Moncreiffe Hill,Culteuchar Hill,The Clevage Hills.

Boy did we pick the right day weather wise by going out on the Saturday.Sunday was grim even just tramping round the shops in Glasgow.
After the usual amiable discussion,each chipping in suggestions suited to our own tastes, we agreed on something and headed for a wooded ridge overlooking the River Tay and the fair city of Perth. O.S.map 58.

Looking at it on the map Moncreiffe Hill is one of two cliff edged ridges,each 3 kilometers long,which stand guard either side of the River Tay.The other is Kinnoull Hil l(pictured here) which is the one most people go up as it has a folly (castle) on the cliff edge.Together they make up the southern outliers of the Braes of the Carse.Lovely often overlooked hills.See Pole Hill on this blog.
Admittedly Moncreiffe Hill is not as good as Kinoull but the views are different,it`s quieter and has its own little secrets which we were to find out...or not!

The way up was uneventful through mixed woodland, mainly pine, golden stands of larch being prominent everywhere.This was another hill Alex was cursing not having a GPS on.Being old school I think they take the wonder and some of the serendipity out the day but we`d half glimpsed a trig from the car below the hill which looked to be on a cliff edge surrounded by thick forest at the western end.
Our car park lay at the eastern end.There was no trig on my well used map (ahem,it may have been worn off on a fold) .After a wee bit of thrashing through conifers and sundry undergrowth all around the top to find the highest point we looked for the trig.We weren`t even sure if there was one up here it was just a glimpse below of something small and white. (Not standing proud and declaring itself boldly like say..... a Monument :)


Anyway it was a fine hill and a sunny viewpoint but once again we`d picked a deceptive little maze of a hill.Despite much searching the elusive trig couldn't be found in the wooded folds of this wee massif.We were on a time limit as the days were shorter now and we still planned on doing another 2 hills today.


Down we went again Alex cursing his luck and forgetful fingers when packing.Bet he`s got his GPS next week folks.
Back at the car we found an info board with a picture map of the hill.The trig was proudly shown further to the west of where we were looking.Also missed (sigh) was a dramatic gorge with steep steps leading into it."No visit to the hill is complete without an ascent of this glory of the crag" it said.Ah well, give us an excuse to return some day.
Hill number 2 of the morning was Culteuchar Hill which was just across the valley of the River Earn 6 klms away but required a short car journey.
We parked on the minor road beside wooded Craigoway Hill then followed good paths over the rising moor to the summit slope.

Yet again a big herd of cattle, ominously deep black in colour, appeared to block our path.I tell you now folks if this blog suddenly ends abruptly we`ll be found trampled mushy under a hundred hairy hoof prints.This time we managed to fox them however by using the contours of the land and skirted round them to sneak the prize.

Another comprehensive view of Perthshire,with the Lomond hills catching the eye most.The light was good as well, sunny but with dark clouds and brief fleeting effects.

Hill number 3 we bagged mainly for the name though they did look nice from Forteviot.Another 5 km car trip to the highpoint of the minor road at spot height 251 saw us skirting up beside the wood then across Boghall Hill and tussock grass city towards gold lit moorland.

It was a very breezy summit.Another 2 remote Ochils bagged as we get to know this deceptive and complex little hill range that extends a lot further than most people think including us."Whose bagged all the Ochil tops then?" asked Alex.
"That would be a fine wee challenge for someone."
"When I die I want to be made into a monument!" I proclaimed on a different train of thought.
Just dump me upright on a nice hill and pour a few bags of postcrete over me that`ll give you a start.Nothing too extravagant, 25 feet high will do nicely."

Roe deer were spotted again and the sun gave us its company for 3 nice empty hills in a new area for us.Not bad for old guys as it was a fairly taxing outing of pimple ticking.

Then once again it was back to the west slipping under the usual blanket of cloud again.

An atmospheric day out in superb light.

Alex.

Thanks for writing it up Bob :)

I was playing around with the camera settings on the Clevage Hills.I reckon I know about 5% of what it can actually do.Discovered the multiple exposure part which takes three exposures,normal,one stop under and one stop over.So,I blended them together in Photoshop and here are a couple to have a gander at :) You might have to enlarge them to see them properly.

Bob on the summit of the Clevage Hills.


The Lomond Hills from the Clevage Hills above Dunning. The Clevage Hills are yet another site that may or may not be Mons Graupius where the Picts and Romans clashed.I think we have been to 4 of the contenders this year so far.See here for more detailed info...

Mons Graupius


Will have to save up the pennies for a proper DSLR camera.....