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I had intended to climb Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn) but an MWIS forecast which had been benign suddenly changed to low cloud. I don’t want to bag it, I just wanted the views, so changed my mind and set out to do the seven Marilyns in Fife again. I did them aged 77, 80 and 81, but am afraid I have to report that the side effect of Covid on local hills is to make them bigger, unless it was the weather (moderate wind and heat), or the age, 82.
Cars were parked at the bottom of Benarty at 6.38 am
So I was not surprised to see the tents. Unfortunately my photo of all the empty booze cans did not come out. Maybe I was too nervous at clicking away near the tents, anyway, this was Hangover City. Since last I climbed this last summer, someone has painted over the NHS rainbow.
For West Lomond
I was at Craigmead car park early enough to get a space, but alas the loos weren’t open, nor were they on my return, when I had to drive to the Public Toilets in Falkland (30p). I ate a marmalade sandwich for breakfast and a coffee from my flask before setting out. It was so quiet on the hill, I couldn’t think what had happened, could people be watching the Euros already, surely Scotland wasn’t playing yet? Had Boris declared war on Europe? Or had the Fifers just got fed up of climbing their highest hill over and over again in lockdown and broken out to sample a Munro? The cloud lifted as I walked towards it. I couldn’t be bothered to climb up either of the steep ways, but went round the back where the wind blew me up the hill. I couldn’t do 10 second releases at any of the summits bar Benarty and Mount Hill as the wind kept toppling my camera. I went down the steep side via some sheep, and drove via the loo to East Lomond the easy way from the masts.
At East Lomond
I wasted time discussing dogs with a couple who had a Shih Tzu. It kept barking, and they explained this was due to the breed developing in Tibetan monasteries as a lookout dog. It was a rescue dog, having been bought for a boy who got fed up with it a week after his birthday, and had been kept in a crate for a year. The barking theory explains the third grand-dog who is part Shih Tzu. They have trained it not to bark quite so much by shooting it with a water pistol, but it still tries to interrupt when I phone. Up and down in quite a reasonable time and again met hardly anyone. Unusual for this hill.
I drove to Cairnie Hill
A huge pile of logs at the entrance warned me of what was to come. Luckily they haven’t chopped down any of the lovely deciduous trees and I found the summit quite easily. On the way back I stopped to chat to a couple to whom I had explained Weather Watching last year some time (but alas couldn't remember). For some stupid reason I cut across too early on the way back, as they had made a new track and spent an extra ten minutes extricating myself and discovering that I didn’t know how to make my Maverick application show me my downloaded maps instead of blank sea (I do now, hill walking friend T has put me right).
I ate a cheese sandwich for lunch. It was so hot, I really only wanted the tomatos, but thought I should force it down.
At Norman’s Law,
there were three cars parked. A family came to claim theirs immediately and another followed me up. I’m sure any one of them would have overtaken me solo, but they were busy talking. One of them took my photo at the top. Back at the car, I had the faff of changing back into my boots again. Last time husband could chauffeur me, but not this time.
At Mount Hill,
I remembered finding a shorter way to the top coming down last year, so used it both ways this year by climbing over a padlocked gate. It meant I equaled last year’s time of an hour.
I had phoned husband from East Lomond and from Norman’s Law, just to let him know I was OK.
By the time I got to Largo Law, I was not feeling particularly OK.
I thought I would just walk to the bottom of the steep bit and turn round if it seemed too much. It was beginning to seem too much, but having done six hills, surely I could do seven? A couple came gingerly down the steep track. They didn’t look as if they went in for this sort of thing often. Up was a grind, and down was a teeter, but I made it, having phoned R from the summit. I set off for home at 8.15 pm. I’m not sure about repeating this when I’m a year older.
Below, the photo one of the family took of me on Norman’s Law as none of the summit selfies worked or were so close as to be unpublishable.
Some Stats.
Benarty 1 hour 21 minutes, far longer than last year’s 50 minutes
West Lomond 2 hours 28 minutes (21 minutes longer, but I did go the long way round the back to save effort)
East Lomond 47 minutes (5 minutes slower)
Cairnie Hill 1 hour 18 minutes (18 minutes slower, but I stopped to chat, and got lost…ridiculous)
Norman’s Law 1 hour 7 minutes (10 minutes longer)
Mount Hill 1 hour (the same!!!! I found a short cut
Largo Law 1 hour 41 minutes (6 minutes longer)
For distances see
http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=25115&highlight=seven+seventy+sevenTotal distance=14.6 miles Ascent=3856 metres
The total "time walked" of 9,75 hours includes the driving
