Always catching up (Part 1) - Green Law, Sim's and John's Hill

At the gate leading to Borland Glen and Glen Devon

There's no correlation between activity on the hills and number of posts on this blog, the former far outweighing the latter. I usually have other things that must be done or that I'd rather do - like building model space vehicles such as the Saturn V, reading and so on. However, I sometimes get the urge to do a quick summary of walks, if only as a record for future reference.

2nd January

The car thermometer read -4C but if felt much, much colder than that out of the sun in Corb Glen, bone-shakingly cold, and it didn't feel any warmer at the point shown in the photograph at the top of the Cadgers' Yett while we paused to take this and the next picture.

Looking back from the gate

We proceeded quickly up to Green Law reflecting on just how much we love these quiet unassuming hills. Last summer we dropped south at the dip before Sim's Hill to examine the marked Stone Circle, rarely visited I imagine.

Descending to find the Stone Circle (I was too far left)

Stone Circle 

Today we were unsure as to whether to do both Sim's and John's Hill so stopped in a sunny spot on the lower slopes of  John's Hill for tea, but it didn't take long for the sun to dip below Sim's western slope and thus get us moving uphill again.

Descending to the track to Coulshill and Auchterarder 

A brief stop on the top then down to the path in the glen.

We thought the boggy ground just before regaining the track would be frozen but there were areas where wet feet were a possibility.

It was still achingly cold in Corb, at least for me. Lynne had sensibly donned her Paramo Cascada trousers and was snug enough. As always, a satisfying outing.

Sunday 6 May - Ben Effrey and Craig Rossie. Map LR 58

A lovely day, a short drive, easy parking and, for us, a new summit in the Ochils, Ben Effrey.

We climbed its near and higher neighbour Craig Rossie in 1978 from Pairney Farm, the usual starting place, and made a direct ascent to inspect the crags on the way. I don't recall anything of that day and poor Ben Effery didn't even register. Even Lynne's Mum climbed it before us when in her late 70's.

Parking at Littlerigg we followed Corb Glen, a well-known and much loved place for us and, at a little outcrop favoured by the local sheep, we turned uphill for Little Law and Muckle Law, mere rises on a broad grassy, tussocky ridge. It was easy going as the ridge gently descends from Little Law to the Pairney Burn where, after a short climb through the whins, we met the track coming in from the farm at Pairney, the most common route to the hill these days. Beld Hill is easily reached from here enroute to Ben Effrey but we missed out the top, leaving it for another day

Ben Effrey. Chilling to think that in 2004 application was made to put 14 wind turbines along here. Kicked out - eventually

At the cairn we met a young couple enjoying the view across Strath Earn. Intending to climb Craig Rossie they had used the previously mentioned path then followed the same route as us but had somehow failed to locate the hill despite it being clearly visible on the approach.

Strath Earn

Craig Rossie from Ben Effrey

Ben Effrey, part of the Ochil Volcanic Formation, consists mainly of andesite and basalt lavas and its hillfort was investigated as part of the SERF (Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot) project in 2011 by excavating a 30m by 2m trench on the south side of the fort. Exposed rhyodacite is also in evidence and forms the nearby crags of Craig Rossie. We will return to have a closer look.

An easy walk took us to the 410m trig point on Craig Rossie. The couple from Ben Effrey never arrived and we met no-one else all day. A sheltered spot in the sun was ideal for lunch.

Approaching Craig Rossie

When not taking to the hills on either side of Corb Glen, the drove road can be followed to the peaceful farm at Coulshill and well beyond this, a grand house is reached. This is Foswell House sold in 2015 by John and Isobel Haldane along with the 1240 acre estate which had been in Haldane ownership since 1897. The asking price was 'over £2.5m'. It is a beautiful spot. Thereafter, by some delightful minor roads (tarred) and a short stretch of busier roads, Auchterarder is reached. For us that's a round trip of 21km with time for a coffee at Lynne's mum's.

Today's outing was about 15km with only 408m of ascent and cool beers in the garden rounded off a most enjoyable trip.

Foswell House. ARB Haldane is of course the author of the classic 'The Drove Roads of Scotland'

Approaching Foswell House - a glimpse of Auchterarder and the hills above Crieff

A January day

Summer in Corb Glen

 

The Pairney Burn and whins

Delightful rolling country

Cropped grass leading to Beld Hill - which we skirted. Another top for another day.

Part of the crags on Craig Rossie

Saturday 4 August - A return to blogging - and one last mention of models and space

I finished my last post on 12 June with: "My calf muscle is now completely back to normal so hills - at last." That was optimistic, as a couple of easy walks of five miles demonstrated. Another two and a bit weeks' rest and more physiotherapy was required before I felt ready to venture onto a hill.

