Buachailean

 24 September 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Buachailean, 346m/1,135', P 63m, Tump, OS 63, NS 122 702

I had had my eye on this hill south of Dunoon for some time, waiting for a good weather day to bag it. Standing above Loch Striven and facing a number of islands in the Clyde estuary, it had to be an ace viewpoint. And so it was. I drove to Greenock and the ferry terminal at McInroy's Point. On the ferry heading to Dunoon.....

I headed south out of Dunoon and stopped at Ardyne Point to get a photograph of my objective (the hill on the right).....

There is a good Forestry car park at Ardyne, lots of spaces but only a couple of other cars in it today. The forestry isn't thick; indeed most of the mature trees have been cut down although they have been replaced with more conifers. I followed yellow marker posts initially, they took me to where the path reached a forestry road. A couple of hundred metres to the left and I arrived at the start of a narrower path which led all of the way to the summit trig. I was now out of the trees and there were views back; there was a large cruise ship moored in Rothesay Bay.....

 The views were exceptional. Best were those seaward, over Bute to Arran and Kintyre with Ailsa Craig visible on the horizon.....

The Wemyss Bay to Rothesay ferries crossing the Clyde estuary.....

Looking down to Loch Striven.....

Looking over Bute to Kintyre.....

I spent a fair bit of time at the summit but eventually dragged myself away and started down the way I had come up.....

There was time to wander about Dunoon before catching the ferry back to Gourock and the drive home.....

One of the best hill expedition days of the year.

Pentland Hills- Cock Rig and Lead Law

 21 September 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Cock Rig, 355m/1,165', P51m, Tump, OS 65/72. NT 146 541 and Lead Law, 347m/1,138', P 45m, Tump, OS 65/72, NT 146 530

These are two of the less well known of the main Pentland Hills. I parked beside the park in West Linton, walked through the village, crossed the A702 and walked up the lane between houses; this carried on as a public right of way to Carlops following the line of firstly a Roman road and then a drove road. I decided to climb Cock Rig first. From the track looking to Mount Maw with the much smaller Cock Rig in front of it, framed by trees on this side.....

The high point was in a field but here I encountered one of my pet hates, frisky cows. I decided therefore to see if there was a route through the trees, surprisingly, there was. This brought me out into a higher field separated from the herd by a fence so I was able to reach the top without hindrance. There was a steep descent to the north and Mount Maw, not seen from here and from the high point, a view of the eastern more popular hills.....

I returned the same way and made my way back towards Lead Law by the track. There was an excellent view of Mendick Hill in the distance (the slopes of Lead Law are on the left).....

and of King Seat and Byrehope Mount - both still to do- to the north 

and of Lead Law ahead.....

The ascent of Lead Law was through another field, empty of animals on this occasion, over a fence at the top, and through some well spaced trees. On the way up there was another view of King Seat and Byrehope Mount and the hills around Biggar to the west.....

But the high point itself had no view.....

This was another enjoyable walk in a much less populated area of the Pentlands. I will be back for the bigger hills in the area.

Benarty Hill and Mulla Craig

 16 September 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Benarty Hill, 356m/1,168', P228m, Marilyn, OS 58, NT 153 978 and Mulla Craig, 327m/1,073', P 33m, Tump, OS 58, NT 142 977

This was my 5th visit to Benarty Hill, which sits above the south shores of Loch Leven in Fife, but the first time that I had extended the walk to its western top, Mulla Craig, which has Tump status. I parked in the usual spot to the south of the hill from where the hill path is signposted. The path was much improved from the last time that I was here; work was still going on laying stone steps at the steepest points. The view soon opens out, this is looking south over Lochore Country Park to the distant Pentland Hills.....

The trig on Benarty Hill soon comes into view.....

It is a good viewpoint. A few steps past the trig brings you to the edge of the steep northern slopes and a view of Loch Leven and Bishop Hill.....

Looking west the eye is drawn along Castle Craig ridge to the Ochil Hills.....

The bagging part of the trip was of course Mulla Craig, reached by traversing Castle Craig which was surprisingly narrow although there was a clear and well used path.....

Looking back at Benarty Hill from Castle Craig.....

Mulla Craig turned out to be a bit of a grassy lump with, of course, some ups and downs to get there.....

It was, if anything, a better viewpoint than Benarty Hill. The Ochil Hills and then Loch Leven and Bishop Hill.....

It is well worth doing the ridge walk. Excellent hills, on the to do again list.

Craigmore Hill

 13 September 2022

Participants: Just me

Where: Craigmore Hill, 358m/1,175', P 54m, Tump, OS 64, NS 504 762

I had seen Craigmore Hill on many occasions, the most easterly of the Kilpatrick Hills to the west of Glasgow. You get a good view of it from the Mugdock reservoirs.....

I had been avoiding it however as it was tree covered and I had read some accounts of struggles to reach the top. However, I was recently reading comments on the Hill bagging site and in the most recent reports there were references to a new forestry track on the western side of the hill that went to within metres of the summit. This was too good to miss!

I parked the car in the Cochno car park  from where there was a signposted path to the Jaw reservoir. This rose gradually through a couple of fields to emerge at the dam wall. Craigmore Hill from the dam.....

A good path went east past the dam wall, over a couple of bumps called the Maiden Paps on the map and up the side of the wood. Looking back at the reservoir with Cochno Hill beyond with Duncolm, the highest point in the Kilpatrick Hills, to the right.....

The new forestry road started at the col between Birnie Hills and Craigmore Hill, it was very obvious and there was even a handy stile provided to get over the fence.....

It was then just a case of following the track through the trees to its end, passing the beautiful Craigmore Loch on the way with great views to the highland hills. Ben Lomond is central in this picture.....

The track, looking up and then back down with Dumgoyne in the distance framed by the trees.....

The high point was just off the track at its end in fairly thin woodland.....

Although there was no view from the high point, this was a really nice walk with gentle ascents and some beautiful loch scenery.