#hillwalking

Hill walk in the Ochils from Tillicoultry.

The last of my pics from Sinday, and after a steep walk we made it to the summit of Ben Cluech on the Ochils.

The Ochils are the hills extending from Stirling in the west to the M90 south of Perth in the east. They are seen most strikingly from Stirling and my home Falkirk, they’re a fine ridge of hills above a south-facing escarpment, reaching a maximum height of 721m or 2,364ft at the summit of Ben Cleuch.

Ben Cleuch can be climbed from either Alva or Tillicoultry. The route described here begins in the car park of the Ochil Hills Woodland Park, which is reached from the A91 immediately to the east of Alva. 

The route we took was lovely, but tiring if you are unfit, which I am!  My friend Mark has pencilled in another trip up, but by an easier route next time! 

Hill walk in the Ochils from Tillicoultry. 

Yay the first summit, The Law!  Law Hill is 202 metres high with a prominence of 35 metres. The summit can be identified by it’s conical shape from afar.  Mark was first onto the top, and I got my saltire out to celebrate!

Hill walk in the Ochils from  Tillicoultry.

As we leave the burn and it’s waterfalls behind, the hill gets steeper and opens up, looking behind us as we climb it affords us views down the the Forth in the distance. 

Hill walk in the Ochils from  Tillicoultry.

A few more from Sunday’s walk (The easy bit) 

Hill walk in the Ochils from  Tillicoultry. 

I’ve done a walk up a hill called Dumyat  above Bridge of Allan back in March 2021, the hardest part was the walk up the road towards Sheriffmuir, it was tiring, but  the hill itself was an easy walk,.

Since then I’ve not done any walks at all, and am quite unfit, not the best condition to do this steep walk up to The Law and onto Ben Cluech, the highest hill in Central Scotland at  721 metres, a good 301 metres higher than Dumyat. 

It is a very pretty start to the walk, parking next to an former woollen mill the cherry blossom is very welcoming,  Tillicoultry Burn flows fast down the  Mill Glen, it  once powered eight textile mills using a dam and lade (water channel) system, the walk skirts most of the burn that cascades doen the Glenand  features some lovely waterfalls, rising steeply as you head upwards.

Am quite tired now and will post more pics as we climbed towards the open hills, with brilliant views  behind us over the Forth Valley 

Walking towards the highest point on Holy Isle under low cloud. This place has a palpable serenity, which is unsurprising given its long spiritual history. The Soay sheep and wild ponies were welcome walking companions, and the intermittent rain did nothing to spoil the day. The sea is so still today, every boat and low flying bird is treated to their own reflections.
Martin, the volunteer who welcomed us onto the island was warm and knowledgeable, as were the ferry drivers who made the crossing with us. Another fabulous #adventure on the #isleofarran
#hikinguk #hiking #hikingscotland #hillwalking #backpacking #getoutside #holyisle #arran #scotland

Holy Isle, keeping the sea mist at bay.

#holyisle #sea #seamist #scotland #arran #hillwalking #hillwalkingscotland

Descending out of the cloud. A moody and outdoorsy day. Funnily enough, an hour after coming off the hill, blue skies and sunshine bathe the peak. Just our luck.

#arran #scotland #moors #moorland #walking #hillwalkingscotland #hillwalking #goatfell #backpacking #backpackinguk #hikinguk #hiking

Epic walk today off-path (even when there was meant to be a path!) in the interior valleys of #arran. We began with a climb up Glen Catacol to Loch Tanna, then headed cross-country to Glen Jordan, up over at Loch na Davie and down an incredibly wet and boggy route to the bottom of Gleann Easan Biorach, at which point we squelched into the #arrandistillery for some much deserved whisky, trying not to leave puddles on the floor. At one point I went up to my waist in a bog, which was a new experience for me. The gale force winds and driving rain certainly added to the experience. I couldn’t have been with lovlier or more determined walking companions. Alas, I lost the point of my walking stick. Will need to get a replacement, I think! A memorable day’s walk, to be sure.

