Campsie Fells, Dumgoyne and Earl's Seat

With the forecast looking good for today, I couldn't resist heading back to the Campsie Fells to try and stand on the summit of Earl's Seat. At 578m it is the highest point of the hill range.

This time I made sure I had enough food to provide the energy to get there. I took an egg sandwich, buiscuit and small flask of soup. I also swallowed a boiled egg for breakfast before heading out.

I intended approaching Earl's Seat from the west, to save a re-walk so soon after my last attempt. I was also going to clamber over the volcanic plug of Dumgoyne on my way there.

I arrived at Dumgoyne Distillery just as the sun was rising. It looked set to be a beautiful day with clear sky, hard frozen ground and not too much wind.



I wanted to be there early as I suspected it would be a popular place and parking could prove difficult in the limited space. I was the third car and the moon had not even set so Im glad I was early.



For a very brief moment the sky turned red with the rising sun. I almost missed it as it only lasted seconds in the freezing cold sky.



I was soon puffing my way up the steep slopes of Dumgoyne. Its another lung buster right from the word go, but I was happy knowing that by the time I fully awake, I would be at the summit.



As I approached the top, I stopped to catch my breath and admire the sunrise over the city of Glasgow. I could make out the high rise flats just below the golden skyline



Next moment I stepped onto the summit. I was now fully awake and enjoyed watching the world around me waken to a beautiful day. It felt great to be alive and I also knew I was priveleged to be able to stand there on such a glorious day. Towards Stirling, the freezing fog was still lying in the valley far below



The only thing I wasn't too keen on, was the drop in height and very steep decent off the north east side of Dumgoyne, then the climb back up Garloch hill on the other side. On the descent I kept my centre of gravity as low as I could because the ground was frozen solid. That is just a more elegant way of saying I sat and pushed my way downhill on my butt.



Im normally a solitary walker, but on the way up Garloch hill, I started chatting with another lone walker and it was a pleasure swapping stories for the rest of the hike. If you read this.. thanks for your company today.



Although it was a beautiful morning, the lovely light turned a bit flat with an approaching weather front. It was also quite hazy and I could not make out Ben Ledi or Vorlich which are just across the open valley to the north.



The walk to Earl's Seat from this direction is far easier ground than from the Fintry side. In fact there is a good path on this side. There was little in the way of paths beyond Earl's Seat. I was now at the cairn which marks the point to turn slighty away from the escarpment to reach Earl's Seat.



The summit of Earl's Seat is a little disappointing as there are no crags and the view is little different from the scenery on the way there. There is a trig Point just behind me when I took this photo. The first little "hump" at the edge of the escarpment is Jock's Cairn where I was last week, so I now feel like I have walked the best part of the Campsie Fells and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.



I headed back almost by the same route but this time did not go over Drumgoyne. The valley between Drumgoyne and the Campsie's is a perfect U shape



I think if you have access to a car at either end.. a continious walk from Dumgoyle to Fintry would be the best option for seeing the Campsie Fells

A strange thing .. this walk was also 6.5 miles and 2000ft of ascent ..and this time I didn't eat a thing ? .. yet found it very easy. I guess my metabolism is as unpredictable as the weather :-D

Campsie Fells, Corrie of Balglass & Jock's Cairn

Its funny how we can go into self denial ?

I knew I had been comfort eating since the start of December. Then I devoured all the festive goodies but still refused to stand on the bathroom scales. I kept telling myself that my weight was fine because of all the walking I was doing.

My belt seemed to be shrinking too.. yet I still wouldn't admit I was putting on weight ?

One night last week I didnt sleep well. I felt bloated and a bit depressed so I got up and weighted myself. I became even more depressed now I had proof that I had put on 12lb over the xmas period. That is when I awoke to my comfort eating habits and started my diet.

Im pretty stubborn when I get something into my head. Perhaps that is how I always get to the top of my mountains ? So I went on a crash diet, knowing the best way to loose excess weight is by not eating.

On Thursday I decided to get up early and go another hill walk. I had a tomato and coffee for breakfast, made one small egg sandwich and cut a thin slice of cheese for my packed lunch on the hills. I was determined I was going to walk the blubber off my belly. This was day four of my diet and I had already lost 4lb.

I parked the car at Fintry and started walking up the steep slopes of Dunmore Hill. Its a lung buster right from the word go. I was starving as my belly swished from side to side as I waddled up the steep incline.



Dunmore is a craggy little outcrop above Fintry village and used to be the site of a fort in olden times. I felt like I was battling my way to its walls with hunger.



