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We broadly followed the Walk Highlands route guide for this. We parked in the church car park just outside Scotlandwell village, and walked back along the road to the start of the walk up the hill. It was overcast for the ascent, but the rain stayed off.
There looks to have been a fair bit of work done recently to improve the paths on the lower part of the hill.
- Some nice new steps at the start of the walk
The gate mentioned in stage 2 appears to have been removed. When a clearing is reached on the left, with a bench overlooking the loch, turn right and follow the right hand path uphill at the sign post.
- Scotlandwell village
- Levels out for a bit, passing through woodland
- Over towards Benarty Hill, with St Serf's Island in the foreground
- Weather radar station on Munduff Hill
Almost at the summit, we found ourselves skirting a field of cows, surrounded by a new looking electric fence. Hoping to be able to turn east towards the top at the corner of the field, we were thwarted by another electric fence running along the top of the field we were in. Rather than wander around for ages looking for a gate we decided to climb over the fence at the corner of the field, gingerly avoiding the live wires. I trust we didn't give the cows any bad ideas.
- Cows
From here we climbed the last bit on a path that was actually the intended way down. Never mind, we got there. The sky was clearing to the north and west, but dark clouds remained in the east.
- The top of Bishop Hill: looking at West Lomond
- The top of Bishop Hill: looking at East Lomond
- The top of Bishop Hill: Loch Leven and the cairn
At stage 7 we ended up on a path running beneath the crags, rather than above them. Still, the views of Kinnesswood village and the loch were spectacular from here. It was getting quite sunny and hot now - glad we're on our way down now!
- Kinnesswood village
- Water feature
- Lower level view of Loch Leven
- I like corners
Once back to the bench mentioned above, we took the path downhill to the left of it, bearing right and arriving back at the road just north of the car park.
- Sunbeam
- The last bit...
- ...and back to the car park