Green Hill,Wanlockhead.

A spur of the moment trip as it was a nice sunny day.Green Hill was the nearest Marilyn to my house that I hadn`t given a good bagging to :) It`s probably because I could be on the summit inside 90 minutes from my front door and subconciously I was saving it for my old age.Feeling like a quick stretch of the legs however I set off down the M74 for Wanlockhead.The village was positively alive today in the bright autumn sunshine,people out whitewashing their houses and the vistor centre car park overflowing on to the road.

The path up was easily visible from the village winding it`s way up Stood Hill first of all,seemingly starting in someone`s front garden.The occupant was engaged in a battle of wits with a couple of sheep who were intent on sampling his floral display.Nevertheless he took a minute or so out to chat about the weather.Meanwhile the crafty sheep snaffled a few mouthfuls of montbretia.Thirty minutes or so and I was on top of Stood Hill and a further 10 minute traverse took me on to the Marilyn summit of Green Hill itself.Visibility was excellent and you could even see the Lomond hills in Fife in the distance.

Wanlockhead from the slopes of Stood hill...





I lounged around for 20 minutes before heading down the north ridge towards one of the old mines......



.....and then heading back to Wanlockhead along a section of the Southern Upland Way via a quick detour to visit the old graveyard.Plenty of dead miners in here with quite expensive headstones suggesting that perhaps the mine owner was one of the better employers of that era.

I had intended paying a visit to the oldest public library in Scotland but I had just missed the
start of the audio visual display and didn`t fancy sitting inside anyway on such a nice day.So,off
to Leadhills graveyard to find the grave of the oldest guy in Scotland...allegedly.137 years old
when he died it says...


A more modern one nearby.....


I then wandered up to the old steam railway and as luck would have it,not only was it running,but as it was South Lanarkshire`s Doors Open day it was free.I was offered the choice of first or second class,opted for first,and was given a cushion :-) Nice to see a bunch of enthusiasts like this surviving against the odds.

Fast Castle and the Souter.

All this summer we`d been planning interesting things to do over on the west coast,but only if it was in the sun of course.Sadly this summers been the same as last year,hardly a dry Sunday to the north and west of Glasgow.
Thank God for the East Coast and Galloway then.So far since February we`ve had one fairly grim wet day on the Moorfoots, mid summer, and a mixed day of sun and snow flurries (Kaim Hill) at the start.
The whole purpose of this blog is to show people how easy it is to find the sun in Scotland if, like us, that is their wish. (Yes, its even possible if you live in Skye .A Clue. Black Isle`s nice Alistair.)
What`s less easy if your used to Munro's is spending the summer on the lesser hills even if it is in glorious sunshine.It doesn't bother me but keen readers may note Alex has been pining subconsciously beneath a brave front for the greater ranges and yes............THE RAIN!
The occasional bothy trip over on the west has been mentioned.The damp soft drizzle of the western misty mountains calling out to him.
The same thing happened to me in Australia after months without rain.I started dreaming of the glistening west coast of Scotland and the waterfalls pouring off the mountaintops.I know its hard when your that dried out and your body instinctively craves water.
So, as a friend, I`ll give him the same advice Omar Sharif gave Peter O`Toole in Lawrence of Arabia as they staggered across the scorching void on thirsty camels. "Be warned Alex.You were drifting! Sit up and Focus!"
I know what its like.Hold fast! If it gets too much fill a bath and lie under it for a while,just your nose showing like Christina Ricci in Mermaids. Trust me.This helps.
Weather forecast.Rain sweeping in from the west from early on.Best of any bright spells.Go on, surprise me then.
Left my house in the drizzle,picked up Alex and headed East. Parked at Dowlaw farm car park and followed sign for Fast Castle on a path down towards the cliffs where the Lammermuirs plunge into the sea.This was an area we`d only visited once before on a club climbing trip to do the Souter seastack and the tilted Brander slab routes.Always fancied a return visit.
Replacing what was originally a drawbridge a more modest structure leads on to the semi hidden eagles nest of the castle.This was first mentioned in 1333 so its no surprise there is not much left.It has also been rebuilt,captured and destroyed several times since then by determined foes.Obviously the notch between main cliff and bastion has become filled with rubble over time but this was consided in its day to be sufficently well defended by nature and mortar that it could be held with only ten good men against all but an army.
It started raining at this point.Not heavy but a soft misty drizzle not unlike a normal west coast good day.Alex was happy! He danced around, face soaking up the moisture like a teenager and started climbing all the jaggy bits in sight.

I`ve not seen him this happy since St Abbs. PoorBoy, he must have been really dry!

After standing on several improbable pinnacles we took the sheep track round the cliff edge to the Souter where Alex spotted a new challenge.
The Souter itself was not a solo job but the fin next to it was on even when wet.He was game and enjoying the rain.Nirvana beckoned.

I stayed safe and took the pictures.



