A Couple of Most Unusual TUMPS: St Ninian's, Fife

6 July 2020

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: St. Ninian's East, 181m/594', P.49m, Tump, OS 58, NT 131924 and St. Ninian's West, 170m/558', P.32m, Tump, OS 58, NT 125926: Hillfield Crescent, 77m/255', P.34m, Tump, OS 65, NT 126830

These are two of the “new” Tumps and an unusual pair they are. They stand in the middle of what used to be a vast open-cast coal mine between Kingseat and Kelty in Fife. I read somewhere that the site comprises 930 acres and the mining village of Lassodie once occupied part of this land. When the mine closed, the owners, Scottish Coal commissioned landscape artist Charles Jencks to develop a landform which it was intended would transform the area and provide a major attraction. But no sooner was work started than it ended when the owners went into administration. Charles Jencks was also the founder of the Maggies Cancer Centers.

There are apparently still hopes that the site will eventually be used for a major leisure project but for now, nature has taken over, the area is a green, if not completely pleasant, land and of benefit to dog walkers and Tump baggers.

I started the walk from the Thornton Woods entrance to the north. This gave me a longer walk but also meant that I was starting near what was the rim of the quarry so it was all downhill initially. And of course uphill coming back.

From the approach track.....

I visited the east hill first, the higher of the two and the most interesting. Ben on the approach.....

There are two ways up, a long, easily graded track that winds its way round and round the hill or a number of steeper shortcuts- we did a combination of the two. The hill has three tops, all of about equal height, and all adorned with artwork comprising old tyres and trees with other bits and pieces lying around- all unfinished sculptures. The best exhibit was an avenue of old mining machinery. It would have been good if it had been finished.....

We wandered around having a look at all the exhibits before setting off again for the West Hill, much the inferior of the two. Knock Hill at Saline was on the horizon.....

The West Hill had a narrow summit ridge with a couple of tops and not being able to decide which was higher we did them both.....

Then it was back down to the track and uphill to the car. An unusual hill walk, but interesting. Anybody doing the Tumps had better do these two before the area becomes a theme park!

I drove home by Inverkeithing so that I could also bag another new Tump- Hillside Crescent- which as its name implies is now a housing scheme. The high point however was a patch of grass so better than another new Tump in Kilsyth......