Craig Muir (Kilmacolm); Dun Dearg (Fersit), Righead Hill (Kincardine on Forth), Inchie Hill (Menteith)

2 October 2018

 

Participants: Just me

Where: Craig Muir, 190m/623', P 41m, TuMP, OS 63, NS 378 705

 

Not very inspiring, the most exciting thing was dodging cow pats in the grass. The road ran to within 5 minutes of the top. From the high point, looking south to the Muirshiel Country Park hills.....

and looking west in the general direction of the Clyde coast.....

12 October 2018

Participants: Just me

Where: Dun Dearg (Fersit), 255m/837', P 39, TuMP, OS 34/41, NN 349 803

I was on my way to the MBA AGM at Roybridge, the weather was dull with heavy rain forecast but it would have been a shame to pass a TuMP that I hadn't climbed, especially as it was all of 10 minutes from the road.....
 

Despite its lack of height, it was a good viewpoint for eastern Grey Corries. Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin.....

Stob Coire Sgriodain and Chno Dearg.....
 

and along Glen Spean to Beinn a' Chaorainn.....

27 October 2018

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Righead Hill (Kincardine on Forth), 95m/312', P 36m, TuMP, OS 65, NS 976 881

 

A cracking late autumn day but with an icy arctic wind. A low lying hill was in order so I returned to the Devilla Forest to climb Righead Hill and take in some of the forest trails. Ben in the forest.....
 

 

Ben at the trig.....

Looking east to Saline Hill.....
 

 

Looking north to the Ochils.....

29 October 2018

Participants: Just me
Where: Inchie Hill (Menteith), 53m/174', P 36m, TuMP, OS 57, NN 591 007

There is a whopping big gate across the track but fortunately, a few yards away, the fence was down. I walked a couple of hundred yards along the track then, at a clump of rhodies, set off up through the trees....

It was a pleasant wee wooded area, the highest point is hereabouts.....

 

Then on to Aberfoyle to take Ben for a walk.

 

 

 

Dunkeld Craig and Loch of the Lowes

17 October 2018

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Dunkeld Craig, 174m/571', P 37m, TuMP, OS 52, NO 036 428

 

It was another fine autumn day so we ventured forth again. Perthshire was the aim this time, a county renowned for its trees and this week was probably the best time to see them in their autumn colours. I drove through Dunkeld and took the narrow road that runs along the south side of Dunkeld Craig. There were some good parking spots here and I found one only a few yards from the track to Haughend Farm which was also the track for the first part of the walk up the hill......
 

We left that track just where it left the north end of the wood and found a path through the trees that meandered up alongside a wall. There were deer in the wood so Ben was on his lead.....

The path reached the highest point adjacent to the golf course, the hill high point was at the side of the 5th tee. A green-keeper was cutting the grass; he didn't bother when I walked on to the course to get to the high point, maybe he's met TuMP collectors before!

It was a fine viewpoint and the colours were superb. Looking to Loch of the Lowes.....

North to Deuchary Hill.....

To extend the walk, we returned to the main path and followed it down to the Loch of the Lowes....

It was back the same way and I returned home via Crieff, a nice drive on a beautiful sunny day.

Scroggy Bank (Muirshiel Country Park)

15 October 2018

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Scroggy Bank, 277m/909', P 35m, TuMP, OS 63, NS 251 737

 

I hadn't intended to go walking again so soon after the Roybridge weekend but the sun was splitting the sky..... Another west coast view beckoned, from the TuMP that I had missed out on my previous visit to the north west corner of the Muirshiel Country Park. This time I parked at Overton and followed a good track past a number of small reservoirs all the way to the communication masts on the summit of Scroggy Bank.....

 

 

There were a few other folk about enjoying the same walk and the extensive summit views. Ben at the cairn with Greenock in the background and the Cowal hills beyond.....

In the distance, Dunoon.....

Loch Thom.....

Across the northern part of the Park with Corlick Hill distant.....