The views to the north quietened my racing mind. Ben Ledi, Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin looked great under blue sky and in early morning light.



The views back down to Fintry and over to Stronend hill took my breath away, at least that is how I felt as I puffed my way ever upwards. Then my head started to spin and I felt slighty faint. I knew what was wrong. I opened my bag and swallowed the thin slice of cheese. It was like heavenly mana and stopped my legs from failing.



My quick snack gave me the energy to walk on the flat over to the edge of the Corrie of Balglass. I reached its rim well below it higher edges of the southern and eastern slopes.



It looked huge and very distant across to its far side.



My mind was constantly thinking of my egg sandwich as I made my way round the many ups and downs of the corrie rim. Even the magnificent views of Loch Lomond couldn't distract my hunger.



My original plan was to walk around the Corrie to Jocks Cairn then cover another mile over to the summit of Earl's Seat which is the highest point on the Campsie's. I promised my stomach that it could have the egg sandwich at Jock's Cairn. I made my way slowly round the Corrie



The low sun didn't help with my photographs as the corrie was in the shade most of the way but this was taken on my way back as the light lit the eastern slopes



My stomach felt very relieved when it saw Jock's Cairn come into view near the western edge of the huge corrie. I just had to navigate the peat bogs and I could have my sandwich in peace.



As soon as I summited the sandwich was swallowed. It was the best egg sandwich ever eaten. I looked back along the fells to the start of my walk where the red arrow is and it looked miles away. Three and a bit miles, to be exact.



I looked over to Earl's seat and knew it was another 2 miles to add onto my walk and there was a fair but of height still to go.



My head wanted to go the full distance but my legs didn't. They needed food. I knew my head couldn't go without my legs so I reluctantly gave in and decided to go back to Fintry the way I had come. I did take a slight short cut inland but it was pretty uninteresting terrain



Meikle Bin and Dungoil broke up the flat fell's view to the south east



I was pretty weary and mighty hungry by the time I started descending the slopes of Monach Moss back towards Dunmore Hill



Finally I reached the crags of Dunmore and was very glad that I had turned back at Jocks Cairn. I had walked 6.5 miles and climbed a total of 2000ft on a thin slice of cheese and a small egg sandwich. I would need more food to walk further than that.



I was disappointed the following morning as I weighed the same as before that stomach starving walk. But I do recomend the Campsie Fells..it is a lovely area and I will return.

The Ochils, Whitewisp, Tarmangie and Innerdownie

When I worked, I cursed if the weather was good during the week and knowing it would probably deteriorate by the weekend. Now I hope the weather is good during the week and Im not too bothered if its good at the weekend. Weekend walking is too busy on the Munro's for my liking, even in winter.

Im not antisocial or anything, its just that I like my walks on the wildside to be just that. I enjoy the challenge of the wilderness and refuse to take mobile phones, electronic GPS and personal locator beacons with me. Perhaps its the risk factor that keeps me returning to the hills ?

Im not knocking those that like to take all those gizmos for peace of mind.. its personal choice.. and its my choice to go as I have always done. A map, compass, lunch, camera, plasters for blisters, bog roll and waterproofs are all that I carry in my rucksack.

However I also consider myself sensible and choose my walks with care. Today the forecast was for sunny spells and wind. I decided to keep off the high tops as the wind has been so strong lately. I chose to go to the east end of the Ochils and take in three "Donalds" (hills over 2000ft). I knew the wind would be slightly behind me for most of this route, or if it got too strong, I could drop into the glens for shelter


I parked at Castle Campbell in Dollar Glen while the locals still slept. I like an early start.



The sunrise was a little disappointing. Just a brief glow on the clouds above Saddle Hill. I decided not to walk on its ridge as the wind was bitter. Instead I zig zagged up the steep sheltered side of this hill on my way to Whitewisp.



The atmosphere was a bit hazy today and although the views were good, I couldnt see far. Dundee and Edinburgh were lost in the haze although the Lomond Hills were clearly visible.



Eventually I had to walk on the ridge between Saddle hill and Whitewisp and the wind was mo surprise. I could hardly stand in the squalls as they created "waves" in the tussocky grass which seemed to quickly flow across the hillside. It took me several attempts to hold the camera steady to take this photo looking over to King's Seat hill.



I made the summit cairn of Whitewisp by walking at a 45% sideways angle into the wind, or at least it felt like that. I was glad I wasnt trying to battle my way to a Munro summit, especially if there were a lot of crags around the route. The top of the Ochils are almost either flat or round.



