Doon Hill (Aberfoyle)

 25 June 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Doon Hill, 77m/253', P 59m, Tump, OS 57, NN 525 001

A return visit to a hill that I have climbed a number of times before. Although tree covered, there are numerous paths up and it receives lots of visitors due no doubt to it's connection with the fairies. There is a lot of information on the internet about it.

Leaving the car park in the centre of Aberfoyle, I passed the old Kirk and cemetery, well worth a visit in itself. This is a view of Doon Hill from there.....

The hill is well signposted and there are information boards.....

Obviously there are a lot of superstitious folk about as the tree on top is well decorated, although I am not sure what the purpose is in hanging coronavirus masks, maybe a request to the fairies to keep the virus away from them?

I completed the walk by following a track along the south side of the hill.

 

Balcarres Craig (Colinsburgh)

 20 June 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Balcarres Craig, 123m/404', P 31m, Tump, OS 59, NO 478 045

I had a look for parking in Colinsburgh but couldn't find anywhere suitable so drove a mile down the road to Kilconquhar where there was a public car park. The road between the two was quiet so it was a pleasant walk back up with a view of the hill in the distance.....

On the way I passed an interesting relic of Scotland's past, a former gas street light; there was a sign beside it giving its history: 

"The Colinsburgh gas light company was formed on 8th October 1841 and the works were erected the following year on the site directly opposite this last remaining gas lamp post. The village was supplied with coal gas in 1842 and the first street lamps illuminated on the evening of the Colinsburgh October Fair. It was converted in the spring of 1887 to become the first in Scotland to produce gas from paraffin oil."

In Colinsburgh I crossed the main street and followed a right of way through the estate passing this old tower, no indication of what it was for.....

I then joined a paved road passing the imposing Balcarres House, the home of  the Earl of Crawford, and then Balcarres Chapel. It was built in 1635 for Lord Lindsay of Balcarres who is buried there.....

Immediately opposite the path to the Chapel was another rough path- the way up to the high point which is crowned by Balcarres Tower, a gothic folly built in 1813. It wasn't the best time of year to visit, the path was pretty overgrown in places. The Tower is locked but there is a good view from it's base across Fife and the Forth to the Bass Rock and the Isle of May......

An interesting walk, and the estate is very welcoming of visitors. I met the current Earl while I was looking round the old Chapel.

Torrisholme Barrow

 9 June 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Torrisholme Barrow, 41m/135', P 33m, Tump, OS 97, SD 459 642

The final hill of the trip, just outside Lancaster. I took the train to Lancaster and then another to Bare Lane, there was just enough time to climb the hill and get back to the station to catch the same train on its return journey from Morecambe. All that was involved was a short road walk and a well used path through pasture.

Trig looking to Morecambe Bay.....

Trig looking to Haysham.....

Trig looking over Torrisholme.....

View to Lancaster.....

An excellent few days.

Williamson Park, Lancaster

 8 June 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Williamson Park, 109m/358', P 41m, Tump, OS 97, SD 489 613

I had seen the impressive Ashton Memorial in Lancaster many times when passing on the motorway but had never visited the city before. So now was a golden opportunity. I walked through the shopping area from the station and up the hill to Williamson Park, a 54 acre space of parkland and woodland crowned by the Ashton Memorial. It was commissioned by Lord Ashton as a tribute to his wife and opened in 1909.....

It is open to the public but you can only get as far as a viewing gallery on the first floor. Nevertheless, good views over Morecambe Bay.....

with the Haysham power station just visible(telephoto shot).....

But the main objective of the visit of course was to bag the high point as it is a Tump! And an unusual high point at that. To get to it, you have to pay to enter the Butterfly House and the small zoo, no hardship as both were very interesting. The actual high point is apparently a tree stump beside the Meerkat House.....

Orrest Head, School Knott, Grandsire, Cleabarrow Hill

 7 June 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Orrest Head, 238m/781', P 63m, Tump, OS 96/97, SD 414 993; School Knott, 232m/760', P 63m, Tump, OS 96/97, SD 425 974; Grandsire, 251m/823', P 80m, Tump, OS 97, SD 432 973; Cleabarrow Hill, 248m/814', P 31m, Tump, OS 96/97, SD 429 967

This was to be the big walk of the week and I couldn't have picked a better day, the weather was glorious. I took the train to Windermere, the start of the path to Orrest Head was only a couple of hundred yards away from the station.....

This was the first hill that Alfred Wainwright climbed; he was delighted with the views and the rest is history. The following photos show why he was so impressed.

North west across Lake Windermere.....

South down Lake Windermere.....

East to the Howgills, still to visit these.....

Didn't expect to see this fella in the wood.....

I spent some time on top gazing at the views and then headed back down, along the main road for about a mile in the direction of Kendal to the start of a signed footpath for School Knott, seen here from the start of the path.....

There were a lot of paths hereabouts and I would recommend a map to ensure you follow the correct one. Looking back at Windermere from a gap in the forest.....

The atmosphere was very clear today meaning outstanding views. Windermere, the Lake and the main Lake District Fells from School Knott summit.....

The Howgills from School Knott.....

Cleabarrow Hill from School Knott.....

My next objective and the high point of the walk, Grandsire.....

A good path led down off School Knott to School Knott tarn in the valley between the two hills.....

Summit of Grandsire.....

Looking back at School Knott from Grandsire.....

Lake District hills from Grandsire, Orrest Head also in view.....

Howgills from Grandsire.....

South from Grandsire.....

Then it was on to Cleabarrow Hill, again following good paths. The high point is west of a dry stone wall.....

After that, it was time to make my way back, down to and along a section of the Dales Way.....

before eventually rejoining my outward route the other side of School Knott. An excellent walk, longish but not difficult.

The Helm and Castle Hill, Kendal

 6 June 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: The Helm, 185m/607', P 54m, Tump, OS 97, SD 531 887 and Castle Hill, Kendal, 93m/305', P 35m, Tump, OS 97, SD 522 924

The first day of a t trip to the fringes of the Lake District by train staying in Kendal. The Helm was a convenient hill to do on arrival as it is situated beside the station at Oxenholme, south east of Kendal. There was a very short road walk to get on to the hill which is part access land and part owned by the Friends of the Lake District. There were excellent tracks one of which follows the spine of the hill along the side of one of the wonderful dry stone walls that are common in this part of the country. This one apparently existed as far back as 1858. After a steep section, I could see the summit ahead) distance left centre).....

It didn't take long to reach the trig, the high point was close by.....

It was as I expected a great viewpoint. Looking to Oxenholme and Kendal with the hills of the Lake District in the background.....

The Howgills were clear to the north east.....

I could see Morecambe Bay to the south.....

Heading back the same way, there was an even better view of Kendal, my destination for the short break.....

A wee gem of the hill.

I then got the train into Kendal and stopped off at Castle Hill on my way to my accommodation. The castle was built around 1200 to replace a former castle on the other side of the river, it certainly towers above the town. It was the home of the barons of Kendal, most notably the Parr family whose most famous member was Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII. Nowadays one of its claims to fame is, for some folk, because the high point near the castle wall is classed as a Tump.....