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Date: 28/3/13
Hills:Blackcraig Hill
Present: Just me
Weather: Sunny start before clouding over. Baltic wind on summit.
Distance: 3.39mls approx.
Ascent 1459ft approx.
Walking:3hrs 50mins. At least 1hr loafing included. Forgot my GPS 
The recent snowfall and a few hours spare after work I thought it was about time I had a walk up Blackcraig Hill at New Cumnock.
Blackcraig Hill from Glen Afton.
Got parked up in the small parking area on the track leading to Blackcraig farm and I was underway by 16.40pm. Just before the buildings I crossed over a corrugated bridge and into a field and followed the footprints in the snow, which I believe were left by a bloke I work with at times. I had spoken to him earlier in the day and he said he had been up on the Sunday.
Follow the footprints.
Loads of drifted snow about.
Craigbraneoch Hill.
More drifts along the way.
It was a nice night but my god the snow was a bugger at times. Sun on it all day had softened it up and I was going knee deep at times so it was a slow plod.
Blackcraig Hill.
Nice wind-blown patterns on the way up.
I reached the steep section and thankfully the snow was a good bit firmer and it was easy going kicking steps on the way up.
Looking back down to the start of Glen Afton.
Across to Hare Hill.
After the steep section the angle of ascent relents but it was still fairly tough walking through tussocks and soft snow again. I also lost the sun behind a bank of cloud now.
Hare Hill again.
One of several cairns around the summit plateau area.
Summit Trig.
A bit of movement caught my eye. The Mouse got the fright of its life when it saw me.
A Baltic summit pose
.
It was pretty windy on the summit and probably the coldest I have felt all winter. Still managed a bit of loafing to get some photies mind you.
Nice light out west.
Ailsa Craig.
Looking n/w towards Kilmarnock.
Across to Cairnsmore of Carspharn and The Rhinns of Kells.
The sun drops below the cloud cover.
At 18.40pm I thought I better start heading down as the sun had sunk below a cloud bank again and I was not going to get any pink light. When I got back to the steep section I started heel plunging but after a couple of meters it was too firm, so I had to put the crampons on for 10mins.
Light was fading fast.
Final look back up to Blackcraig.
A cracking wee walk at the end of a rather boring day at work
.
