We spent a day out yesterday at Blair Drummond Safari Park. I managed to include a couple of short sub2000 Marilyns on the way home.

Hill: Dumyat
Date: Friday 16th July 2010
Company: Just me
Time: 55 minutes (at a good pace)
Dog friendly: Yes, apart from sign at start

Dumyat is a great wee Marilyn, located just outside Stirling.

Dumyat:


I set off from the Sherriff Muir road, where there is parking for several cars. The sign at the start of the walk shows this is not a dog-friendly estate.

Warning about dogs at start of walk:


There is quite a good path from the start to the summit.

Initial ascent from start:


Great views back to Stirling and across the Forth from this hill.

Stirling and Wallace Monument:


Looking across Forth:


Ascent of Dumyat:


Looking back to Stirling:


Bonded Warehouses (according to map):


Dumyat ascent:


Summit beacon coming into view:


At the summit there is a trig point, a cairn with a beacon on top and a memorial with plaques.

Approaching summit beacon and trig point:


View from trig point:


Look forward to visiting the Ochil hills sometime in the future.

Ochil hills from summit:


Summit beacon:


Memorial to Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders:


Memorial:


Castle Law:


I got back to the car in under an hour. If walking all the way I would allow for 1.5 – 2.0 hours.

We also stopped at the Wallace Monument for a photo.

Wallace Monument:
 

On Safari (Blair Drummond Safari Park) >

A few pictures follow from our African Safari. Have to admit I am not a fan of Safari Parks / Zoos, etc. Good day out for the little one though. My highlight of the day, by a long shot, was seeing a Sea Eagle up close. Really close, as it flew about 4 feet from me. These birds are enormous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the drive home I stopped to ascend another very short, quick Marilyn. Becky persuaded me to take her along.

Hill: Norman’s Law
Date: Friday 16th July 2010
Company: Myself and Becky
Dog friendly: No (barbed wire fences, sheep and cattle)

Becky at start of walk, Norman’s Law in background:


Come on dad:


During the ascent we passed through a field of sheep and then came to a field full of cattle. There was no way I was taking Becky through or near the cattle so we had to detour the field by skirting round it. This meant crossing two barbed-wire fences which I lifted Becky over. It was very windy at the summit. Becky wasn’t happy in the wind so we stayed for around 30 seconds only before heading back down.

Sitting at a very windy summit:


Cattle that we detoured:


Great views across to Dundee from this hill (Dundee is probably best viewed from a distance)

Looking across to Dundee: