9 October 2023
Where: Birniehill, 262m/863', P 54m, Tump, OS 58, NO 125083
I had aimed to get my Tump total up to 1,600 before my partner, Steven, went on holiday; a totally arbitrary objective! It had seemed to be an age getting through the 1,590's and I had one to go before 12 October. So it was back to the wee hills above Milnathort for Birniehill, another pasture Tump.
I parked in an old quarry and followed the fields up. The high point was in an area of rushes. That's Tumping for you!
2 October 2023
Where: Moonzie Hill, 138m/453', P 37m, Tump, OS 59, NO 337 176, Tay Mount, 189m/620', P 42m, Tump, OS 59, NO 348 224, and Temple Hill, 283m/928', P 38m, Tump, OS 58, NO 107 096
A breezy day but mainly dry for another visit to north-east Fife. Moonzie Hill was first on the agenda and was almost a drive up. It is crowned by Moonzie Kirk which went out of ecclesiastical use in the 1970's but which still has a well tended graveyard. I parked at the farm just short of the church and walked up the track to it. The high point of the hill is in a field at the back of the church and was accessed by a side gate in the graveyard. Best of the views was to the Marilyn, Mount Hill.....
I then drove a short distance north to Tay Mount where there was a convenient parking spot just inside a field gateway. I walked along the side of the field and found a rough path through a wood which led to a style over a barbed wire fence into another field which contained the high point of the hill. There was a trig which was almost but not quite at the high point.
Heading for home, I remembered as I approached Milnathort that I had not yet bagged Temple Hill; a herd of cows had taken possession of the hill last time I was up this way. So I decided to take a look and drove to and parked in a car park for off road driving participants. The hill had sheep in it today so that was a good decision. It was the best viewpoint of the day particularly looking south to the Lomond Hills from the grass covered cairn.....
Another 3 Fife Tumps bagged!
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!
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......
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.
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.....
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!
