Benarty Hill

[Grahamw22]

Starting from a small car park just off the road the path climbs steeply through the trees. Someone clearly spent a long time laying down steps to ease the ascent. Certainly gets the heart rate up quickly and regret the big, high protein, breakfast in Kinross an hour earlier! Taking a ‘z’ route continuing upwards there’s a bench to take a short rest and look southward towards the bridges and Edinburgh hinting at the views to come. After 30 minutes it opens out and flattens somewhat as you head across the heather to the cairn on the horizon. Pausing at the cairn briefly before heading to the small stile and the spectacular Loch Leven view below. The hills to the north, firstly at Ochil then up and beyond you can see the Cairngorms through the slight haze. The roads and paths below forming a patchwork maze linking the small towns, villages and farms. Never can you get too much of the panorama seeing many miles in all directions, Stirling to the west, East Lothian and the courses at Gullane/north Berwick across the Forth. Time to head back and remember to retrace the steps, constantly glancing up at the view before downwards again through the wood. Not a long walk but you know you’ve done it. Memories still of standing up and looking across Scotland on a fine day.