TuMPS::Gubber Hill (Alloa); Craigend Hill (Erskine), Teac a'Mhinisteir (Loch Lomond), Philipstoun Bings North and South (Linlithgow), David Stirling Hill (Doune), Jamse's Hill, Mearns Law (Newton Mearns)

25 February 2018
NOW DELETED AS A TUMP FOLLOWING RESURVEY
Participants: Just me
Where: Gubber Hill, 71m/233', P30, OS 58, NS 878944

I did this one by train, it was only a short walk from Alloa railway station. The hill was better than I expected, a nice bit of woodland with views to the Ochil Hills.....

9 March 2018

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Craigend Hill (Erskine), 56m/184', P30, OS 64, NS 459 705

The Beast from the East, one of the worst snow storms in recent years, had put a temporary end to hillwalking. There were still large drifts about but the blanket cover had gone. Bigger hills were out of the question for me but this one, not far from home, at least got me started bagging again. It was another hill of rough scrub with masts at the top but at least there were laid paths. Quite good views, especially over the Erskine Bridge to the Kilpatrick Hills, but I would not like to venture up here at night.

13 March 2018

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Teac a'Mhinisteir (Loch Lomond), 93m/960', P72, OS 56, NS 373 960

This is a wooded hill just off the West Highland Way best approached from Sallochy.....

The highest point is only a few metres above the Way and close to some old posts; must have been some sort of building here at one time.....

The view was restricted and will be even more in summer. Ben Lomond was still snow covered and looks as though it might be for some time yet.....

It was a pleasant, mild day, and we went for a wander after bagging the hill. There was a good view down the loch.....

19 March 2018.

Participants: Just me

Where: Philipstoun Bing North, 115m/370', P40, OS 65, NT 058 769 and Philipstoun Bing South, 113m/370', P31, OS 65, NT 056 767

A number of former Bings were added to the Tump list fairly recently. Not sure that I approve but I suppose that in time when the vegetation fully grows they might be indistinguishable from other small hills. Anyway, while waiting for the latest snow to clear from the proper hills, I decided to have a look at those two.

I was pleasantly surprised by the North Bing. The view to the Ochils with the almost totally snow capped Perthshire hills to their left.....

The highest point with the Pentland hills beyond.....

The South Bing was more like a quarry.....

There were a number of candidates for the highest point but I reckoned that it was in these trees.....

The Ochils were visible again.....

This one was much more crumbly and there were some interesting "natural" sculptures.....

Interesting and different but bring on the real hills!

 

26 March 2018

 

Participants: Just me

Where: David Stirling Hill, 114'/374 P46, OS 57, NN 755 003

 

I had passed the statue on the Dunblane to Doune road a number of times without stopping and that would probably have continued if the parking area for the monument hadn't also been the parking area for a TuMP. Thus I was introduced to Colonel Sir David Stirling, an absolutely fascinating figure- check him out on Google. By birth he was an aristocratic Scottish landowner, he was a keen mountaineer who had planned to attempt Everest before WWII intervened but his greatest claim to fame was that he founded the Special Air Service. He personally led many excursions into enemy territory, he was captured and escaped and eventually ended up in Colditz. His post-war exploits were also notable! A memorial to him was erected in 2002 and his statue looks out to the hills of Perthshire. Somehow, I think that David Stirling Hill must be a recent name for this hill, pity it is almost flat and the highest point is in the middle of a field! But a great story.....

 

1 April 2018

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: James's Hill, 283m/928', P62, OS 64, NS 486 527 and Mearns Law, 239m/784', P35, NS 507 534

I hadn't realised before I started climbing TuMPS just what good walking there was to be had on the high ground of Renfrewshire. Today was another example, a walk amongst the lochans just to the west of the A77. James's Hill is now part of the Middleton wind farm so there was a good track almost all the way to the summit (the high ground to the right of the left hand turbine).....

The turbines here are not the biggest but they certainly dwarfed the trig and Ben.....

Nice view over the lochs to the Clyde and the highland hills......

and to the Whitelee wind farm turbines to the south.....

Ben had to be kept on the lead; as I left the car a small deer ran in front of me, a fox ran across the hillside further up and when we got to the brow of the hill, there was a flock of sheep. Then it was back down the road for about a mile for Mearns Law, a flat topped hill with a good view of Greater Glasgow......