Meall na Gobhar (Trossachs)

 26 February 2024

Where: Meall nan Gobhar, 249m/818', P 33m, Tump, OS 57, NN 569 045

This was a recently discovered Tump in the Menteith Hills south of Loch Venachar and west of Callander. I parked in the East Lodge car park and followed a good forestry track- the route of the Rob Roy Way. The views over the loch to Ben Ledi and Stuc Odhar and down the loch to Ben Venue were excellent.....

After a couple of miles I reached a small loch behind which were the main Menteith Hills.....

The track turned to the north and my objective came into view with Stuc Odhar and Ben Ledi to the right of it.....

There was a good view looking back along the length of Loch Venachar at a point just before I started the climb up Meall nan Gobhar.....

The route up the hill went up the side of an old quarry, a bit rough but OK.....

The top was however very rough but the view to the west taking in Ben Venue and Ben A'an made up for it.....

Back at the track, I carried on down to the lochside and followed the road back to the car. The hill was certainly nothing special but the walk itself was excellent.

First in 2024, Macbeth's Castle and Mailingsland Hill

 19 February 2024

Participants: Just me

Where: Macbeth's Castle, 340m/1,115', P 80m, Tump, OS 73, NT 205334; Mailingsland Hill, 370m/1,214m, P 35m, Tump, OS 73, NT 259 425

The weather had been miserable for most of the year so far, overcast and rain. However, today was better, some sunshine although more rain was forecast to come in later. I set off for the Manor valley, south of Peebles to bag Macbeth's Castle. I parked in a large lay by to the north of the hill opposite a gate which took me on to the hill. It was a gradual grassy ascent.....

There were two cairns at the top, the south one apparently the higher by a few centimetres and good views north to Peebles and south down the valley.....

The best view however was to the east along a side valley to Stob Law and Glenrath Heights which are taken in on the traverse of the Dun Law group of hills.....

I returned the same way and transferred the car to Venlaw High Road in Peebles where there was plenty of parking. The route to Mailingsland Hill followed a good track passing the Venlaw Castle Hotel. It rose gradually with my hill visible ahead. It is the tree covered hill in the middle distance.......

The track took me to about 250m from the top of the hill. I couldn't immediately see a way through the trees but one eventually emerged; behind an old quarry and a tin shed. It was only a narrow fire break but good enough and led to a disappointing summit- no view......

I returned the same way with a view of Peebles ahead. A poor summit but a pleasant walk,

Two Arran Humps: Clauchland Hills and Torr Righ Mor

 27 November 2023

Where: Clauchland Hills, 259m/851', P 145m, Hump, OS 69, NS 033 338

A short break in Arran coincided with a spell of great weather, ideal for a couple of hill walks with Harvey. First one was Clauchland Hills, situated just south of Brodick. There was a Forestry car park at the start, a track to start with followed by a good path through the forest on to open land at the highest points. Harvey on the path.....

There was a big cairn and a memorial bench at the high point and a fantastic view of Brodick, the Bay, and Ben Nuis and Goatfell. Harvey enjoyed the view as well!

The southern view was to Holy Island, the cloud making it look like a small volcano.....

An excellent short day!

28 November 2023

Where: Torr Righ Mor, 137m/449', P 110m, Hump, OS 69, NR 888 310

Over to the west side of the Island for todays walk. I parked in the car park for the path to King's Cave and followed the path clockwise through the forest. When level with a small loch that I could just see through trees, we cut up easily through the conifers. Getting out of the trees at the top was a different matter, the small (Christmas?) trees were thick and it was a bit of a struggle for me getting through. Harvey had no difficulty though! There was then a fence to get over; I found a spot where the barbed wire had been removed and got over there, Harvey however had to stay tied to the fence post while I visited the trig 10 or so yards away.....

The view was to Kintyre, I could see as far south as the Mull.....

After returning the same way, I headed north and found a place to stop by a small beach that provided a great view of the hill I had just climbed plus the Kintyre peninsula..... 

Blacklaw Hill and Blacklaw Hill West Top (Dundee)

 26 November 2023

Where: Blacklaw Hill, 284m/932', P 52m, Tump, OS 53, NO 289 344 and Blacklaw Hill West Top, 273m/896', P 34m, Tump, OS 53, NO 275 349

On my way home from DMFF. It was a bit cloudy and misty but still not bad for the time of year. These two Tumps are part of the Sidlaw Hills and lie just to the north of Dundee, west of the Dundee/Couper Angus road. There is lots of parking at Piperdam and a good track follows the north shore of the loch of the same name, turning into a path once past the loch. The top can just be seen from the loch shore, above some trees.....

The path wends gently up the hill and easily reaches the trig at the top. There is also a memorial seat, and a couple of large cairns..... 

The view back to Piperdam.....

The view to Dundee and the Tay.....

There are a lot of paths on these hills but the one to the West top was obvious. Approaching the West top.....

The summit is marked by a couple of boulders and the view from there looking west is to King's Seat, the highest hill in the range. Unfortunately, mostly cloud covered today.....

I retraced the outward route over Blacklaw Hill to Piperdam.....

A nice walk, I would do these again on a better day.

Craig Roman (Blairgowrie)

 24 November 2023

Where: Craig Roman, 210m/689', P 42m, Tump, OS 53, NO 163 457

It was time for the annual Dundee Mountain Film Festival. Weather permitting, I do a hill on the Friday going to Dundee and another on the Sunday when I am making my way back down. This year, I diverted to go to Blairgowrie to take in Craig Roman, a Tump just to the north of the town. I managed to find a place to park well up the hill, at the start of a track which was actually the route of the Catteran Trail. The lower part of Craig Roman is called Knockie Hill and it was signposted from the track. I followed the path to The Knockie viewpoint which provides a fine view over Dundee to the Sidlaw Hills.....

The Tump summit is slightly above and further west, the whole area is planted with a crop. However, it was all stubble today and the farmer was out collecting the bales. So I was able to venture about 40m into the field to what I judged to be the highest point.

Follow the tram lines to the summit.....

Summit.....

Looking west.....

Looking east.....

The Inneans (Cleish Hills)

 10 November 2023

Where: The Inneans, 336m/1,102', P 43m, Tump, OS 58, NT 088964

It was thick mist when I got up in the morning and I wondered if I should continue with my plan to go walking. However, the forecast was good and a look at some on-line webcams showed that the sun was already out in the area of the Cleish Hills so I set off. I parked at the end of the track to Loch Glow and walked down to the fishery buildings. The Inneans from the fishery buildings, there are 3 tops of which the central one is the Tump.....

There were lots of paths; I started by following one below the dam wall and on to the open hillside. This skirted the east shore of the loch from where there were fine views of Knock Hill, Georgeton Hills and Dumglow.....

The view to the east opened up as I climbed the slopes of the first of the Inneans.....

From it's top, I could see the route to the Marilyn, Dumglow, done many years ago and not on todays agenda.....

The best view however was to the east, towards Loch Leven and the Lomond Hills, what a fantastic view it was in the clear conditions.....

The Tump top was next, looked steep but turned out to be easy when approached from the east side.....

There was still a lot of fog to the south, over the Forth but I could just make out the Pentland Hills beyond.....

The Tump summit with the Lomond Hills distant.....

The final top to the north which I didn't bother visiting.....

I returned more or less by the same route, but missing out the first top. What a perfect walk it had been!