The Hillwalking Cat of Dumgoyne

[Chris Mac]

Dumgoyne.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I kid you not... maybe this is the start of a new trend....

So after climbing Ben Lui and Beinn a'Chleibh on Friday, Y and I decided to go for a quick local hill for a Sunday walk and chose Dumgoyne with the option of Earl's Seat if the weather stayed decent... it wouldn't.

Parking at the Distillery lay-by, we set off up the road then track through the forest:
20160918_130446 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

20160918_131200 DSCF7664 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Dumgoyne and the steep ascent path glimpsed through the trees:
20160918_131201 DSCF7665 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The path snakes left then right as we pass the pink house then left again and over the field towards our target, the Dinosaur head of Dumgoyne, eye to the left, nose and toothy grin bottom right:
20160918_131601 DSCF7667 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Definitely a Dino:
20160918_131616 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Yes I know it looks steep...
20160918_131808 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Stile and the path up to the Dragon's eye...
20160918_131954 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We could make out several groups of people at various points of the hill, going up, coming down, on the bypass path... but two in particular had caught my attention while observing the way ahead as they had seemed to be taking a long time to come down with what looked like a wee dog in a hi-vis jacket...
20160918_132518 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Except as I got closer and they had stopped at the side of the path I suddenly thought how much that dog, which I expected to be a Jack Russel or similar, looked like a cat sitting in the long grass waiting to pounce!

True enough, two ladies were taking their cat for a hill walk!! I stopped and chatted for a while and said hi to the cat which was very friendly. They said they enjoyed taking her out except when dogs went for her which happened too often but fair play to the dogs they probably don't see many hillwalking cats and get curious.

A first?
20160918_132749 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The hillwalking cat of Dumgoyne... even knows where the path is and wants to ascend again, impressive:
20160918_132754 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

With that unexpected encounter over it's on to the serious business of the steep ascent of Dumgoyne, now made a bit trickier by the rain coming on.

Panorama west with Auchineden Hill of Whangie fame just left of centre:
20160918_133446 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It was a first walk in a while for Y and she wasn't too chuffed I had chosen such a steep one but battered on anyway as I guided her on an easier route up the slippy grass stepped path with rocky outcrops:
20160918_133501 DSCF7669 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Sheep and hills go hand in hand:
20160918_133502 DSCF7670 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

A couple of walkers up ahead negotiating the steep path:
20160918_133503 DSCF7671 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It's like a mini Ben More, luckily only about a fraction of the ascent:
20160918_134435 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

After a bit we reach the easier slanty path going right and head that way:
20160918_135630 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The couple behind us resorting to all fours at the steep part:
20160918_135634 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The path turns left and we reach false summit town, much to the annoyance of Y :
20160918_135940 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Still a bit more to go...
20160918_140028 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Conditions not improving...
20160918_140036 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Next door neighbour Dumfoyne, which we would do on the way back but with the rain not leaving the rest of the Campsies it looks like we'll not get to meet the Earl and friends today:
20160918_140057 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

You may miss the view on wet days like this, but you can't beat the atmosphere as peaks come in and out of view all around and the swirling mist and rain constantly keep the surroundings changing with every step:
20160918_140111crop by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The path heads up to the right of the final summit lump, passing more local sheep who compared to other hills were surprisingly chilled out:
20160918_140717 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

It's not been a good weekend for summit views...
20160918_140720 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Final stretch:
20160918_140740 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Summit standing stone cairn trig point ahead, we've made it:
20160918_141232 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Good work Y:
20160918_141235 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Going by the summit view towards Earl's Seat we decide to call it a day and return to meet the Earl on a better day...
20160918_141249 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Excellent summit standing stone, there should be more like this:
20160918_141254 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

After a brief summit break we head north to find the steep path down and carefully negotiate our way down the slippy stones and dirt:
20160918_141658 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The way down, sheep providing good scale indicators as always, good work sheep, you don't get enough credit for your devoted dedication living on our hills and mountains:
20160918_142811 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

On the way down after turning west on the path we find a possible reason for the chilled sheep... some form of satanic ritual perhaps... who knows, but it is a bit freaky that these three sheep lined up for this photo above the skull and remains...
20160918_143003 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

On the way down Loch Lomond can be glimpsed in the distance:
20160918_143259 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Killearn to the north, no view of the bigger hills beyond today:
20160918_143301 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

As the path turns left slightly a group of walkers are hitting the steep path up Dumgoyne:
20160918_143429 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Panorama with Dumgoyne and Auchineden Hill in the distance. Dumgoyne must be very popular with sledging children in winter...
20160918_143450 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The way up...
20160918_143552 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

The way down... car parked just to the right of the Distillery buildings below, with the path across the field towards the pink house visible:
20160918_143556 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Auchineden Hill, the second walk we did together back in 2014:
20160918_143718 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Dumgoyne's path up, it's a popular wee hill and with good reason, on a clearer day the view must be amazing as you can see it from all around Glasgow and from many of the bigger hills to the north:
20160918_143856 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Autumn colours beginning to show:
20160918_143929 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Not long to go now:
20160918_144044 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

We reach and cross the stile and chat to a women who's son is training for the army and has run up in about 30 minutes or so, good effort, we can see him making his way down and head off ourselves:
20160918_145634 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

One last look back at Dumgoyne, just a TuMP and one of the HUGHS but still a fun adventure and one well worth returning to for a quick steep scramble to the top or a longer walk to take in the surrounding hills which we will do on a nicer day:
20160918_145841 by Chris Mac, on Flickr

Plus... where else are you going to meet a hillwalking cat on a Dinosaur head and satanic sheep?!

[Gordie12]

Hi Chris

Since doing the WHW 3 yrs ago I've been planning to do this hill but never got round to it - it looks steeper than I imagined.

As an owner of 2 cats, I'm struggling with the concept of taking either of them with me when I go hill walking (I always assumed I would need to get myself a dog if I wanted animal company)

Had this been the 1st of April I would have assumed this was a wind-up.

[Chris Mac]

Hi Chris

Since doing the WHW 3 yrs ago I've been planning to do this hill but never got round to it - it looks steeper than I imagined.

As an owner of 2 cats, I'm struggling with the concept of taking either of them with me when I go hill walking (I always assumed I would need to get myself a dog if I wanted animal company)

Had this been the 1st of April I would have assumed this was a wind-up.

Hey Gordie, yeah it's a steep one but very short and great fun, well worth a quick ascent especially if it is clear, which I will return for.

I owned cats growing up and i'm still struggling with the concept of what I saw on Sunday!

[Sarah86]

Well that is certainly something you don't see every day! I would never have thought of a cat as a suitable hill walking companion! It does look cute with its high vis vest on though!This is one of those hills that isn't too far for me but I've never got around to doing, will need to give it a go.