Dunglass

26 March 2017

Participants: Just me

Where: Dunglass, 153m/502', Tump, OS 64, NS 574 788

 

I have passed this lump of volcanic rock just outside Strathblane on many occasions and wondered what the view would be like from the top. It was a beautiful day yesterday and I had nothing planned so I decided to go and have a look.....

 

 I left the car in the church car park at Strathblane and walked along the cycle track passed the hill until I could enter the fields by a gate. The ground between the track and the crag was very muddy in places and there was a ditch which I was careful to avoid. Then it was across a field and round to the less steep south slopes. This is the view; looking over Strathblane with the Luss hills on the horizon.....

 

the low hills to the west.....
 

 

and east down the valley to Cort ma Law.....
 

 

It was the warmest day of the year and it was really pleasant loafing about on top of the crag. To complete the round, I descended by the west slopes and made my way back through the fields to another gate that let me back on to the cycle path. A good way of spending an hour!

 

A visit to Fife and Dollar- Craigluscar Hill and Law Hill

24 March 2017

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Craigluscar Hill, 228m/748' (Tump) ), OS 58, NT 059 909 and Law Hill (Dollar), 202m/663', Tump, OS 58, NS 976 992

 

There was a lot of high level cloud about which made it a poor day for photography. However, after an overnight frost, it felt very spring like so it was a day to be out and about. I lived in Dunfermline for a short while when I was a kid and I remembered Craigluscar as somewhere I used to cycle to. Whether I had ever climbed Craigluscar Hill I couldn't remember but I guess that I probably had. I don't know why I decided to have another look- probably because it was now on a hill list- but anyway I did. Although small in height, it has a bit of crag about it.....

 

 

It was also the site of a hill fort, although if there hadn't been a history board I would never have guessed.....

 

 

I remembered the hill as being a bit of a green mound but now it has a community woodland on it's south facing slopes. It was pleasant woodland especially as the buds were starting to appear on some of the trees. I also saw my first skylark of the year and a brightly coloured Bullfinch. I went to the west top to get a view along the crags.....

 

 

There was a nice network of grassy paths running along the ridge; this is looking in a westerly direction......

 

The highest point isn't marked but it looked as though it is on the middle top somewhere. Good views of Saline Hill and Knock Hill to the north.....

 

 

and across Craigluscar Loch (a nature reserve) to the river Forth and the Pentlands.....

 

 

The day was still young so I decided to travel home via the Hillfoots. There was another community woodland marked on the map just east of Dollar reached by the narrow back road so I headed there. It's highest point was also a Tump- Law Hill- and I thought that there might be a good view of some of the higher Ochil hills from there. It's top was quite distinctive, a small strand of old pines.....

 

 

This woodland was nothing like as pleasant as the other one. While there were some deciduous trees most of it was planted spruce. The paths were also very muddy, this looks as though it is a popular dog walking area. And talking of dogs.....

 

 

The path crossed a small stream, then a style over a fence, and the top was in sight, reached about 10 minutes after leaving the car.....

 

 

The highest point was somewhere in the clump of trees.....

 

 

there was a reasonable view of King's Seat Hill above Dollar.....

 

 

and Knock Hill and Saline Hill appeared again, this time to the south.....

 

 

I'm quite enjoying these small hills, but getting impatient for a settled spell of weather lasting a few days at least so that I can get up north.

 

Craigmore, another little hill with a big view

9 March 2017

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Craigmore, 387m/1270', Tump, Map 57, NN 510020

 

I had often looked up at Craigmore from Aberfoyle and thought that it must be a hill with a good view.....

 

 

Today was the day that I found out. I parked in a lay-by on the Duke's Pass and walked back along the road for about 100 yards to a path which looked as though it would go up the hill. It did, a bit wet in places but perfectly pleasant walking. The sun was out, the temperature was touching double figures and spring definitely felt in the air. Spot Ben in this picture taken on the ascent.....

 

 

I was almost at the top before I got the view that I was looking for- along Loch Ard to the still snow covered Ben Lomond.....

 

 

 

There wasn't much of a cairn, just three stones, but then Craigmore is really just the eastern top of a long ridge that stretches all the way to Ben Venue. However with a drop of 40m to the next top along it qualifies as a Tump. Talking of Ben Venue, here it is behind Ben with Cruach Ardrain and Stobinian the snow covered hills beyond.....

 

The Duke's Pass and Ben Ledi.....

and east to the Craig of Monievreckie and Beinn Dearg.....

Beyond Craigmore, the path disappeared and the going looked exceptionally rough. So I didn't bother; I doubt if the views would have been much better until well along the ridge.

Another good day but I now need to find some new bigger hills; the next 3 months are usually the best hill walking months of the year.

Dun More- Lord Melville's Monument and the Deil's Cauldron

1 March 2017

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Dun More (Lord Melville's Monument), 257m/843', Tump, Map 51, 52, NN 766234

 

On the days with less daylight, I'm visiting some Tumps, but only those with a bit of interest. On previous visits to Glen Lednock, I'd spotted a tall monument on a hill just north of Comrie and wondered what it was. So today I went to find out. There was a small parking area immediately below the monument and from there it was a steep but short climb through the forest on a reasonable path. The monument is certainly a fine structure. It is to the memory of  Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville, the same chap who looks down on the citizens of Edinburgh from the middle of St Andrew Square. It always amazes me how various rogues and less pleasant types manage to get noticeable monuments erected to themselves (the Duke of Sutherland comes to mind as a prime example). Melville apparently was not too keen on abolishing slavery.......

 

 

The inscription reads:

Erected AD 1812
To the Memory of Henry Dundas
Viscount Melville, Baron Dunira
by
His personal friends in the county of Perth
in grateful recollection of his public services
and of his private virtues
Died 29th May 1811 Aged 69

The view over Comrie is fine.....

 

 

that up Strathearn not quite so, being a bit obscured by trees......

 

 

The highest point of the hill looks as though it is just inside the fence that surrounds the monument; there was a small hole in the wall supporting the fence but as it would have involved wriggling through and as my head was well above the highest point, I didn't bother.

 

After my monument visit, I left the hill by a wide track heading north-west and headed up to a spur on the next hill along, which was free of trees and therefore a much better viewpoint. This hill and the next two along the ridge are also classed as Tumps but as I am not desperately bagging Tumps I didn't bother going on. There was a good view back to the monument with the Marilyn Torlum beyond (and the Lomond Hills in Fife on the left hand horizon).....

 

 

Ben Chonzie was prominent from this part of the walk.....

 

 

 

To the west was Mor Bheinn with a still snow covered Ben Vorlich beyond......

 

 

I took Ben back to the car and then headed down some steep wooden steps to have a look at the Deil's Cauldron, a series of waterfalls in a narrow and steep sided gorge. Quite impressive.....

 

 

 

I then shifted the car nearer to Comrie and walked back along the river path, this time with Ben, to have a look at a smaller waterfall, the Wee Cauldron.....

 

 

So, all in all, a very pleasant day out.