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Wanted to try a different route up Middle Hill since I had already been up Drumelzier and Pykstone and did not really want to do either of them again on the way to Middle. Read some reports about how the Manor head valley is nice and so thought I would try going up the path by Kirkhope. Manorhead valley is indeed nice. Definitely need to explore the area further.
Parked by the bridge.
From there walked back along the road to the junction where the Kirkhope track joins the road. On the way along the road, the large dog from the house just before the junction decided to jump over the garden wall and bark rather profusely at me. Thankfully the owner in the house heard this and called the dog back. Made a mental note to see if there was a way to get back to the without passing the house and hence the dog. Carried on up the Kirkhope track.
- Kirkhope track
Pass the farmhouse, the track dips down to the burn and the map says there's a footbridge. Well, the footbridge is not really footbridge anymore. Thankfully the burn was really easy to walkover. Continued on the sort of path on the other side
- Looking from field above above Old Kirkhope back to the track
and then followed the fence.
- The fence
Unfortunately could not see where the path veered up the hill and so ended up at the end of the fence. From there just headed straight up the hill until reached the path zigzags. It is not the clearest.
- Looking back towards the cairn from above the zig-zags.
Kept on the sort of path until I reached the fence
- Culter Fell and Tinto from the fence between Grey Weather and Long Grain
and from there went up to Grey Weather Law
- Looking towards Broad Law in the distance from the top of Grey Weather Law
then turned back and followed the fence to Long Grain Knowe
- Drumelzier Law from the top of Long Grain Knowe
and then Middle Hill.
- The top of Middle Hill
From back to the Long Grain Knowe, over the fence, pass the cairn and down the zig-zags. Had a wee look at the font stane
- The font stane
then found that a wee break in the fence just at the end of the plantation that meant I could followed the burn round rather than go pass the hound again. Highlights of the day apart from the hound, were getting quite close to hare and a possible sighting of the Borders eagles.