#hillwalking #hillwalkingscotland #hikinguk #hiking #wildwalking #bog #moors #moorland #arran #scotland #adventure #getoutdoors #getoutside

Beautiful views up #glencatacol
#hillwalking #hillwalkingscotland #arran #scotland #adventure #wild #nature #stormyskies

The long awaited Loch na Davie which signalled the start of our long, squelchy descent. We were so wet at this point, we were beyond caring.

#lochnadavie #arran #scotland #hillwalking #hillwalkingscotland #hikinguk #hiking #wildweather #adventure

#panorama of the high point (not literally) of today’s #adventure

#arran #scotland #hillwalkingscotland #hillwalking #hikinguk #hiking #moors #moorland #moodyskies #stormyweather

Always important to remember to look back when out walking, not to miss out on some of the best views as you climb.
#arran #scotland #hillwalkingscotland #hillwalking #moors #moorland #heather #adventure #backpacking #hikinguk #hiking #wilduk (at Isle of Arran)

Dreaming of mountains. ️ #hillwalking #mountains #mountainlaureldesigns #hills #outdoors #climbing #walking #hiking #hikinguk #lakedistrict #scafellpike

A brew on #scafellpike
#tea #mountains #lakedistrict #campstove #hikingboots #hikinguk #hillwalking

Epic views descending #Scafell Pike to Ill Crag.
#lakedistrict #scafellpike #mountains #wildbritain #hikinguk #hiking #nationaltrust #hillwalking

The aptly-named Red Tarn near Great Knott in the #lakedistrict was full of black #newts and very well placed for our first water top-up (lovely bit of kit is the mini version of the #sawyerwaterfilter - perfect for trips like this, and very lightweight). I fell naturally into that universal position known to all #wilderness adventurers: balancing on a rock on the edge of a lake… #tarn #getoutdoors #hillwalking #hikinguk #camping #adventure

Two weeks away from a trip to the #lakedistrict and in taking a few minutes over breakfast before work this morning musing over possible routes for a 3 day, 2 night #wildcamping.

#osmaps #backpacking #hikinguk #hiking #camping #tripplanning #hillwalking #adventure #ordinancesurvey

Rocky Mountain National Park, October 2016

An Dun Hillfort, Pitlochry, Scotland

This hillfort (‘an dun’ just means 'the fort’) is surrounded by trees nowadays and might well be near impossible to spot from the road, but back when it was used it must have had a majestic view across to the Cairngorms. Today you can also see the bright Blue of Loch Faskally and the River Tummel, as well as the town of Pitlochry stretching across the hills. You get a great view of the Pass of Killiecrankie, a natural separation line between this area and the depth of the Scottish Highlands beyond. No wonder this is considered the Northernmost hillfort in Perthshire. This hillfort is not well known these days, so we really enjoyed exploring it in depth. On the way back we went up further into the hills and were rewarded with an amazing view of the Cairngorms sprawled across the horizon. Beinn a'Ghlo was especially prominent and reminded me of the time we tried to go up, but found ourselves in a cloud that wasn’t budging. The River Tummel provided an accent of intense blue. Up on the hills, we could only see it with the drone, but as we descended back towards Pitlochry on the circular walk, the view towards the river opened up, which you can see in the last photo.

My visit to An Dun features in my March Vlog.

Ben Ledi - Hiking in a Cloud

Scottish Weather is notoriously fickle. Just the day before the weather was bright and clear and when we returned the next day, there was already a low cloud enveloping the majority of the mountain tops. But we wanted the full tour and decided not to go the day before and possibly having to descend a precarious mountain path in the dark. The cloud on top never went away, but occasionally the sun would peek through. It’s pretty much like walking through a thick fog, so good navigation is essential. But the atmosphere is amazing and everything looks very mysterious. Whilst at the bottom of the mountain, we could still see the bright Autumn colours, on the top the colours all blended together in the typical Scottish Highlands colour scheme. 

Watch the full hiking vlog on my Youtube channel.

