Gartmorn Country Park including Gartmorn Hill

24 July 2017

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Gartmorn Hill, 96m/315', Tump, OS 58, NS 919 948 together with a walk round Gartmorn Loch

 

It had been a good few years since I had visited Gartmorn Loch near Alloa; I had also just discovered that Gartmorn Hill, which lies to the north of the loch was a Tump so I had two reasons to go back. It is a beautiful spot with great views of the southern escarpment of the Ochil Hills and you would never know that you were close to the industrial heart of Scotland, although the heavy stuff has now disappeared. The area is now designated both as a Country Park and as a Nature Reserve and the Council has created a network of paths around the reservoir- about a 3 mile circuit; adding in Gartmorn Hill adds about another mile or so. The 170 acre reservoir was engineered by Sir John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, to power the pumps that drained his mines at nearby Sauchie.....

 

Winter is probably the best time to visit when the foliage has died down and the winter wildfowl have arrived on the loch but even today when the views were a bit restricted it was interesting. The only disappointment was that the visitor centre, which was supposed to have a coffee shop, was closed.

I had expected the good weather to have brought out the crowds but not so. There were a few dog walkers and joggers about but that was it. Maybe no-one knows of this place. I decided on a clockwise circuit and was soon leaving the main track for a path up the hill.....

 

 

Gartmorn Hill was well wooded and there were only glimpses of the loch below.....

 

 

There was nothing to mark the highest point although it was fairly obvious where it was, close to the path and not far from a gate.....

 

 

Back on the main track and the loch was now to the west.....

 

 

Looking back, there was a good view of the hills of the Ochils.....

 

 

The main track along the south side of the loch is the most scenic part of the round, with fine views across the loch to Ben Cleuch and its surrounding hills (Gartmorn Hill is the wooded area to the right of the buildings in the third photograph below).....

 

 

All in all, a very pleasant walk and one to do again in the shorter months when the winter wildfowl are on the loch.