Borders Tumping

 12 September 2023

Where: Dunhog Moss, 303m/994', P 36m, Tump, OS 73, NT 469 244; Gersit Law, 195m/640', P 61m, Tump, OS 74, NT 612 268; Brox Law, 99m/325', P36m, Tump, OS 74, NT 697 338; Hume Castle, 224m/735', P 64m, Tump, OS 74, NT 704 414.

I set off early on the long drive with the first stop just south of Selkirk. The target was Dunhog Moss which is the highest point south of the town and is crowned by a large transmission mast. There is a service road to the mast and I could have driven up but I decided on the short walk. The actual summit was close to the mast and next to a wall. There were good views to the south.....

Back at the car I next drove cross country to join the A7 at Ashkirk. The next hill, Gersit Law was a couple of miles to the north. I parked in a layby south of the track to it and walked north along the road verge. I could have walked through a caravan site instead, I returned that way. There was a fine view north to the Eildon Hills from the track.....

The hill is crowned by the Mausoleum of Sir Thomas Monteith.....

It is only open to the public by appointment but when I reached it, a guide was talking to a couple of visitors and I was allowed in for a look. There were a couple of large statues inside which the guide told me were reckoned to represent Sir Thomas' daughters and a wonderful domed ceiling......

Again the hill was a good viewpoint looking south to the Waterloo Tower with the Cheviot hills beyond.....

Next it was on to Kelso and Floors castle. Brox law is the highpoint of the castle grounds easily reached along a good track from the castle car park. It was however a bit of a nothing hill next to a pond in an area used for rearing pheasants. There were dozens of them about.....

Turning for home, I headed for Hume Castle, which I'd never heard of until I started looking for Tumps. It was a peaceful spot with the best views of the day, looking south to the Cheviot. The high point of the hill seemed to be inside the castle beside a seat.....

An interesting outing, the only downside was the Edinburgh City bypass which is more like an endless car park than a major road!

Black Hill (near Abington)

 30 August 2023

Where: Black Hill, 383m/1,258', P 100m, Hump, OS 71/72, NS 904 243

The weather had changed for the better as autumn approached. I decided on a short walk and drove down towards Abington, taking the old road as I got south and parked up opposite the house at Strand where there was space for a couple of cars. I climbed a gate onto the hillside and followed a track and then sheep trods to the small pile of stones that marked the summit. It was a gentle ascent. Fine open views as I got higher. Tinto dominated the eastern view......

Lots of wind farms, looking towards Crawfordjohn....

Looking south east, the M73 was in view in this direction and I could hear the noise of the traffic......

Bizzyberry Hill (Biggar)

 24 August 2023

Where: Bizzyberry Hill, 363m/ 1,191', P 112m, Hump, OS 72, NT 047 393

Visibility is at its best after rain and today was a great example. It had rained overnight but had cleared by the time I set off for Biggar to climb Bizzyberry Hill. I parked in the town and walked to its east end where there was a signposted path to the hill. This went all the way to the summit through a couple of fields and a steep finish up the front of the hill itself. Part way up there is an information board which provided all that I needed to know about the hill.....

I stopped a few times on the way up to admire the view behind me. Culter Fell and then Tinto,,,,,

Soon my hill came into view.....

and the path narrowed and went through a couple of fields. As this is a Core Path there were pedestrian gates through the fences. Leaving the fields behind the path narrowed considerably and got a great deal steeper as it passed through an area of gorse. It was back on the grass above the steep bit and the summit was in sight. Just before I got there, I passed this stone, handy if you've forgotten where you are! Tinto beyond.....

Strange that it is not on the summit which is a bit further on, on land which clearly belongs to someone else as there is a barbed wire fence to get past. Here I went slightly down hill to the north where there was a gate (but no pedestrian gate). There was another good view of Tinto from here.....

The views from the summit were superb. No wonder the Iron Age people built a fort here. To the east the Broughton Hills.....

To the south Biggar and the Culter Hills.....

and to the west Biggar and Tinto.....

An excellent hill seen at its best.

Blake Muir

8 August 2023

Where: Blake Muir, 467m/1,532', P 34m, Tump, OS 73, NT 302 306

 It was more like a day in May than in August when I parked in the large car park next to Traquair church south of Innerleithen. Occasional showers were forecast but for the most part it remained dry and very clear. The route of the Southern Upland Way left the road next to the car park and climbed gently passing very close to the high point of Blake Muir. With stiles over all of the fences, it was a delightful uncomplicated walk with good views, one of the best that I had had this year. The track started steeply but I was soon out on the moor with my intended summit looking a long way in the distance (it was in fact less than 3 miles away).  The target was the pointed hill to the left centre in the second photo.....

Getting a bit closer.....

The eastern ridge of the Peebles-Dun Rig horseshoe was on my right hand side as I ascended.....

There were good views back to Innerleithen and I took a number of photos as I got higher.....

and looking east to the Minch Moor, a hill that I had climbed a number of times.....

The heather was in full bloom; really colourful this year.....

It was quite cold near the top and I had to stop to put on my jacket. The SUW ran between the two tops of Blake Muir, the higher was to the east and sported a small cairn which was actually about 30m north of the actual high point.....

Another excellent Tumping day out!

Castlelaw Hill (Pentlands)

 28 July 2023

Where: Castlelaw Hill, 488m/1,601', P 81m, Tump, OS 66, NT 224 647

The only hill in the most popular area of the Pentland range that I had not previously climbed. I parked at Castlelaw which gained me some height. It is also the car park for Castlelaw Fort and its Souterrain which I had a look at when I had finished my walk. Castlelaw Hill from close to the start.....

Looking to Turnhouse Hill and Glencorse reservoir.....

It was a nice clear day after early rain. This is the view south to the hills north of  Peebles from the track.....

Caerketton from the track.....

The track wound up the east side of the hill and then turned sharply in a west/south-west direction and steepened considerably. The steep part was relatively short and I was soon at the summit which had a number of flag poles and other stuff on it.....

It was a fine viewpoint for the hills surrounding Glencorse reserve and further west Loganlea reservoir- Turnhouse Hill, Carnethy Hill, Scald Law, The Kips, Black Hill, Bell's Hill with East and West Cairn Hills in the distance.....

Looking south from the summit.....

Allermuir Hill and Caerketton Hill from just below the summit on the way back.....

The extensive Castlelaw was well seen from the track on the way back. It consists of three concentric rings of ramparts and ditches surrounding a low foothill and was home to an Iron Age community for some centuries. An earth house was built into the middle ditch and consists of a passageway and a chamber. It was probably used for storage purposes. Really interesting.....