The Heddles (Muirshiel Country Park): Duncarnock and Dyke Hill (Neilston); Creag an Eoin (Balmaha), Dumbowie (Dumbarton)

20 August 2018

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: The Heddles, 304m/997', P33m, TuMP, OS 63, NS 315 646

 

August is a month in which I can summon up little interest in hillwalking. It is usually damp and humid and not at all nice for walking. After a brilliant May- July, August reverted to type. However, the temperature had dropped a bit so I decided to chance it and headed for Muirshiel Country Park and The Heddles, a TuMP that I had omitted at a previous visit earlier in the year. It was pretty nondescript, just a bump in the moor.....

 

 

There was a good if wet track most of the way. However, when I left it to cross the moor, I was reminded about another reason why I avoid August, clouds of flies. Still, it was only a short walk and the views from the top were OK, here's Ben admiring the view.....

 

 

22 August 2018

Participants: Just me

Where: Duncarnock, 204m/669', P39m, TuMP, OS 64, NS 502 560 and Dyke Hill, 211m/692', P37m, TuMP, OS 64, NS 489 560

 

Duncarnock (locally "The Craigie") is a striking volcanic plug topped by a Fort which was probably occupied between 1200 BC and AD 400 and perhaps reused until around AD 700. There was space for a couple of cars at the start of the Glanderston Mains track which I followed to Glanderston Dam. Duncarnock from the Dam.....

 

 

I crossed the top of the dam wall, briefly went into a field containing cattle (the reason Ben wasn't with me) then took a very steep path up the side of the nose of the hill. It required some hands on scrambling higher up and brought me out at the trig. It was a very fine viewpoint with Glasgow and Paisley to the north and a glimpse of the higher hills beyond.....

 

 

 

I found another path for the way down which dropped to the east of the hill and then circled it to arrive back with the cows.

 

I then drove about a mile to a parking spot at the east side of Dyke Hill. It was just a bump in a field. This is Dyke Hill from Walton Dam.....

 

 

There were cows at the top.....

 

 

The view to Glasgow.....

 

 

7 September 2018

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Creag an Eoin, 100m/328', P 41m, TuMP, OS 56, NS 420912

 

Creag an Eoin overlooks the car park at Balmaha and is accessed from there.....

 

 

It is a steep wee hill but fortunately there is a path (don't know why) that zig-zags up the hill and takes the worst out of the steepness. The highest point is clear of trees so there is a view of Loch Lomond and the hills beyond.....

 

We followed the hill with a walk to the westerly Balmaha pier and then a forest walk so it was a pleasant short day trip. Lots of tourists about.

22 September 2018

Participants: Just me
Where: Dumbowie, 158m/518', P 42m, TuMP, OS 64, NS 422 752

There are a number of TuMPS above Dumbarton but at least one is the rim of a quarry. Dumbowie looked on the map as if it might be the best of the group so I drove to the Overtoun House car park which was just north of the hill. This is a view of it from Loch Bowie on the way to the car park.....

It looks like a nice country park and I must come back some time to try out some of the walks. Today however was just the hill and I followed tracks to its north before following another track through fields which led to an electricity pole disguised as a tree. There didn't look to be a way up through the gorse from there so I carried on round to the south side of the hill and ascended from there. There was a path of sorts, found on the way down.

It was a nice pointy summit.....

with views of Dumbarton castle and the Clyde.....

of the Long Crags.....

and a nice view down to Loch Bowie.....

A good wee hill but better in the winter time I would think when the gorse has died back!