walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

We are now in the "Mile high club"

We are now in the "Mile high club"


Postby Fife Flyer » Sun Dec 22, 2024 7:09 pm

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Creigh Hill, Mile Hill

Date walked: 20/12/2024

Time taken: 3.1 hours

Distance: 9.26 km

Ascent: 471m

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

The title should really read Mile Hill but mile high sounds like more fun.
Quite why it is called Mile Hill someone is bound to know, maybe it is a mile from the nearest road etc etc. Having said that Mile Hill isn't one of those hills that you want to rush back to.
We haven't been out on a weekday for a while, mainly because those folk that have to work make the roads far too busy and that was certainly the case as we headed north up the M90.
George was unavailable and Parminder volunteered to drive, so we met at Ferrytoll Park & Ride and as the hills weren't expected to be too demanding I suggested 8.30.
As we were going through Blairgowrie again we stopped at our usual spot for a coffee - Starbucks at the new 'wee' retail park on the southside of Blairgowrie. Parminder was looking forward to his sprinkling of cinnamon on his latte, he had to make do with chocolate as there was no cinnamon!

Mile Hill, 2hrs 1min, 6.5km, 294m of ascent

Image
Renovation ongoing to the entrance at Balintore Castle

Image

Image

Image

Image
Camera photo of Balintore Castle, I had never heard of it before today!

Image
Zoomed photo, it is apparently under renovation, wouldn't fancy paying the bill

Image
View down the road to where we parked for the start of our Mile Hill walk

Image
Leaving the road & onto a cut grass section

Image
Mile Hill, looks a doddle from here

Image
We are going through the gate & then downhill towards the burn & mush

Image
Parminder reckons badgers are responsible?

Image
We spooked a wee deer, that was hiding in the long grass

Image
This doesn't look inviting & it wasn't, we had to tread very carefully to avoid being ankle deep in water

Image
The burn wasn't a problem, getting over the barbed wire fence was

Image
And the barbed wire was rusty to make us take extra care

Image
Looking back down

Image
As you can see from the photo - there is no way of avoiding the long wet grass, from this direction

Image
The hillside to the north of Mile Hill has literally been dug up in rows everywhere in preparation for a mammoth tree planting session

Image
The way ahead

Image
An added problem are new deer fences, luckily there is a style for us to clamber over

Image
A clambering demonstration

Image
Plenty of digging has been carried out

Image
Looking back down and a passing shower decided to pay us a visit

Image
Parminder arriving on the summit plateau

Image
Any idea what the wee pink ribbon means? Some sort of tree planting secret code

Image
Old buildings certainly fairly remote

Image
Not sure what sort of welfare goes on in the van, we think the workers had already packed up for the festive period

Image
Plenty of machinery waiting for them to return

Image
There are also 2 caravans that they maybe stay in

If anyone is planning to tackle Mile Hill from the north you had better plan to do it within the next few years. Once all the trees have been planted and started growing access will definitely be a challenge.

Creigh Hill, 1hr 6mins, 2.76km, 177m of ascent

Image
Backwater Reservoir from the car

Image
We opted to start from the car park at the side of the reservoir, there is a very large car park just before the dam

Image
Low level shot of the reservoir looking towards the dam

Image
Creigh Hill is up there

Image
We opted to utilise the gate & then it was just a matter of picking your way through the heather and long grass

Image
There is a wee burn in the dip ahead, not a problem

Image
We opted to head up the grassy section, avoiding the heather

Image
Reservoir from slightly higher up

Image
The way ahead, typical Sub 2000 terrain

Image
The other end of Backwater Reservoir now visible

Image
The dam

Image
Looking north across the heather

Image
Northern summit cairn on Creigh Hill

Image
Mile Hill right in the middle of the photo

Image
Loch of Lintrathen

Image
Southern summit of Creigh Hill

Image
We opted for a slightly different descent route, only problem was another barbed wire fence. Parminder made the clambering over easier by attaching a bit of plastic

Image
Looking towards the dam, weather certainly improved as the day progressed

Image
Parking layby

Image
As usual the littering lazy lowlife can drive here & just dump their rubbish

Image
There is a bin but that would mean walking 20 yards

Another cracking days walking, the two hills are fairly close together so they are ideal for a winter walk - providing you have waterproof boots. Hopefully we will get another walk in before Hogmany after Santa has done his rounds.
A happy and safe Christmas to everyone on Walk Highlands and the wider walking community.
User avatar
Fife Flyer
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2705
Munros:273   Corbetts:61
Fionas:44   Donalds:89+48
Sub 2000:145   Hewitts:2
Islands:7
Joined: May 15, 2013
Location: Guess?

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 25 guests