Hill: Tinto
Date: Friday 23rd September 2011
Company: Just myself
Time: 2Hrs 10Mins


After a good day out on the Afton Donalds yesterday, today was a bit disappointing.
I decided against a big day as I woke up with a cold and the weather was not good .

I decided to head for Tinto – a nice straight-forward Fiona, Donald, New Donald, Marilyn and HuMP.

Click here to see a map of the route undertaken

 I made my way to the Fallburn Car Park, where there is room for lots of cars – a really good car park.
Before heading up the hill, I had a wee read of the sign – nice to read a bit about the geology and archaeology of the hill.

Information sign at Fallburn Car Park:


From the outset, and throughout the walk, it was windy and drizzly – one of those days when it is almost impossible to take a photo without the lens getting covered in water.

Start of Walk – Welcome to Tinto:


Looking back to Fallburn Car Park:


Not much to say about the ascent, just follow the very-wide path from the car park to the summit.
I didn't have a map with me, and certainly didn't need one.

Tinto, somewhere in the clag:


Looking back towards the car park:


As I ascended the path, a brace of grouse walked in front of me - for at least two hundred metres.

Grouse:


As I gained height, the quality of the path improved.

Excessively-wide path ascending Tinto:


I was aware that Tinto had a very large summit cairn, but have to say it was even bigger than I expected.
This must be the largest cairn of any Scottish Hill.

Enormous summit cairn:


Remains of a summit toposcope:


Summit cairn:


The large cairn also has a number of circular stone shelters round its base.
These can be seen in an aerial view of the hill (courtesy of Google).

Aerial view of summit cairn:


I returned to the car via the same route.
It was only 11.00am when I got back to the car, so I needed some more easy hills to go up.

From the Fallburn Car Park, I drove to Wanlockhead – the highest village in Britain.

The parking area below Green Hill is at a height of 425m and Green Hill is Sub2000ft. Definitely an easy hill .


Hill: Green Hill
Date: Friday 23rd September 2011
Company: Just myself
Time: 1Hr 05Mins

Click here to see the route.

I followed an ATV track up the hill, which was short but fairly steep.

Start of track up Black Hill:


Wanlockhead:


The clag was sitting just above the height of Wanlockhead and just below the height of Green Hill, so another hill with no views .

Looking back towards car and Wanlockhead:


I made my way to the top of Black Hill and then on towards Green Hill.

Approaching the top of Black Hill:


Summit of Black Hill:


Between Black Hill and Green Hill, I crossed over a land-rover track – I assume this can also be used to ascend Green Hill.

Walking through the clag towards Green Hill:


The summit is the ground near the rusty iron fence post. I had a walk around all the high bits.

Summit of Green Hill

From the summit, I continued on to Stood Hill, which according to the map is only 1m lower than Green Hill – a very flat area – lots of potential high-points.

I returned to the car via the same route. It was still only 13:00, so another hill was needed.

Next I drove round to Sanquhar and then drove up a narrow road to a starting height of 390m.
There aren't many passing places on this road and parking is almost non-existent. I parked beside the start of the track – room for one car.


Hill: Kirkland Hill
Date: Friday 23rd September 2011
Company: Just myself
Time: 1Hr 10Mins


Click here to see the route.

My route to this hill followed the Right of Way to Kirkconnel via Kirkland.

Looking back to start of walk:


Following the Right of Way towards Kirkland Hill:


The path was mostly good, with a couple of wet bits.

First of two gates:


Second of two gates:


Just beyond the second of two gates, I followed an ATV track up towards the summit.

Following the ATV track towards the summit:


Kirkconnel?:


According to the DoBH, the summit is just a few metres from the Trig Point.

Trig Point next to summit:


This was another hill for which I didn't have a map.

I wondered if the top in the distance might be higher - I therefore walked the 450m to the other top.
According to the map, which I checked on my return, it is 4m lower than the summit.

Looking back towards Trig Point from 507m top:


From the 507m top, I returned to the car via the same route.