Autumnal Shades around Ben Ledi, Trossachs

We caught Autumn at its Best while going up Ben Ledi in the Trossachs National Park. This area of Scotland is really growing on me and I want to explore there more often. For now, enjoy all the beautiful Autumn shades and the light and shadow effect created by the low sun. At the end of our walk the light was failing us and it became harder to capture the colours, but I think you still get a good idea. 

Head over to my Youtube channel for a full hiking vlog.

Dunmore Pictish Hillfort, Callander

This easily-accessible Iron Age-style hillfort is located in the Trossachs, which is quickly becoming one of my favourite parts of Scotland. The big mountain behind the fort is called Ben Ledi and according to a legend, giants held a rock throwing competition on its peak. The giant Samson won the competition by flinging a massive rock, which still lies on Bochastle Hill, the hill right next to the hillfort. It is known as ‘Samson’s Stone’ (photo 8). The hillfort itself has distinctive defensive walls and a little annexe, perhaps for keeping animals safe. You get a great view towards the Lowlands from here. You can see Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument, but you can even see as far as the Pentland Hills next to Edinburgh. When you look towards Callander, you can also spot some old boundaries in a field (photo 9). These are the walls of Bochastle Roman Fort, one of the smaller forts situated at the entrance to important glens. That means the Pictish fort and the Roman fort were close by and were in sight of each other, perhaps indicating a precarious relationship between the locals and an incoming military force, a delicate balance between war and peace. 

You can find a full tour of Dunmore Hillfort and Bochastle Roman Fort on my Youtube channel.

Glen Clova and Glen Doll, Scottish Highlands

We drove up to the Cairngorms to visit Dun Mor Hillfort and Corrie Fee. It was raining lightly on our way up and we were worried that it wouldn’t be much of a walk. But right when we arrived at the top of the hillfort the rain eased off and left behind these stunning clouds, that kept on shape-shifting around the mountains. I was able to take some beautiful and scenic drone footage for my video. As we made our way down, the heaviest of the clouds had dissipated and revealed Corrie Fee and it’s magnificent waterfall, which was our other destination that day.

Join in as we drive through Glen Clova, go up to have a look at Dun Mor Hillfort (and get a spectacular view from there) and then take the forest path up to Corrie Fee, a high-up valley shaped by glaciers a long time ago. I brought my drone for some scenic footage. I hope you enjoy!

Ben Vorlich and Loch Earn

I brought my drone along for a mountain walk because I wanted to see the mountain from up above. I have always loved flying on planes because I get to see the world from a bird’s perspective. Now that I can fly a drone, I am yet one step closer to bird vision. 

Ben Vorlich, Perthshire

We caught a good day to go up with some great weather. Usually, being right on top of a mountain can be unpleasant and you have to get out of the way of the wind. In this case, there was a pleasantly cool breeze. I could have spent even more time on the peak, but we had to get home eventually ;). On the way back the low evening sun was bathing the mountains around us in the most beautiful warm light and painting the hills with spots of dark and light, as it is typical for beautiful Scotland. Ben Vorlich is next to Loch Earn, which stretches along the mountains, a beautiful view on the way down. The walk lasted about 7h in total (breaks included, possibly about 5h of just walking). I’m glad I spent long enough walking up and down to be able to catch such a special moment.

A hiking vlog is up on my channel.

Come along for a walk up Ben Vorlich, a Munro on the Western egde of Perthshire, and a drive along the beautiful Loch Earn! I even dragged my drone up the mountain just so I could show you some beautiful footage ;). Ben Vorlich is 985 meters or 3232 feet high and has great views over both the Scottish Highlands and the Lowlands. A big recommendation for anybody who is doing a road trip around Scotland. Enjoy!

April was a strange month, a bit up and down, internally and externally. Nevertheless, I managed to experience lots of beautiful places and situations. Among other things we finally went up Mount Blair, a mountain I had my eyes on for years. The theme for April is change and resisting it, just like the weather was bouncing between Summer and Winter. I used my acoustic guitar for a change, so I hope you enjoy the music and of course the video.

