A couple of "drive-by" Tumps- Hillhead Hill and Cross Ridge

16 July 2019

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Hillhead Hill, 253m/830', P 32m, Tump, OS 72, NS 977 406 and Cross Ridge, 310m/1,017', P 58m, Tump, OS 72, NS 933 378

 

The heading says it all! I had walked round Lanark Loch and these two Tumps were only a short distance away. I followed side roads towards Thankerton and drove up towards Hillhead Farm- the highest point was at the end of the public road just before reaching the buildings. The hill is the one with the trees on it in the first photo.....

 

 

 

 Cross Ridge is south of the village of Carmichael. At least I needed a short walk to get to the high point of this one- circa 25 yards from a gate where I parked! There were good views of both Carmichael Hill and Tinto.....

 

 

Byreside Hill

13 July 2019

Participants: Just me
Where: Byreside Hill, 246m/807', P 32m, TuMP, OS 64, NS 509 524

I had passed this one a few times- it is just off the M77 south of Newton Mearns. When they built the new road, they seemed to have dumped a lot of the excavated material close to it and were now in the final stages of flattening the material out. Or something like that....I don't really know. Anyway, you have to skirt the work area to get to the hill so I left it to a Sunday when all would be quiet. I started from the path to the Little Loch trout fishery but after a few yards moved on to the flattened area, much easier walking! This meant that I could follow a fence all the way up the hill and avoid the worst of the grasses, which were waist high in places. I was pleasantly surprised by the view from the top. Byreside Hill from Little Loch.....

Looking south to a couple of other nearby TuMPs, Cairn Hill and Floak Hill.....

The hill overlooks Brother Loch with yet another TuMP, James's Hill and its wind turbines beyond.....

and the view towards Paisley/Glasgow and the Clyde with Ben Lomond distant left.....

Not bad at all.

Baton Bing- a newly "discovered" TuMP

8 July 2019

 

Participants: Just me

Where: Baton Bing, 277m/909', P 39m, TuMP, OS 65, NS 876615

 

It was a bright morning but with rain forecast for later and a wet forecast for the rest of the week. So I decided to get a TuMP in and the nearest interesting one not yet climbed was this newly discovered one, an old bing north of Shotts. It was only a short walk from the road and there was a convenient lay by at the start.

Because it is situated in a very flat area, the views from the top are excellent. Looking north-west with Stuc a'Chroin and Ben Vorlich visible on the horizon......

 

 

The view north-east with the Campsie Fells on the left and the Bathgate Hills on the right.....

 

 

The view south-east to the Pentland Hills......

 

 

The view south-west over Shotts.....

 

 

I feel that I am warming to these Bing TuMPs!

 

 

Saline Hill

6 July 2019

 

Participants: Just me

Where: Saline Hill, 359m/1,178', P 104, HuMP, OS 58, NT 039 932

 

Saline Hill is one of two prominent HuMPs in west Fife the other being Knock Hill which I climbed last year. I approached from Steelend where there is a car park at the east end of the village, beside the Community Hall. A path of sorts goes behind the Hall, crosses the burn and follows fences along fields passing the remains of Killernie Castle. It then becomes a track passing Killernie Farm before reverting to a very rough path along field edges and through numerous gates. Eventually I reached an old quarry and I left the path here and headed up a track beside the quarry. This soon petered out on the north west slopes of the hill. This is not the shortest route but it is the least steep. The Ochil Hills came into view as I passed Killernie.....

 

 

and were in view as I climbed the slopes.....

 

 

The grass was a bit lush in places but otherwise it was a straightforward ascent and it didn't take too long till I was at the summit. Only problem there was the number of barbed wire fences. I couldn't see any need for them but as they were new somebody must think that they're worthwhile. The atmosphere was really clear so I could see a long way. To the east I could even make out North Berwick Law and the Bass Rock....

 

 

and in the other direction Ben Lomond beyond the Forth Valley.....

 

 

the Ochil Hills were of course prominent.....

 

 

Knock Hill was to the east.....

 

 

and to the north a number of TuMPs that I had still to visit.....

 

 

I returned by the same route.

Three Iron Age Forts and an impressive War Memorial....and a drive-by TuMP

2 July 2019

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: White Caterthun, 300m/984', P 103m, Hump, OS 44, NO 547 661; Brown Caterthun, 286m/938', P 44m, Tump, NO 555 669; Drumcuthlaw, 188m/617', P 32m, Tump, OS 44, NO 474 615; Balmashanner Hill, 174m/571', P 51m, Tump, OS 54, NO 478 493; Denoon Law, 210m/689', P 36m, Tump, OS 54, NO 354 444.

 

I climbed the White Caterthun north of Brechin a few years ago before I started bagging TuMPs so didn't bother to climb its neighbour. As I wanted to climb Balmashanner Hill at Forfar, I decided to add on a few miles and rectify that omission and as I was there anyway, I just did White Caterthun again as well.

 

The two hills are topped by Iron Age hill forts sitting about 1km apart in a fine position overlooking Strathmore to the south and north to the Grampians. A narrow road runs between them and there is a small car park, as they are in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.. Both forts are enclosed by a series of earthworks, and HES say that it is likely they had multiple functions, serving both as military and ceremonial centres; indeed, they could be regarded as one site with two summits. They were built over 2,000 years ago and radiocarbon dating suggests a construction date of between 750 BC and 200 BC. They are certainly perfectly positioned if you wanted to see anybody approaching. I climbed Brown Caterthun first, it is the poorer of the two with a large covering of heather.

 

Brown Caterthun from car park.....

 

Hill of Wirren dominates the view to the north.....

 

Ben at summit.....

 

White Caterthun from Brown Caterthun.....

 

White Caterthun from car park.....

 

Hill of Wirren from ascent......

 

The outline of the fort is much more pronounced on White Caterthun, with impressive boulder ramparts. Ben at the summit.....

 

 I was heading for Forfar next but the Hillbagging website said that if I took a back road via Noranside, I would pass within a few metres of the summit of another TuMP, Drumcuthlaw. So I did. The trees that had previously covered the top of the hill had recently been felled so it was simply a case of looking for the highest tree stump.....

 

There was a reasonable view north to the Glenogil area.....

 

After that strenuous effort (!) it was on to Forfar and the hill that overlooks the town, Balmashanner Hill. I somehow found my way to a small car park at the foot of Reid park and followed paths uphill through the park to join the local path network which led to the impressive stone tower that marks the summit of the hill. It was built in 1921 in memory of local people who died in WW1.....

 

 

 

There was a great view from here north over the town to the Angus glens. Here is a composite photo.....

 

The final stop of the day was west of Glamis for another Iron Age hill fort, Denoon Law. This one was less impressive than the Caterthuns and the former fort area was entirely grassed over and providing good eating for a herd of sheep.......

 

 

 

So a good day's outing and another 4 TuMPs bagged to add to my total.