by Norman_Grieve » Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:35 pm
Woke up c.4am & couldnae get back tae sleep, so 3/4hr later climbed oot o' ma pit & after a quick breakie saddled ma hoss & rode the 3 miles doon tae yon railhead. Although I arrived in guid time for the 6.13am tae the HC, spotting that the 6.33am tae Glasgie was already revving up it's engines, a last minute change o' plan saw me heading SW, rather than WNW.
The richest man in Scotland then appeared with his tall, slim wifey, so ah text ma idle safety officers that both the richest & poorest men in the land were awa tae share the same train. I then headed for 3rd class, in the rear with the cattle & tethered ma hoss, whilst Mr Oily Supremo sat upfront, waited upon hand & foot in his spacious leather throne.
I splashed oot £1.60 for a coffee & read a few pages o' ma latest Elmore Leonard, Swag, as we raced through the pre-dawn darkness doon yon east coast, being joined by an ever increasing no. of drawn faced commuters facing their particular latest day o' purgatory in 'the office'.
As the grey light of dawn filtered through overcast skies twa hours later around Stirling, I noted the green fields, in stark contrast tae the white wilderness I'd left behind back in the North East. Untethering mein faithful steed at Glasgie Queen St., I wove ma way through mair grim faced commuters, heading in the vague direction o' where I dimly remembered catching a train to an [unsuccessful], interview way back in the mid-eighties.
A fellow traveller confirmed that I was heading in the right direction & I soon found mesen doon at the desired lower platform, where 20 mins of idleness preceded the arrival of the 9.44 red train tae Milngavie. Although nae style guru, even I found the interior decor rather garish, but took it in ma stride for the half hour ride tae the end o' the line. Here I learnt that ma idle Safety Officer, although on the way tae Queen st., wouldnae be joining moi, so nae surprise there then...
I headed right along Main St., then left up the hill on Strathblane Rd., turning left where it bends to the right, finding the start o' the track up to the reservoirs barred by a high wrought-iron gate, where a wee notice directed pedestrians up an adjacent street. I soon reached the promised side entrance tae the waterworks lane up on the right, heading up the hill through an avenue o' trees, passing a wee gaggle o' dog walkers en-route.
The lane led up tae a lang causeway between the Mugdock Reservoir on ma left & Craigmaddie Reservoir to the right, at the far end o' which I turned left along the shoreside path along the former, where I took ma 1st snap o' the day o'er tae the snowy Birny Hills. Shortly after setting off wance mair, disaster struck barely a mile into the trip, as a wee detour off the guid path, tae overtake a couple o' dog walking women, resulted in a lang dreaded puncture...
In view of the many miles still tae cover, I carried onwards, deflated rear wheel rattling o'er the gravel path, crossing shorter causeways at the narrow NW end of the Mugdock Reservoir. These curved back round to the left & led tae the Mugdock Rd, where I turned sharp right & dismounted dispiritedly, for the start of a push up the steep hill and around the sharp right hairpin, leading up tae Mugdock. Here I kept left past twa right turns into the wee hamlet, thence taking the third, where I remounted mein shaky steed, rattling doon the lane towards Strathblane.
My distant objective of Dumgoyne came into view as I passed the Deil's Craig Dam on ma left, which remained in sight for another snap o'er the rooftops o' Strathblane, doon intae which I followed the lane's steep, twisty descent. As I paused at it's foot to consider which way tae gang at the T-junction, a friendly wifey appeared in the entrance drive tae wan o' the fine hooses in this prime stockbroker belt. She immediately expressed her concern over my predicament, with regard to ma steed's rear puncture, 1st offering tae lend me her travel pump.
I doubtfully replied that I hardly thought this would rectify the problem, as the tyre was nae doubt kaput. Undeterred she then teld moi that she'd got a spare inner tube, which she kindly offered to donate tae the cause. Unbelievably, this I found mesen also declining, to which the fair frauline explained that she was a keen cyclist herself, asking moi if I'd far tae gang? Rather untruthfully I then teld her nae tae worry, as I'd no far tae go, thence limping orf tae the right towards the bridge o'er the Blane Water...
Wance o'er this I turned left along the A81, carrying straight on past it's junction with the A891 & an hotel on the right, halting at a wee corner shoppe, where I topped up ma mob. After a few hunnerd yards I crossed the road at another hostelry & took a wee lane branching obliquely off up tae the right beside a church. Here I was soon passed by a bin lorry, which shortly turned round & I squeezed past it, as it headed back doon the hill. As I left the posh hooses of Campsie Dene behind, the lane turned intae a track & Dumgoyne reappeared awa ahead, beyond a tallish fit looking lassie running towards moi in leggings.