By then it was nearly July, not our favourite time for the Highlands, so in perfect weather we walked locally (posts to follow), grew vegetables, enjoyed the garden and I read much about the space programme in the Apollo and Space Shuttle years. I've always been interested in the space programme but at the time there wasn't much to read and no internet for information. Now there are books galore.

Since I'm currently building a model of the Saturn V, Lynne bought me the highly technical Saturn V Flight Manual. This is the genuine article as issued to astronauts by NASA signed by Deke Slayton Director of Flight Crew Operations and Arthur Rudolf, Manager of the Saturn V Programme. In addition she bought me the Haynes NASA Space Shuttle, 1981 onwards (all models) - Owner's Workshop Manual and despite the tongue-in-cheek title it is in fact an authoritative insight into 'the design, construction and operation of the NASA Space Shuttle' by a former NASA engineer. Other Haynes Manuals followed for the Saturn V and  Apollo 13 mission. I also got round to setting up a new blog on model building: 'On Pillars of Fire' at www.pillars-of-fire.blogspot.com. There are no postings as yet, just a header photo which is not visible in mobile view. Progress on the Saturn V build will be recorded on that blog.

On the reading front I enjoyed two books in Stieg Larsson's 'Millenium Trilogy' (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc) and am on the final book. Also 'Failure is not an Option' by legendary former Flight Director Gene Krantz, was a fascinating read and I have the equally legendary and, sadly, late John Young's book, 'Forever Young', waiting in the wings.

You'll be glad to read in the post title that from now on there will be no mention of space or models on this blog with all such material being posted on the aforementioned 'On Pillars of Fire'.

Now, walks. I have not posted anything about the walks we've done during this summer - in fact I stopped posting about outings in our local hills some time ago since inevitably there was much repitition. Recently though, it struck me that I wasn't keeping a record for my own interest which is at least as important than whether others find some, or indeed all, of my posts less than absorbing. One hopes some readers get at least something from some of the scriblings but if not, well it can't be helped.

There will be catch up posts later - but here are a couple of photos from a recent walk.

On the Cadger's Yett having started from the Dunning Road - about 4km from this point. John's Hill centre

Edit: Lynne has rightly corrected the above caption. I am not 'on' the Cadger's Yett, but the Cadger's Path which leads to to the Yett.

Wednesday 18 January - Corb Law and Corb Glen to above Coul

Corb. 1428 'Crob'. Derivation for this form 'compare Gaelic 'Crob', later 'Crobh', a hand, a claw, possibly referring here to some perceived shape in the terrain. For instance the contours on the north side of Corb Law on OS maps trace the shape of a hand with outstretched thumb and clenched fingers (Angus Watson, The Ochils, Placenames, History, Tradition).

He's correct of course, but we had no knowledge of this when setting out for Corb Glen and Law. Watson does point out that the hand shape is not easy to see on the ground and the reference may be a 'tantalising coincidence'. We need to go back.

Can you see the hand?

A locked gate, the top festooned with barbed wire, gave the distinct impression that walkers were not welcome. We squeezed through a gap with me taking extra care not to catch my brand new ME Lhotse jacket and headed into the cold, raw, wind. A short distance up the track and yet another barbed gate appeared but at least this one opened. We had been in the Glen many years ago dropping off John's Hill but had never approached from the delightful B934 to Dunning although we've used it to access other hills in the area.

Barbed gate number two and Corb Law

The steepish slopes of Corb Law and John's Hill (left) form Corb Glen

Around this point we left the track for Corb Hill, an easy ascent over the usual tussocky Ochils ground but again barbed wire covered the top of an old wooden fence which we had to cross. It was cold and the strong wind battered us as we followed the fence northwards. We're not fans of walks where at some arbitrary point we turn round and retrace our steps, but today that's exactly what happened. Black Hill of Kippen, a vague objective initially, seemed hardly worth a visit so once the view north opened up, we hurried back to Corb Law and downwards for some lunch.

Our day out having been thus shortened, Lynne suggested we wander through the Glen to the point above Coulshill Farm where the RoW from Glendevon to Auchterarder descends to meet our route.

The new sign was damaged. Note the 'avoiding Coulshill Farm'.

I suspect this was damaged on purpose. Perhaps more evidence of hostility to walkers. Note the ghastly Greenknowes Windfarm

We went no further and enjoyed a leisurely stroll back to the car. Somewhere along the way, I lost my sit mat.

Not a good day for photos but click to enlarge if you wish.

A circuit would have given a slightly longer day