October trip

 11 to 14 October 2024

Where: Torr Mor (Rannoch), 335m/1,098', P 30.2m, Tump, OS 42, NN 708 609; Ord Hill (North Kessock, 191m/627', P 134m, Hump, OS 26, NH 663 490; Ord Hill (Avoch), 149m/489', P 36m, Tump, OS 26, NH 696 573; Kinbeachie Hill (Black Isle), 121m/397', P 32m, Tump, OS 21, NH 629 627; Kirkhill, 62m/204', P 31m, Tump, OS 26, NH 549 456; Hill of Allargue, 558m/1,831', P 33m, Tump, OS 37, NJ 257 099; Creag an Lurachain, 442m/1,450', P37m, Tump, OS 37, NO 259 933.

I was travelling to the MBA AGM which this year was being held at Boat of Garten. Apart from some rain and low cloud on the journey up the weather was good and I was able to use the non-MBA time to bag some new hills. I decided to take the scenic route avoiding the bottlenecks on the A9 and used the Crieff, Aberfeldy and Tummel Bridge route enabling me to bag Torr Mor above Loch Rannoch. There wasn't much of a walk involved and unfortunately the cloud was down spoiling what would have been a good view south to Schiehallion.....

I had decided to stay on for a day after the meeting and do a tour of the Black Isle north of Inverness. Ord Hill at the north end of the Kessock Bridge is a notable landmark. There was a FC car park at its foot on the north side and signposted tracks to the summit, passing the remains of an Iron Age Fort close to the top. The summit is marked by a large cairn although I thought that an alternative top a few metres to the east might have been higher. Being tree covered there were only glimpses of the surrounding countryside although I did make a detour to a viewpoint low down which overlooked the Moray Firth and part of Inverness.....

Continuing east, I next stopped at another Ord Hill, north of the village of Avoch. 20 minutes was enough to walk up a track to the top from where there was a view of Ben Wyvis, snow on it for the first time this coming winter.....

Kinbeachie Hill was a drive past. The road was quiet so I was able to get out of the car and take a couple of photographs.....

I then made my way to the village of Kirkhill, near Beauly, where the high point of the village churchyard is a Tump. Again, little walking involved as I was able to drive to the gate. The churchyard contains a 17th century Mausoleum to the Frasers of Lovat which was interesting and is worth a visit in its own right.....

The next day was homeward bound and I decided to do this via the Lecht- the A939, always an exciting road to drive. Allargue Hill is situated above Cock Bridge and again was only a short walk from the road. Views from here included a snow capped Ben Avon. The actual summit is close to the track to the north of the transmitter.....

The final hill of the trip was Creag an Lurachain above Crathie, one that had been on my to do list for a while, not because of the hill itself but because it contained a couple of cairns to previous members of the Royal family. There is a big car park (for Balmoral Castle) and it was a walk of about a mile along the south Deeside road to the start of the hill track. A short distance up I passed Princess Beatrice's Cairn and close to the summit Prince Albert's Cairn, a massive and impressive structure. There were views north to Culardoch and south-west to Lochnagar. The actual top is not the Cairn but a clearing in the forest some 20m to the south.....

Kilbride Hill (Cowal)

 2 October 2024

Where: Kilbride Hill, 396m/1,299', P36m, Tump, OS 63, NS 143 756

A lovely early autumn day for a trip to Dunoon to climb Kilbride Hill, situated above extensive woodland to the west of Dunoon. As always, it was an enjoyable short crossing on Western Ferries..... 

I parked in the FC car park at Corlarach and set off up the hill following the blue marker posts.....

This took me to the upper edge of the forest, latterly following the line of the Berry burn, Where the track took a sharp right hand turn, I left it to follow a faint path still following the burn. There were good views from here back downhill  to the Clyde estuary and to Dunoon.....

and to Kilbride Hill ahead.....

The path, now faint, crossed the burn just short of the Bealach Gaothaich and headed more steeply up to the summit marked by a small cairn. This view is looking north to Bishop's Seat, another Tump, but not on todays agenda. The ground conditions off the path are pretty awful.....

Another view of Dunoon and the upper Clyde from just below the summit with the cloud starting to roll over, although it cleared again before I got back to the car.....

A most enjoyable walk of about 2 hours duration.

South-west Scotland 4- Doon Hill and Windy Hill

 18 September 2024

Where: Doon Hill, 79m/259', P 34m, Tump, OS 83, NX 404 654 and Windy Hill, 60m/197', P 36m, Tump, OS 83, NX 430 554.

Todays trip took in Newton Stewart and Wigtown. The high points of both villages were Tumps. Apart from bagging the top, Doon Hill was a non-event. I parked at some football pitches and followed a water board track into some woods. There was no view.....

Windy Hill was a total contrast. Crowned by a fine monument to the Wigtown martyrs, it had a good view over the village. The monument was erected in 1858 to commemorate Covenanters who were drowned or executed for failing to commit an oath of allegiance to the Episcopalian church/King in May 1685. The names of the martyrs are listed on panels on the monument, unfortunately now getting a bit difficult to read. ....

As well as being a book town, Wigtown is also a martyrs town with memorials in the old churchyard and on the flats. The Bay area is also interesting with extensive mudflats- a haven for bird watchers outwith the summer period. An interesting wee place.....

South-west Scotland 3- The Mull of Galloway

 17 September 2024.

Where: The Mull of Galloway, the most southerly point of the Scottish mainland, 85m/279', P 63m, Tump, OS 82, NX 157 304

I couldn't have wished for a better weather day for my visit to the Mull, the only slight downside was a sea haze which prevented views of Northern Ireland and Cumbria. The geography of the Mull itself is best seen from the approach road.....

There is a large car park at the lighthouse and an excellent visitor centre and cafe. Also an obligatory signpost and information about the Mull.....

I started my visit however by walking north from the lighthouse along the cliff tops. 

Although there were lots of visitors, I seemed to be the only person doing the cliff walk. It was spectacular rounding several geos with unprotected drops to the sea below........

After about a mile I reached a field with a strange memorial in it- Kennedy's Cairn which was apparently constructed in the 1800's. It was used for trapping ravens and is named after the local game keeper.....

Although I couldn't see much out to sea, the Isle of Man put in an appearance from time to time through the sea fog.....

I returned by the same route with the lighthouse now in full view ahead.....

Unfortunately, the lighthouse is only open to visitors at weekends at this time of year but there is an excellent exhibition so I took in that. Of special interest is the foghorn which is reached by descending a long flight of steps. Although now not in operational use, it is kept in working order.....

After visiting the exhibition and the foghorn, I decided that I had better visit the Tump top! It is on a mound to the east of the lighthouse and shares the area with a couple of water tanks.....

A visit to the cafe and shop rounded off what had been an excellent day out. Now I will have to visit the other extreme points of the mainland, Duncansby Head, Dunnet Head and Ardnamurchan Point.