The joy of friends in high places: A flurry of peaks in the Campsies sets a challenge far from the maddingcrowds
There are summits in the Campsie Fells in central Scotland with paths so worn by walkers that the route to the top is hard to avoid. Likewise, it’s rare to be alone on hills, such as Dumgoyne, Earl’s Seat and Meikle Bin.
Yet, there is also terrain so rugged – and places so peaceful
– in this same Stirlingshire hill range that it’s easy to imagine you have been suddenly transported to a region far more remote. I experienced these surprisingly contrasting environments on a long traverse of the fells one day recently.
While I had run and walked all of the Campsie peaks many times singularly, it was when pondering an OS map that I came up with a plan to link together multiple peaks from Dumgoyne in the west, through Garloch Hill, Earl’s Seat, Hart Hill and Holehead to Meikle Bin in the east.
There are several other Campsies traverse routes but my aim was to bag a long line of peaks and to use as many familiar trods as possible.
With a group of friends along for the adventure, we departed the roadside on the A81, north of the village of Strathblane, from close to Glengoyne Distillery to make the short, steep ascent of Dumgoyne.
We followed a route on the south-westerly flank of the hill, with an aroma of malted barley drifting through the chilled misty air. The views were limited due to low cloud but the sense of camaraderie and the lively chat pushed our spirits high.
Our pace was what I describe as a “run-hike”, with uphills done at a brisk walk and the flatter terrain and downhills completed as an easy run.
Within half an hour, and having peeled off outer layers due to the warmth of the exertion, our group arrived at the eroded upright stone atop Dumgoyne at 427m (1,400ft) elevation.
From here, a descent path to the north and then north-east provided an undulating route to the lesser summit of Garloch Hill at 543m (1,781ft) height.
The weather forecast had been for improving conditions throughout the day but, as we ran north-east and then more easterly to Earl’s Seat, visibility reduced still further as we climbed into dense clouds.
For the time being, however, our focus was on the rough ground. There are several different trods through grass and heather, and around wet bogland between Garloch and Earl’s Seat, and our main aim was keep our feet as dry as possible.
The trig pillar on Earl’s Seat, reached some 40 minutes after Dumgoyne, served as the perfect place to stop as we ate snacks and rehydrated. Huddled together and with a view of white cloud, we relished the tranquillity and a companionable sense that we were the only people on the hill.
The next section of the traverse was one that was relatively unknown to us. There did not appear to be an obvious route and so, after checking the map, we decided to stick closely to a fence line that curved and dog-legged generally in the direction of our next summit.
The following 4km (2½ miles) became a more challenging test of endurance and agility as we faced a landscape of grassy tussocks and overgrown heather, interspersed with mud and bog.
Tempting sections of trod led us astray occasionally, only for us to realise the fence was a better guide than the wildlife and sheep that roam the fells.
It always amazes me, however, how much easier it is to keep going and to stay mentally buoyant when part of a group of friends. The tough terrain was mitigated by many cheerful conversations and plenty of laughter.
Hart Hill, at 522m (1,713ft) elevation, is easy to miss because it sits on the fence line, but it did offer views ahead, and we could see the next main summit of Holehead at 551m (1,808ft) height and a definite trig pillar a short way to the east.
Nearby was the impressively large white sphere of Holehead weather radar.
Our line of descent to the east took us alongside a stone wall and again, a well-worn path towards a road. As we ran speedily downhill, the air temperature rose and patches of blue sky appeared. The B822 cuts through and over the Campsies in generally south to north direction
and between the settlements of Lennoxtown and Fintry.
There were several routes to the final highest point, Meikle Bin, but all required a run along the edge of the tarmac. We decided on the shortest route, a 500m (1,640ft) sprint south, where we turned east on to a wide forestry track. It felt like a luxury to be running on a hardpacked surface after the wet hills, although our pace soon decreased to a jog and then a walk as we climbed through a plantation of tall evergreens.
We had been on our feet for almost fours hours when we spotted a wooden signpost pointing uphill to Meikle Bin. The wide track narrowed to a winding path that steepened as we headed south and then south-easterly.
Rising above the trees, the vista was all at once stunning. The sky was still bluer with high clouds and we looked back over the undulating peaks of the Campsies where we had just been.
At a trig point of 570m (1,870ft), our group came together again and admired a 360-degree panorama over the fells and along Carron Valley with its long expanse of reservoir. On a clear day, the peaks of Ben Ledi and Ben Lomond can be seen in the distance.
To complete the adventure, we needed to return to the B822, where we had arranged for a friend to collect us. It would have been easy to return by the same path on Meikle Bin but we chose to bag two more hills.
Taking a southerly descent path, we passed again for a short while through the plantation, crossing
a river on large stones, and then emerged on to rougher terrain again to wind our way on a fainter trod to Cort-ma Law.
The hill also has a trig pillar marking an elevation of 531m (1,742ft). Turning north, Lecket Hill was in sight and we ran-hiked towards the rise of 547m (1,795ft), marked by a small cairn. From the last high point of the day, we ran on a descent path of soft-springy grass that was welcomed by our tired legs.
Satisfyingly, we could see much of our entire route, totalling more than 26km (16 miles) with about 1,500m (4,921ft) of ascent, stretching out ahead and behind us.