This photo is of Whitewisp cairn at 643m high, looking along the flat ridge towards Innerdownie Hill.



But first I headed due west, straight into the gale force winds, and made my way to the second "Donald" of the day. Tarmangie Hill at 645 m high. The cairn did not appear to me to be the summit so I kept going 50 yards past it, just to make sure. This shows the view looking back at the cairn and towards Innerdownie Hill in the distance.



From Tarmangie Hill, I headed straight towards Inverdownie Hill and found the going very easy as the wind was almost directly behind me now. In the middle of no where and not near any tracks or paths, I came across a fence post with some kind of "aerial" stuck to it. There were no cables or wires so I spent the next hour walking and wondering what on earth it was for ? Eventually I gave up as I have no idea at all.



I was now walking along beside the wall between Whitewisp and Innerdownie hill. Looking back to Tarmangie Hill, the clouds were starting to roll in.



It was with great difficulty, I finally managed a photo of Innerdownie Cairn. I was concerned my rucksack was going to get blown off the hill and end up in Dundee. The wind was relentless.



The hills looked lovely in the sun, photos dont capture the wind, it was bitterly cold too.




Enough is enough and I decided to drop down into Glenquey to get out the wind and have some lunch. As soon as I was out the wind it felt like it was a day in spring.



The hillside to the east of Innerdownie has been planted with broad leaf trees which makes a very welcome change from evergreens. I made my way through them on my descent to the Glenquay Reservoir



It doesnt take long to get down from the summit of a Donald and I was at the reservoir before I could think about that "aerial" thing again.



Then it was just a case of following the track through Glenquay and back to the car at Dollar. I covered around 7.5 miles and climbed around 2000ft in all. A good walk for a blustery day.



I only met one other walker on the tops too.. Peace and quiet..I love it :-D

The Ochils and Dumyat Direct

I slipped up today. The weather has been so bad lately that when I awoke at 6am to the sound of the wind and rain on my window pane, I had no plans for walking. Then around 10am it was obvious today was going to be different. The sun came out and soon it was wall to wall blue sky.

I grabbed my boots and decided on a short walk up my favourite local hill. Dumyat is only 418m high but the views from the top are as good as many 3000ft'er. I wanted to try the path I saw on the eastern slopes from Menstrie when I walked up Colsnaur last week but then decided to park at Blairlogie and take the direct route up the front of the hill and return by the Menstrie path.

If it wasn't for the cold, I could have thought it was spring as I headed for the start of Warlock Glen



Even the broom was fooled by the blue sky and opened its yellow flowers



Its a steep walk going up Dumyat by this way but it has the advantage that very few people come up this route so the feeling of isolation is there and Im only minutes from the house.



Height is gained very quickly and soon views open up over the Wallace Monument to the west and Menstrie to the east



I was sheltered from the north winds too and enjoyed a spot of lunch at the little burn as it babbled its way down the glen



By following the burn, the front of Dumyat is not as steep as it first appears from the road but it also has a good gradient so it is not too boggy underfoot.



Then the gradient eases a bit as Warlock Glen passes between Castlelaw and Dumyat summit. The crags are steep on either side making the location feel far more remote that it is.



The atmosphere was very clear today and I got great views over to Grangemounth and the Firth of Forth, then all the way to Edinburgh.



Not far from the end of the glen there is a steep narrow gully on the right hand crags. I chose to summit by scrambling up it but its a far easier walk countining up the glen.



It was very wet in the gully and not that enjoyable a route. Last time I went this way it was dry and far more pleasant.



Once out the slimy gully, I was only minutes to the summit cairns and the cold north wind. It was still blowing hard at the top.



New snow has fallen on the hills to the north west and they looked very inviting under the blue sky. Its a panorama made from two photos and will get a little larger if you click on it.



I then descended by the eastern slopes towards Menstrie. As I dropped in height I could see the flooding beside Alva where the river Devon had burst its banks. Not surprising, after all the storms we have had of late.



I then walked back to the carpark by following the Dumyat Farm road which traverses the lower slopes of Dumyat back to Blairlogie. It was a short walk and only took a couple of hours but it was lovely to be out under blue sky again :-D



My first walk of 2012 and most enjoyable it was too.. so far .. early retirement is far better that working for a living :-D

Happy New Year

A Happy New Year to all ... and may you find the wings to take you to the places you want to go :-D

No walks or boat journeys to post about yet but here are a couple of paintings I have just finished. They were long overdue and inspired by trips to sunnier climates. A reminder that the better weather will return ...

Pair of Pelicans..



Solitary Egret..



Hungry Heron..