Airds Hill

14 October 2018

 

Participants: Just me

Where: Airds Hill, 181m/594', P 158m, OS 49, NM 926 458

 

I had been at the MBA AGM and Committee meeting at Roybridge, the meeting finished early just as the sun came out after a couple of days of non-stop rain so I decided on a short diversion on the way home to climb Airds Hill, my first new Marilyn since June. I had avoided this one up to now as it was a tree covered horror, however, the forestry had cleared the lot and it was apparently not too bad even with a lot of brash lying around. I parked off the Appin road at the start of a good zigzag track up and this took me about 50% of the way up the hill. After that it was a case of following whatever logging tracks that I could find  although there were some grassy patches as well. It was wet underfoot after all the rain but the going was not too bad, I've seen much worse brash. Already the views were opening out and the atmosphere was very clear as it usually is after rain.  Looking down on Castle Stalker with the Glen Galmadale horseshoe in the background across Loch Linnhe.....

 

 

 A grassy patch as I neared the summit.....

 

 

For me, it was Castle Stalker that dominated the view, an amazing place to build a fortified house.....

 

 

There was a lot of brash lying about the summit area and it was impossible to pinpoint the highest point, it was not, however the trig which was at the western end of the summit area. Looking across the loch to the Kingairloch hills with the Glensanda super quarry on the left.....

 

 

You can see the trig in these pictures with the Isle of Lismore beyond and the hills of Mull beyond that.....

 

 As always in this sort of area, it is the seascapes and islands that draw my eye, however, Airds Hill is also a fine viewpoint for the hills to the west of Etive. Now that the forest is gone, I can recommend this hill for a short walk, better if there has been no rain of course!

Knock Hill

6 October 2018

 

Participants: Just me

Where: Knock Hill, 364m/1194', P 112m, HuMP, OS 58, NT 053937

 

The weather had remained nice so I decided to take advantage and do another hill. I had passed and seen Knock Hill in Fife on many occasions but never ventured up, time to rectify that.....

 

 

No problems parking for this one, there is a large area of ground outside the Knockhill racing circuit and from there, a track goes all the way to the communication masts on the summit. Trials for a motor cycle event were taking place and the noise followed me all the way up the hill. There was a good view down on the circuit from the summit area though......

 

 

As I had expected, it was an excellent viewpoint. This is looking to the Ochil Hills with the Wallace Monument outside Stirling in the distance and on the horizon, just visible, Ben Lomond.....

 

 

The neighbouring HuMP to the west, Saline Hill looks much nicer- it doesn't have all the ariels and huts on top. One to do on another day........ 

 

 

As is the forested hill to the north, Wether Hill, now that I've seen that it is free of trees on top.....

 

 

Dunrod Hill

5 October 2018

 

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Dunrod Hill, 298m/978', P 81m, TuMP, OS 63, NS 240 726

 

Back to Clyde Muirshiel Country Park, but to the much nicer western part. The hills here are much nicer than the swampy variety further east and there is a good network of lochs and reservoirs. This is a view of Dunrod Hill across Loch Thom.....

 

 

I drove to Cornalees Bridge Information Centre where there is a big car park; the path to Dunrod Hill starts from the top of that. There was a style over the fence and I had wondered if Ben would manage to get over that but he was fine. The path up the hill gave me a choice, a very steep straight up or a zig-zag across the hillside, I chose the latter. Ben on the way up.....

 

 

There were sheep about so Ben was on his lead part of the time. Dunrod Hill is twin topped with only 1m of difference between the tops; we went to the higher top first, the one with the trig, The masts in the background are on Scroggy Bank, another TuMP which I plan to do from its north side.....

 

 

It was a fine viewpoint, Arran to the west, the hills of the Southern Highlands across the Clyde.....

 

 

 

We returned the same way but visited the minor top on the way. Ben at the cairn and being careful to keep me in sight.....

 

 

 

There is a fine view of the reservoirs from here.....

 

 

and to complete the day, I drove round the reservoirs, stopping a few times on the way. A very nice trip.