#ochils

[benvironment]

Yep, more lockdown but also yep, more snow! By this point in early February it was clear we were enjoying the best winter for a number of years, so I booked yet another day off work and headed back to enjoy the now substantial snowpack above Dunning Glen. A short walk on 'wee' hills, but conditions more befitting of the bigger hills farther north :)

[lagloriana]

Sunset in Fife

[donkeylugs]

Workplace with a view

[scotianostra]

Good Morning from Scotland

Wallace Monument Autumn Sunrise by Dale Kelly Via Flickr: _V8A9968

[benvironment]

Lockdown returned to Scotland just after Christmas.....but so did the snow! Yep, Winter 20/21 had impeccable timing, turning up when we all needed it most. I didn't need telling twice, and headed out at the earliest opportunity to make the most of it. In this instance....a snowy snowshoe from Castlehill Reservoir to Andrew Gannel Hill and back. And yep, the sunset was a bit nice!

 Not quite a typical Blethering Ben though. No wide walking shots or anything like that, because it didn't feel in the spirit of the restrictions to be spending any longer on the hill than I needed to. And to my mind that didn't include endless faffing setting up panoramic shots. Not that I minded tbh, cos there's soooo much extra walking involved with all that ;-)

[benvironment]

West Lothian was VERY soggy this morning but the views to the distant Ochils were something else :) 

[benvironment]

When I was driving home after the Ochils walk two days ago, listening to the radio, it sounded very much like travel restrictions might be tightened still further soon....so I decided there and then to head out for another big day before things go (further) down the toilet  ;-)

So....yesterday ended up being another exploration of hitherto unexplored places on my doorstep - a challenging but hugely enjoyable pathless slog along 6km of the Water of May, sticking to the river like glue! Unsurprisingly given the rough ground, it was a very physical 'walk' and I felt like I'd been through a war afterwards. Must be getting old 😆

[benvironment]

Another good outdoorsy day on 26th July, exploring another part of the Ochils that I've not visited before. I'm familiar with most of the tops but, as with last week's walk out of Glen Anny, I deliberately spent most of my time exploring one of the glens in between, which I've never set foot in before. In this case, the Glen of Sorrow.

A worthy objective in its own right of course, but my main motivation was to spend some more time practicing my navigation. Y'know, pacing, timing, navigating from one minuscule feature on the map to another, that kind of thing. And while I can do that to some extent in my back yard, I prefer to try it somewhere completely new.

Suffice to say Castle Campbell's car park was heaving but once up the Glen of Sorrow I didn't see a soul. Not until I got to the top of King's Seat. All in all, it was very quiet in the Ochils yesterday. And of course, nowhere else gives you that 'this is where the high ground ends' feeling quite like the Ochils. It never gets tired, seeing the bulk of Scotland stretched out below you :)

And yep, it was also another perfect day for walking. This is easily the best summer weather I can remember. Cool on the tops, cloud to keep the sun at bay, nice breeze, not much rain but water in the burns....and hardly any hayfever at all