Mons Hill (Dalmeny)

4 February 2019

Participants: Just me

Where: Mons Hill, 119m/390', P64m, Tump, OS 65, NT 154 785

It was a late start to my hill walking in 2020 courtesy of a fall at the end of December resulting in a cracked rib. Although I had been walking on the flat, and this was an easy Tump, I was horribly unfit! Still, it was a beautiful day and a pleasant hill. 

I parked in the car park beside the Forth rail bridge in South Queensferry. Despite the hundreds of times that I have seen it, the bridge never fails to amaze. It is becoming much more touristy here and there is talk of a visitor centre. Some photos of the bridge from the car park and from the early stages of the walk.....

It has been another snow less winter, at least so far, and spring was definitely in the air. The snowdrops were out......

For the first mile, my route followed the shore track which is also part of the John Muir Way. Mons Hill came into view.....

I then headed up another track between fields to arrive at a tarmac road which I crossed. The way to the high point then followed a rough track; there was a notice at it's start suggesting that folk stay on the tarmac track due to wildlife management issues. However, this seems to refer to pheasants for shooting rather than any "wildlife" as there were a few feeding stations (but only one pheasant observed today). It was not a GOML type notice and I was perfectly within my rights to go on so of course I did. There were views to the bridges from the path.....

but the high point was in a clump of rhododendron bushes.....

I returned by the same route.