Cort ma Law - a short steep ascent

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This was an out and back walk and as we had only a few hours of daylight of a Thursday evening even in mid May we looked for the quickest way to get to the top. After a bit of research turned out there was a quicker way to Cort ma Law than traipsing all the way from the Crow Road car park in the sky across the top of the Campsies - and back again.

It looked like a steep pull up on the map - lots of narrow, close together contours - and as maps never lie, I can say that it definitely was tough going.

Anyhow I'm getting ahead of myself. We parked just slightly east of the entrance to Glorat House where there is a largish flat bit of pavement next to some houses. Its just as you come out of Milton of Campsie heading West AND its on a difficult bend so take care!

Once we got changed we headed off down the tarmac and turned up the farm track towards the hills, 15 minutes later we were at the gate into the farm and with a quick hop step and a jump we were over the cattle grid and on our way again this time starting to go uphill a bit more now.

Tonight's target zone

When the path splits, we took the left hand path - the other side goes through Garmore farm and is an OK alternative but a little further in distance terms.

We bumped into the farmer (or his Lordship) and had a brief chat about our planned route through the field of lambs: fine, he said, just close the gates that are closed and leave open those that are open. And then, " when you get to the one at the top of the last field, you'd best climb over at the hinge end since some of you look like you need to lose weight or are trying to". We chuckled in a friendly way and only afterwards realized what he had said!

One of the potential attractions was the Iron Age fort Meikle Reive but we didn't have enough time to go exploring.

Site of Meikle Reive Fort

The gate at the top was a bit mis-aligned and explained why he had said best to climb it but we opened and krypton-factored getting it shut again.

After a short breather and comfort break,

We made it through the sheep fields - ready to start the real hill climbing

we headed on up the wide grassy path that would take us to the top. It started easily enough but soon went almost vertical and on loose stone so there were a few stops on the way to take in the views....

You quickly get up high and have great views but the first summit is truly false and as the path turns Westwards, the real top of the "edge" of the hill appears. From there it's typical Campsie terrain - grassy wet and boggy in places. Cort ma Law is invisible for now and we head first for the cairn. Once there, the trig is clearly visible but is another 10 minutes away but before long we were there - enjoying a well earned snack and drink.

Though it wasn't a bright sunny night we could see as far as Arthur's seat in Edinburgh as well as the Pentlands and the ubiquitous Tinto; Meikle Bin and some munros in the near distance - maybe Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn) etc.

Holehead

Far distant munros

Meikle bin

Altogether it took us about an hour 40 on the way up and about an hour 10 on the way back down.