also both Tumps so further visits to them are in the offing.

Meall Chomraidh

31 March 2016

Participants: Just me

Where: Meall Chomraidh, 466m, Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 42/51, NN 483556

 

It's a long drive to the far end of Loch Rannoch but worth it as there are some nice hills around there. Last year I did Leagag, today I was after its neighbour, Meall Chomraidh, a latish addition to the Marilyn list. I parked in the Braes of Rannoch church car park, famous in the hillwalking world as being the charge of the Rev A E Robertson, the first man to climb the Munros, although he accomplished that feat before he arrived at Rannoch. The church is open to visitors and has provided a note both about the building and about Rev Robertson. Very interesting and the church is worth a visit if you're in the area.

 

Meall Chomraidh stands at the head of Loch Rannoch; this is the view of it from the church.....

 

 

I walked back along the road towards Bridge of Gaur and then followed the route of this old drove road for about half a mile.....

 

 

There was some pipe work going in so it looks as if there might be another small hydro scheme under construction. I left the track where a wall and fence went up the hillside, it was a bit muddy in places and I would imagine that when the heather is at its height it might not be particularly pleasant. But it was all right today and there were traces of tracks and some grassy runnels to ease progress. As expected, it was a wonderful viewpoint. There was a Vanessa and a cairn, although the highest point seems to be a rock a few metres south of the cairn. There was an uninterrupted view down Loch Rannoch.....

 

 

Leagag and the north side of some of the Glen Lyon hills.....

 

 

A snow covered Meall Buidhe in Glen Lyon.....

 

 

There were showers about, mainly over the higher hills. Here, Ben Alder is catching a heavy one.....

 

 

and although it passed over fairly quickly, the highest tops remained stubbornly in cloud.....

 

 

Stob na Cruaich and Leum Uilleim.....

 

 

Beinn Pharlagain.....

 

 

It was another demonstration of what great viewpoints the sub-2k's are for the higher hills. The view would have been completely spoilt if the Talladh a'Beithe wind farm had gone ahead. Hopefully, that will never happen. It might not have been seen from the road but it would certainly have been seen from the tops of all of the surrounding hills.

 

And the weather cleared up completely on the drive home so Schiehallion was looking at its best towering above Loch Rannoch.....