Walls Hill. North Castlewalls. Renfrewshire Uplands.

                                                   ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.

Another winter walk with hill-walking friend Alan on the Renfrewshire Uplands, this time to bag Walls Hill 230 metres and the nearby North Castlewalls 236 metres. A misty view of Ailsa Craig in the distance, above.

 

We parked near but not at Mid Hartfield Farm where the minor road bends sharply. A right of way path runs from here over the rolling landscape to the village of Howwood but we motored on for just under a km to where the small stream meets the road. I remembered the right of way path being boggy if you leave it to cross towards Walls Hill over several flooded ditches and with all the rain recently it would be even worse.

  An old abandoned reservoir used to fill this spot and although drained decades ago it is still marshy so we parked in a one car lay-by beside the stream where an open gate and a farm track led us directly up the ridge line with dry feet.

 

 

Arran ridge and wind farm in the distance.

A large Emirates plane passing overhead. The largest type to fly into and out of Glasgow Airport.

 

It was a fairly murky cold day but with light winds. Luckily this area has good varied scenery and green fields so plenty to look at. Barcraigs Reservoir and surrounding hills, above.

 

Good cattle country as well. The brown area is the former reservoir now filled in.

 

Renfrewshire is mainly rolling ridges, small hills and hollows with water in them. Very green landscape.

 

 

Another cattle herd and an old ruined farm near North Castlewalls. The name probably refers to this farm as the hill doesn't have one on my OS Landranger map.

North Castlewalls from Walls Hill. Unlike the nearby Gleniffer Braes Country Park very few people ever come here. No parking for a start except for one or maybe two cars at most. Although I've never done it, the one way walk from Glen Park to Howwood passing through this area, using public transport to get to the start and return from the finish line looks a cracker. Around 15 to 20 km walking over very scenic countryside. You can include the Barcraigs Hills/ reservoir if you are young and fit. Or old and a duracell bunny type with plenty of stamina in the tank. Probably best in summer though and longer daylight hours. And pick a good weather day.

Ben Lomond from Walls Hill. Site of an old fort. Iron age maybe.

 

Beech tree blown over by storms.

 On the way back we did the path network on the hills above Johnstone and Elderslie. Brandy Burn path here.

Which included a dark pine forest trail. Being a short walk of only a couple of hours we did go somewhere else afterwards.

But that part I'll keep for another post. Renfrew Ferry here.

Teal duck. With the light fading only the white near the tail showed clearly what it was with the colourful distinctive head obscured by the murky conditions. Only the second time I've ever seen one but we've ( Alan and myself that is) have been fairly lucky spotting rare birds recently on walks with Little Egrets and Ring Necked Parakeets putting in an appearance. ( future post on that soon.)

Dark by 4:00pm outdoors in winter. Ferry arriving. Dark by 3:00pm if trying to read or work indoors so lights on then inside the house.

The River Clyde at dusk. The end.