Mount Blair

The border between Perthshire and Angus runs right through this mountain, which effectively signals the beginning of the Cairngorms, the Eastern part of the Scottish Highlands. From the top you can see the characteristic plateau of the Cairngorms. However, to get to the top was not an easy feat. From afar it looks easy, a pretty gradual and straight way up. In reality I was pausing every few minutes to catch my breath because the ascent was relentless and there was hardly an even surface until I got closer to the top. The view, of course, made up for the struggles. Even as I had to pause, there was always something new to see because new mountains gradually started to peak out from behind the front front row. I also shot some drone footage for my new Vlog.

We visited the Pictish Iron Age-style hillfort ‘Castle Law’ near Forgandenny. It’s walls at the top were cleared by Victorian archaeologists and remain very distinct and visible to this day. So we were really intrigued and wanted to come for a visit and a hillfort tour. There was a lot to see and being able to get a bird’s-eye perspective with the drone was priceless. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we have!

Castle Law, Forgandenny

This Iron Age-style hillfort has been excavated in Victorian times and since then the walls at the top have been exposed, creating this fascinating pattern. From the ground all we could see was parallel lines, but from the air this hillfort truly comes to life. It is a timber-laced hillfort, just like the nearby Castlelaw near Abernethy, a technique which originated in Switzerland according to some archaeologists and may reflect an influx of incomers to the British Isles from the continent. There’s a full hillfort tour up on my channel.

The entirety of March was a slow beginning to Spring, with some days being sunny and warm and others rainy and cold. I’ve documented my favourite signs of Spring. Towards the end of March was my birthday and seeing as I could not travel anywhere to celebrate, I opted to do the exact thing as the previous year: We went to one of my favourite remote places, Loch Ordie. I also tried out a new piece of equipment that I was able to purchase with my birthday money. So far it has been worth every pound I paid for it. There is plenty of Nature scenes in this Vlog, so I hope you will find it relaxing! Enjoy!

Loch Ordie Walk

Just like last year, I decided to spend my birthday hiking up to Loch Ordie. It took us about 5 hours and we walked about 20 miles altogether. So I felt incredibly tired, but that place has such an intriguing, magical atmosphere. It keeps drawing me back. The weather was changeable that day and we got a variety of sky backdrops, from sunny blue to dramatic grey and rainy.

This walk features in my March Vlog.

I agreed to the challenge by my friend Amy on Youtube to make a video of 2 minutes or less about why I hike / hillwalk and it turns out I had a lot to say, so the true challenge was to not go over 2 minutes. It was a lot of fun compiling these clips from my various adventures. Feel free to tell me why you hike or hillwalk! Yes, especially you Tumblerones and Tumblerettes.

This April will mark 7 years of me posting on my ‘On Misty Mountains’ Tumblr Blog!    

We visited two Iron Age hillforts near Newburgh, Fife: Norman’s Law, un-excavated, but well-preserved in its features; and Glenduckie Hill, excavated, but overgrown with plants that conceal its features. They couldn’t be any more different. We discuss the appearance and history of the hillforts in this video. I also used a drone to get a bird’s eye perspective. So come and explore these hillforts with us!

Norman’s Law

This is a well-preserved Iron Age hillfort, which was so much fun to explore. There is a total of 3 walls, each becoming larger in diameter. So this must have been a large and important fort at one point in time. The top and innermost part of the hillfort still has ample remains of the 3 to 4 meters-thick wall that once protected it. This fort is close to Newburgh in Fife and lies along the Fife Coastal Path. For the most part, Fife can be associated with the Pictish tribe of the Venicones, the most likely candidates to have inhabited this fort. From the top you get a great view towards the River Tay and the Scottish Highlands in the North. It’s very likely that on the other side of the river the tribal territory of the Caledonians began. To the North-East you can see Dundee, which coils around Dundee Law, another ancient hillfort.

A full hillfort tour is up on my channel!