Sunday 15 March 2009

Largo Law and the Elie Chain Walk

Bon temps out east again as per usual.Bob picked me up and we headed towards Fife as he fancied doing the Elie Chain walk for something different.I fancied a hill.Ended up with us doing both.We headed over the Forth Road bridge and along the coast to Lower Largo...Fife yet again :)

Parked the jalopy at the church car park at NO423037.There has been a lot of controversy regarding access to this fine Marilyn in the past but the new access laws seem to have improved this somewhat.A detailed noticeboard at the car park shows the access route which goes through the farm buildings.No yappy/snarling dogs now.

It`s not big ascent from the carpark,only around 700 to 800 ft but it`s quite steep for most of the way.The promised blue skies had yet to appear and it was a bit overcast but still with reasonable views across to the Pentlands and the Ochils.
Sports a fine trig point as well :)

Bob heads back down towards the farm..



We then headed round to Elie direction and parked at the entrance to the Shell Bay caravan park from where a 20 minute walk took us round to Kincraig Point and the start of the Chain Walk.....



It`s a brilliant half day out...here`s a few pics to see for yourself...



This section would probably be better if the tide is high...



Plenty of eider ducks offshore too....



Loads of interesting geology in the form of basalt intusions like Fingals Cave and this wee bit near the end which took us back to our rock climbing days as it looks like a mini version of Bowden Doors in Northumberland...



We headed up hill after finishing at the eastern end and walked back along the clifftop having a snoop around the WW11 gun emplacements and needlessly to say,bagging the trig point that sits up there also :)
Came across this lovely sight as we headed back to the car....



Every cloud has a silver lining though and I did my bit for the environment by carting away a couple of folding deckchairs for the coming camping weather.Complete with holders that will fit a wine bottle as well.I expect nothing less from Fife :)

Bagged another couple of roadside trigs on the way home as well.Sad,ain`t it ?

Sunday 1 March 2009

Mendick Hill.

Out to the east in search of better weather again.We managed to sit about 5 miles to the east of the band of bad weather that was hanging over west central Scotland all day.West Linton is apparently known as Scotland`s answer to Beverly Hills.To be fair there were some large discrete houses around but nothing special.We lowered the price of the surrounding houses temporarily by parking our old banger nearby and then set off via the golf course.

Bob heads off with Mendick hill in the distance.....



Worked our way round to the north side of the hill and then directly up to the summit.Storm laden clouds out to the west but the nearby Pentlands were fine.

Mesel heading up to the summit....bad weather to the west...



Nice trig at the summit and a new Marilyn tick ....



Pentlands in sun all day...



Managed to bag the Thankerton Fundamental Bench Mark on the way home too.

Alex.