Alex and the Souter





All too quickly the rain went off but it was enough to ease parched bodies and minds.For those interested there is a HVS 5a up the seaward side of the Souter and many routes on the Brander slab area. (Bring a gardening trowel for them). A nice walk.







As it was still fairly early and the weather was improving into the usual fine afternoon we drove to the nearby Pease Bay for a walk along the Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve there,a deep wooded gorge where the evidence of mud slides and ripped up trees from a storm two days previously made it interesting.

The wildlife must have taken a pounding as well as these green beetles were everywhere, instinct still telling them to keep high.

You can see how the grand canyon could form just seeing the earth and trees even this very modest stream could remove in one night.
An interesting and varied day out finished off with a stroll along the beach to a blood red cliff of old red sandstone.Smashing stuff.Pity these two old foggies couldnt climb up to the cave halfway up this headland.......




...............due to incoming tide and lack of energy.Sandsones a bugger to climb, sloping holds and gritty texture.Ah well roll on the Autumn.

Eildon Hills.

Pretty much dry everywhere today but not a lot of blue sky and sunshine around alas.July and August seem to be a helluva time of year as the weather is always unsettled.There was a promise of some short lived sunshine to the south east however and as there are no big hills in that immediate area another easy stretch of the legs was in prospect for the elder of the two blue sky boys :)


Along the M8 ,on to the Edinburgh bypass,the best thing since sliced bread in our opinion,and down south along the A7 to Melrose.They start them young as far as rugby is concerned in these
parts.Rugby training was in progress near the car park and I`d guess the participants were all aged about 2 to 3.I kid you not..!

Took a while to find the route out of Melrose and up to the Eildon hills but following our noses as usual paid results.If you head uphill from the central piazza on the B6359 then keep an eye out for a small sign 10 feet up a house wall.The path starts down the alley at the side of it.It`s pretty unlikely looking at first but it is the correct access route.

Turn right at the telephone box....



A couple of hundred metres of steep duckboards and you soon break clear of the trees and on to a broad grassy path all the way to the summit.Very popular wee hill walk this one.



It was indeed sunny t-shirt weather and Bob was elated."Just think of how miserable Scott and the others are up in Suardalan" he chortled.I sniggered in agreement and that was without knowing that Jools had forgotten to take his goretex jacket with him :)

The path leads up to the col between the two summits...



Small hills as I say and we were soon on the summit beside the trig point.


A bit of a wind was blowing and we could see the greyness heading towards us from the east.We thought to ourselves that it would make sense to pay a quick visit to the other top before the cloud hit us and then head down to Newstead and walk back along the River Tweed.

Looking back to Mid Eildon.St.Cuthbert`s Way crosses over the col in front of me..



We passed 10 minutes or so at the next top with a guy from West Bromwich who had the misfortune to have picked the previous fortnight for a hillwalking holiday in Scotland.I think there may have been the odd dry day....

Descending North Eildon ..


We debated whether we could beat the weather and have a quick flog up the shapely wee hill opposite,Black Hill on the other side of the A68, but opted for the lazy option and left it for another time.


Bob inspects a pear tree in Newstead,tantalisingly just out of reach.....



Not a lot happens in Newstead.....



We hit the banks of the Tweed...



As well as being the worst months for settled weather it`s also the worst for birdlife.Everything has flown the coop and and the activity of the previous few months has subsided.Two grey wagtails and a couple of mallards was the sum total for an hours walk along the river.Same at my house too,most of the house martins and the swallows have buggered off already with just the odd straggler left.Come to think of it I didn`t see any at all today...

We walked along the top of the wall for a quarter of a mile....


....which led us back into Melrose which by this time was packed with tourists around the abbey....



The rain had now started but it didn`t seem to stop this old worthy going for her carry oot in the Ship Inn....


Bob disappeared into the National Trust shop for a few minutes and came back out with a few leaflets for future cycling trips :-)


Eildon Hills from back at the car park...



Pic of Jools sans goretex on the hills above Suardalan.He`d also forgotten his sigg bottle but improvised by recycling a wine bottle....pic courtesy of Scott


Not the best day I`ve had out this year but quite pleasant nevertheless.Got a bit of sunshine and stayed dry and that`s what it`s all about until the year is up :)

Bengairn and Balcary Point.

Maybe we should rename this blog Blue Sky Galloway as that`s where we headed once again on Saturday on the advice of the weather man.Once again it paid off.There was a little drizzle on the way down the M74 but once we neared Dumfries it gave way to brighter weather.We were headed to a hill we had seen a few months ago,Bengairn,between Dalbeattie and Auchencairn.It`s nearby neighbour,Screel Hill,is probably the better known one but as Bengairn is the Marilyn that was todays prize.

We turned off the road just before Auchencairn and took the single track road up towards Bengairn Loch where there is room for two three cars to park at the start of the path at NX 790 523.Might be an idea to tuck your car in tight to the wall as a huge agricultural truck came flying down the narrow road at high speed obviously not expecting anyone else to be on it.

