Emily Hill, Black Hill (Fife), Kinpurney Hill, Ironside Hill, Gallow Hill (Sidlaws)

 19-21 April 2023

Where: Emily Hill, 154m/505', P 32m, Tump, OS 59, NO 323 197; Black Craig, 202m/666', P 73m, Tump, OS 59, NO 330 217; Kinpurney Hill, 345m/1,132', P 49m, Tump, OS 53, NO 332 417; Ironside Hill, 354m/1,161', P 30m, Tump, OS 54, NO 399 411; Gallow Hill, 378m/1,240', P 37m, Tump, OS 54, NO 390 413.

I had wanted to climb Kinpurney Hill for a while and a spell of good weather encouraged me to spend a couple of nights in Dundee bagging it plus another couple of Tumps in Fife on the way up and a couple more of the Sidlaw hills on the way home. I had a dentist appointment in Glasgow at lunch time so it was almost 14.00 before I set off. First hill on the journey was Emily Hill at the village of Creich. I parked opposite the church at the start of a track that led up the side of fields planted with oil-seed rape.....

There was a pheasant enclosure higher up but the summit of the hill itself was outwith the enclosed area. Norman's Law came into view to the west....

Norman's Law from the summit area.....

To the south I could see the tower on Mount Hill, near Cupar.....

Looking east from the summit....

Looking north to Black Craig (right), the next hill on the list.....

It was only a couple of miles drive to the parking spot for Black Craig. A track led up the west side of a wood and continued to the summit, just as well as there was a lot of gorse on the hill. In fact, the high point could have been in this gorse bush, or perhaps to a rocky area a few feet away.....

It wasn't a great viewpoint, Mount Hill again to the south.....

And across the Tay to Dundee.....

The next day was the one set aside for Kinpurney Hill, seen from the car park at Newtyle.....

From the parking area, I walked along Glamis Road away from the village until I reached Denend farm where a signposted path pointed the way to the hill. The path followed the Edderty burn through a beautiful Den, with masses of spring flowers.....

Then it was out on to the open hillside and a steep track up.....

Eventually, the tower that sits at the top of the hill came into view. It was built in 1774 by James Mackenzie as an observatory. Today it is just a roofless shell.....

There is also a trig and a viewfinder and a fabulous view in most directions......

Views north to the Angus glens and west to Schiehallion and (just) the Lawers group.....

I stayed on top for a while enjoying the views but eventually the strong cold wind drove me down. Great views over Newtyle on the way down.....

A top Tump!

Day 3 was back to the Sidlaws before the drive home. This time, I parked in a lay-by just north of Lumley Den, at the start of a track that went all the way to the summit of Ironside Hill. These are heather hills but there were big stretches of cleared ground and the going was easy. Looking down at the car from part way up Ironside Hill....

Guess the prevailing wind direction.....

Craigowl from Ironside Hill.....

From Ironside Hill I dropped down to the col between it and Gallow Hill, close to a communications mast. The way up Gallow Hill.....

Cairn close to the high point of Gallow Hill.....

Ironside Hill from Gallow Hill.....