A day in The Lomonds and The Well at Scotlandwell

This is a fine little group of hills and it was time for a visit. Only a 15 minute drive from home, West and East Lomond and Bishop Hill rise above Loch Leven in Kinross-shire to 522m, 424m and c457m respectively and we were heading for the southernmost, Bishop Hill.

Loch Leven

It was pleasant walking in the warm sunshine, but a cold wind soon reminded that spring was firmly trapped on the lower slopes. Someone had been post-holing, probably the day before when the snow was soft, and we followed the thigh-deep holes until the hardening surface allowed us to escape them and choose our own line. The area is popular with hang-gliders and para-gliders; fixed-wing gliders are catapulted into the air above Loch Leven from nearby Portmoak airfield and we watched several thrust skyward before noticing a para-glider drifting above us.

Para-gliding above Bishop Hill

We crossed the wind-scoured undulating plateaux towards the top of Bishop Hill, our plan being to re-aquaint ourselves with 13m Carlin Maggie, turned to stone for challenging the Devil's authority.

 Towards Bishop Hill, centre

  

Carlin Maggie 

Lynne wanted to have a look at the 'Well' at Scotlandwell, so foregoing a descent into the Covenanter's Glen and a climb to West Lomond Hill, we retraced our steps for tea in the spring sunshine and a short walk to the village.

The Well at Scotlandwell

A Drinking Cup remains for those who feel in need of a cure.

Cairngorm explosions

Such has been the snowfall in the Highlands this winter that, for the very first time, controlled explosions have been carried out to check the stability of the snowpack in the Cairngorm ski area. As a further reminder of the dangerous conditions prevailing in the hills, a huge avalanche has swept the west face of Aonach Dubh in Glen Coe - see Alan Kimber's site.

Yesterday, driving down Glen Eagles in glorious spring sunshine, we saw the debris of an avalanche which had blocked the road last week. It was easily big enough to have carried away any passing car and the slopes of the modest hills rising above the A823, were covered in medium-sized avalanche tracks.

Carlin Maggie, Bishop Hill

On Monday, I found myself on windslab as I made my way across the slopes to photograph this pinnacle. Needless to say, I made a rapid retreat and approached by a safer route.

'Mountain Elixir'

I first came upon the recipe for the above beverage when given my first climbing guide as a Christmas present. It had been neatly written inside the red cover of the SMC's 'Climbers' Guide to Glen Coe and Ardgour' Vol 1, along with a description of its considerable benefits when climbing mountains. But alas I was too young to sample it.

A few months later I came across it again, being used in earnest, as it were, by Bill Murray and R G Donaldson on their successful traverse of the Cuillin Main Ridge plus Clach Glas and Blaven in August 1939, now known as 'The Greater Traverse'. Leaving Glen Brittle at 10 pm, they rested on the summit of Garsbheinn at the southern end of the ridge, left there at 2 am and arrived at a pre-pitched tent at Loch an Athain in Glen Sligachan at 4pm.

Only Clach Glas and Blaven remained to be climbed and Murray writes of how they 'enlivened their diet' with a shared pint of, 'Mummery's Blood', prior to climbing these two peaks: 'equal parts navy rum and Bovril, served boiling hot. Its effect on both mind and body is nourishing, warming, strengthening; it lowers angles, shortens distances, and improves weather'

                                 Clach Glas                                                 

                            

Hill Tracks Campaign - e-petition

Lynne and I have just signed this important petition at Hilltracks campaign, where you will find details. Wild areas in Scotland are being ruined by the uncontrolled bulldozing of ugly tracks, and the issue has now been taken up by Peter Peacock MSP after Hebe Carus of the MCofS raised the problem with him. Please take a moment to visit the link and consider signing the petition. (Source of information: "Scottish Mountaineer").

Waymarking

I was pleased to see that 70% of those who wrote to the MCofS regarding waymarking on Scottish hills were against it (although 18% of those were for it on a few 'honey-pot' mountains) and 30% were in favour. (Source: 'Scottish Mountaineer'). Personally, I don't want urbanisation to go along with the, admittedly worse, industrialisation that is taking place on our hills. 'Honey-pot' mountains already have good paths and cairns, usually far more than are needed. In addition, waymarking is usually unsympathetic in my experience:

This sign is not on a hill and gives directions at the start of a 'trail', but what was wrong with the old one on the right? Why is the new one so big and intrusive? The new cairns on Ben Nevis are, apparently, 6ft high!

As one writer points out, there are already plenty of  waymarked trails for those who like them. People who want to go into remote country should learn to navigate. Let's keep what wildness we have left, wild.

Winter

Lots more snow today, at least 9", and a 5 hour power cut to help things along. Heating bills aside, don't you just love a real winter?

More on Electric Fences in the Angus hills

According to Gordon Snedden the issue of electric fences in the Angus hills is being addressed by the Council's Access Officer.

More winter weather

It's snowing heavily again and I've just been out to feed the birds. We've spent most days this month on the local hills, so when we spoke yesterday of heading north soon, we sort of guessed that the weather would break! Anyway, I'm going to pop over to Alan Kimber's site (see Links on this blog) to have a look at conditions. This is an excellent site and even if you don't climb it's worth a look just for the pics and other information.

Ben Cleuch

Sheep Rescue

Our walk yesterday was delayed somewhat when we spotted a sheep in what appeared to be the same place it was in three days earlier, and went to investgate. Lynne got the binocs out while I started the descent to the burn, and sure enough it was well and truly trapped with a hind leg caught in the top wires of a fence. Eventually, with the help of a chap from the house near the reservoir and wire cutters, she was released. That's my eighth I think. Deer we have found similarly trapped have not been so lucky, being dead long before our arrival, like this little shrew in its Mithril-like vest.

It was about mid-day by the time we got underway again and the forecast predicted poor weather moving in early in the afternoon. No sign of it though as we stopped for lunch in the sun.

It arrived on the top of our hill for the day and stayed for the descent.

It had been a shorter day than we'd planned but all these relatively short trips, averaging about 6 hours, have kept us fit and ready for a trip north soon. Just need to get the box back on top of the camper van and we'll be ready for the off.

Electric Fences - response from Hebe Carus, MCofS Access and Conservation Officer

I have now received a reply to my query regarding the erection of electric fences in the Angus hills. My thanks to Hebe Carus, Mountaineering Council of Scotland's (MCofS) Access and Conservation Officer, for his prompt reply.

 If you climb and/or walk in Scotland, please consider joining the MCofS which represents climbers, hillwalkers and mountaineers in Scotland. Visit http://www.mcofs.org.uk/


Here is Hebe's reply:

"hi gibson and lynne

"That could be a book in itself if Iwere to answer with all the relevant laws and regulations. Equally without looking into specific case I dont think anyone can say whether or not the fence was erected for the purpose of preventing access. What I can definitely say, and will probably be more useful to you is the knowledge that all fences should be made crossable due to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, whatever their purpose. That means there should be reasonable provision of crossing points and / or the type of fence that is easily crossable. If there isn't a reasonable provision of crossing points, you are within your rights to climb a fence / locked gate / dyke - choosing the most sturdy point - respectively fence post / hinge end / through stone. I am aware of a few fences around the Angus Glens that do not follow this, and are being dealt with by local Access Officer, and it is vital that if you find a fence with insufficient crossing points, please send a report to the relevant local Access Forum (based in the relevant Council and also contacts listed on http://www.mcofs.org.uk/access-reporting.asp and copy to myself so I can follow up. I have also planned an article for the next TSM on this very topic."

hebe


Hebe Carus- Access and Conservation Officer