Inchmurrin Island and Dun Sheock

 22 May 2023

Where: Inchmurrin Island (Loch Lomond)- Dun Sheock, 89m/292', P81m, Tump/SIB, OS 56, NS 382876

This is a walk that I had been planning to do for some time. I phoned the hotel on the island first thing to get the times of the boat, it seems to be every two or so hours at the moment. It leaves from the pier at Arden. This is the view from the landing stage, Inchmurrin Island is in the centre of the picture.....

The island has a hotel, a couple of self catering cottages and the terrain is a mix of farm pasture and forestry. Pheasants are also reared and there were lots about as I started my walk up the spine of the island. The landing point and the hotel are at the southern end and the high point, Dun Sheock is at the north end. There is a good track all the way.....

Looking to the high point, the approach, and the summit which is clear of the trees.....

The walk is shut in for the most part but the actual high point is clear of the trees and presents a fine view north up Loch Lomond to the Graham, Beinn Dubh, in the Luss Hills and Ben Lomond.....

I returned the same way and then sat in the sunshine at the hotel enjoying a fresh orange and lemonade while waiting for the boat to take me back across the loch to Arden. A couple more photos from Arden, across the loch to Conic Hill and secondly across the loch to the Hump, Knockour Hill-Mount Misery.....

An excellent day out which I think will be very popular in the summer.

St Abb's Head, Kirk Hill, Meikle Black Law

 19 May 2023

Where: Kirk Hill, 79m/259', P 32m, Tump, OS 67, NT 916 687; St Abb's Head, 95m/311', P 70m, Tump, OS 67, NT 912 692; and Meikle Black Law, 245m/ 804', P126m, Hump, OS 67, NT 822 686

I had been at St Abb's a few years ago but had not included Kirk Hill on that occasion. Given the weather today, it was no hardship to go back and do the complete circuit of the two hills and I also was able to bag Meikle Black Law on the way home. I parked in the NTS Visitor Centre car park and followed the route anti clockwise. I'll let the photographs tell the story. White Heugh headline was the first of the cliffs.....

From the high point there was a view back to the village of St Abb's.....

There was a bit of up and down but soon Kirk Hill came into view.....

The cliffs at Kirk Hill.....

The grass was covered in patches of sea pink.....

Looking down on cliffs from the the ascent of Kirk Hill.....

The summit of Kirk Hill and views to the north from it.....

Cliffs on the north side of Kirk Hill.....

Approaching St Abb's Head and the lighthouse, now automated.....

Looking to the high point a short distance away from the lighthouse.....

It has a topograph cum information board.....

I dropped back down to the ground above the northern cliffs where most of the sea bird colonies can be seen. The photos don't do justice to the site of thousands of guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars and herring gulls that were nesting there. It was a great sight.....

Continuing the walk, I joined the service road for the walk back to the Centre This is looking north with the Mire Loch also in the picture.....

Heading back along the road, I got a good view of both St Abb's Head and then Kirk Hill.....

Before starting home, there was time for a cup of coffee and a Bakewell Slice at the excellent craft shop. I had noticed that there was a Hump a few miles up the road from St Abb's, Meikle Black Law, so I decided to have a loo. It couldn't have been more different from the other two hills, simply a walk up pasture land. The only problem might have been cows but they were in an adjacent field. The field containing the high point had sheep in it. Approaching the high point.....

Looking west to the Black Law wind farm, north to Torness Power Station and out to sea......

An excellent day full of interest, the only downside was having to negotiate the Edinburgh by-pass twice, it was awful.

Castle Hill (Croy) with Harvey

 16 May 2023

Where: Castle Hill (Croy), 156m/512', P 77m, Tump, OS 64, NS 711 758

A walk with Harvey on a nice May day.....

Whiteside Hill (Abington)

 12 May 2023

Where: Whiteside Hill, 440m/1,444', P 68m, Tump, OS 72, NS 969 277

A dry but cloudy day adding some atmosphere to what was a bit of a featureless hill which sits at the northern end of the Clyde wind farm. I parked in a lay-by just north of the houses at Wandel and took the wind farm road that started almost directly opposite. It was a steady pull up to the high point of the road followed by some heather and tussocks to the unmarked top. Approaching the top, Tinto in cloud in the background.....

Looking south and south west to some of the wind farm hills.....