We`d opted for the shorter hill day avoiding Screel Hill to give us some time to go along the coastal walk out to Balcary Point in the afternoon.If you fancy doing both then there is a fairly detailed description at this site below...

http://www.walkscotland.plus.com/otherwalks/stew_s_area/scrl_beng/index.htm

Start of the track to Bengairn....


The first half mile took a long time as the place was absolutely swarming with dragonflies and butterflies.In fact,this was how the day progressed.I took 186 pictures and Bob beat that hands down.

Something caught our eye in the trees above and it was a goshawk.We watched it jinking throught the trees and out over to the field beyond for a late breakfast.All this in the first few hundred yard as well :)

We did eventually get a bit of a move on and arrived at the ruined buildings marked Foresthill on the map.What a view the inhabitants must have had,out over Auchencairn Bay and Rough Firth and on to Rockcliffe.



The path deterorates a bit from here for the next 400 yards or so,pretty boggy and indistinct.It soon reaches steeper ground though and we stopped a few times to take in the views.The heather covered the entire hillside which means winter ain`t that far away..!



In no time at all we were at the top having been accompanied for the last few hundred feet by a plague of irksome stupid flies.Thank god they weren`t clegs.We lounged around the summit for half an hour or so taking in the views.The Merrick and other Galloway hills were visible to the north west,Queensberry down to Criffel,over the Solway to the Lakes and out to St.Bees Head.

Bob with the Galloway hills behind him...


No views of the Isle of Man today due to the heat haze.Don`t suppose we should complain about that living in Scotland :)

Myself with the Solway and Hestan Island beyond....


A quick cuddle for the trig point (from me anyway ) and we were off downhill with non stop views over to Rockcliffe and Hestan Island.This looks an interesting wee island with a good collection of caves and rock formations and we think we`ll go back down sometime soon for a visit.I think you can walk out to it over the shingle bank for 90 minutes either side of low tide.

Back at the car we had a short hop down the road to the car park at Balcary Bay which was quite busy.Fortunately most of them semed to be at the beach as we turned through the gate and headed across the field towards the cliffs.

Everybody else at the beach.Tiny beach at high tide but huge at low tide..!


This is a good path which,after crossing two fields, weaves through a tunnel of rhodedendrons which must be spectacular in May.After half an hour or so we hit the cliffs at Balcary Point.

View over to Hestan Island from the point..


The path continues westwards....you can just see the Robin Rigg wind farm in the distance out on the Solway.

I was a bit surprised at the size of them.We`d done a lot of rock climbing on the Galloway sea clifs in days gone by and I would have thought I whould have heard of these ones from someone even though they are too loose to have any real potential for climbing.

An old scanned slide of myself climbing at Meikle Ross....


There was a wee sea stack in one bay that could give a bit of fun for an hour or two.


This was a cracking coastal walk and one we would go back to again,maybe in winter when there is some serious wave action.Bob shouted out to me at one point that he had found two adders but by the time I got up there they had disappeared down a hole by a fence post thus depriving him of the chance to demonstrate his snake handling skills which he perfected in the Australian outback.He had gone out to South Australia when he was young and plied his trade as an electrician.After a couple of weeks on the job his boss gave him a booklet and told him to bone up on it.The booklet illustrated all the snakes,spiders and other things that he was likely to encounter under floors and which ones were liable to kill you or put you in hospital.Makes the rain and midges not so much of an ordeal,eh ?

View along the sea cliifs....



We met a few other folk and passed a few pleasantries with a couple from Kirkcaldy and their daughter from Dumfries who were occupying a finely situated bench.
As luck would have it ( hur,hur as if I didn`t know) there was another trig point atop a nearby hill by the name of Big Airds Hill.This proved an excellent wee viewpoint and we stopped here for lunch and a bit of sunbathing. Time was drawing on and the promised cloudy weather was coming in from the west so we headed back to the car.Took a shortcut through a signposted field to the west of Balcary Hill passing a rather large bull.Fortunately he was more interested in trying to chat up a rather attractive looking cow by gently nuzzling her neck.Life is so much simpler for these guys.They don`t have to remember birthdays,buy expensive Xmas presents or take cows out for a meal.A quick nuzzle on the neck and Bob`s your uncle. :)

The farmer was out harvesting his hay which proved to be a stroke of luck for us.We were forced to keep to the wall where Bob spotted this common lizard sunbathing on a rock...

We stopped off in Auchencairn for a look at the war memorial and the Millenium Memorial garden where we spent half an hour taking shots of the butterflies .

A close up of the Red Admiral phizog....

Quick stop in Tesco at Heathall for a couple of cans of Red Bull for Bob to keep him awake on the way home to Glasgow and that was another sunny weekend trip in the bag :)

Couple of pics to sign off with...

A Wall butterfly....



Red Admiral......



Ruddy Darter we think....



Bob`s dung beetle...


The Merrick in the distance with the heather in full bloom...


Balcary cliff walk...