I had tae stop every few hunnerd yards along the fairly straight level track, at a succession of impressive heavy iron gates, with equally impressive heavy iron, spring loaded latches. The steepening hillside rose up above moi to the right, culminating in the dark crags of Black Craig on Slackdhu, as I approached the luxury pad of Cantywheery. A spanking new Range Rover emerged fae the drive doon on the left, which I followed around the bend to the left, crossing above the waterfalls of narrow, wooded Spittal Glen.
The sporty 4X4 turned off left doon towards the large Craigbock farm buildings, whilst I carried straight on across the bridge over another burn, this dropping doon fae the col between Dumgoyne & it's less celebrated twin Dumfoyn. The track then climbed up through the top edge of the woods to pass behind the steep wee wooded knob of Park Hill, beyond which I caught up with some walkers on a long descent. After exchanging brief pleasantries I emerged fae the woods & hadnae gone far across the fields before dismounting to turn up a wide, grassy path heading up to the right towards Dumgoyne.
I led ma hoss up the pleasant stroll past a couple o' pines tae the boundary fence, where I tethered mein steed, 1/4hr afore noon, just 1 1/2hr after leaving the fleshpots o' Milngavie. Nae lang after setting off up the steepening convex slope, I met a lanky young couple coming doon the well-worn path, the gent barely stopping himself fae taking a headlong tumble in his 3 season boots on the hard-frozen surface. As I ambled up a line of bucket steps where the angle increased markedly, I stepped aside to let past a speedier tall guy, who was mebbe in his early thirties.
The views began opening up nicely and awa tae the north-west it wasnae lang afore I could see the be-isled wide lower end of Loch Lomond, with the white pyramid of it's snowy ben to it's right. Wee patches of hard-frozen snow started to appear as the guy ahead o' me turned right along the main path, which traversed across below the challenge of the steep headwall. As I clearly couldnae match the young upstart for pace, I decided to outdo the fellow for nerve & met the fearsome challenge of the wall rearing straight up above ma heid.
The skies were noo brightening perceptibly & I got shots looking out across the alarmingly high angled profile of the headwall across tae the distant tower blocks o' Glasgie & back behind ma tae snowcapped Duncolm. By the time I topped out there was nae sign o' Speedy Gonzalez & ah niver saw hide nor hair o' him agin & a few minutes stroll up the icy path led tae the shaped upended stane which formed the summit of Dumgoyne, gained at half past noon. The distant views north to the Southern Highlands had opened up further, the sun-kissed snowy twin peaks of Ben More & Stobinian being prominent tae the right of their satellite peaks. After heading a few yards tae the east towards the crags I thought better of it & retraced ma few steps tae join the path skirting round their NE side.
As things steepened up further I was glad o' ma rigid red S4k Verto boots, with which I kicked steps in the hard frozen snow, keeping close into the base of the dark basalt crags on the right, on a subsidiary path. I reflected that I might have been better tae have had 10 point walking crampons, or at least Yaktrax, microspikes or instep crampons. I veered back left to join the larger main path at the col, then followed this up steepening ground, snapping the view back past the impressive wee volcanic plug which I'd just traversed. The skies stretched in an interesting fishbone pattern, towards a more broken, brighter clearance o'er distant Glasgie, framed by the twa steep cones of Dumfoyn on the left & Dumgoyne to the right.
As I crossed a gentler shoulder twixt Drumiekill Knowes & the higher Canny Face, I was approached by a taciturn, grizzled, tall, lean hillgoer, who grunted a response as he passed, his face perhaps questioning the wisdom of my carrying on upwards on his mountain? The icy path had tae be avoided for several sections hereabouts, being liberally covered with thick water-ice. It passed to the right of a wee forepeak, thence rose up snowier slopes, o'er the 'Canny Tops', towards the broader plateau of Garloch Hill. Here I zoomed-in on the sunlit, glistening white forest of peaks to the left of Ben Lomond, the Arrochar Alps looking most alpine indeed.
The path passed well to the left of the higher wee peak of Clachertyfarlie Knowes, then dropped doon tae the right o' Bell Craig, crossing several fences on a broad flat col, before climbing up wance mair to reach a large cairn on the most westerly of the Ballagan Tops. Here there were good views back along the steep NNW facing escarpment, across the browns & greens of Strathblane, towards the island patchwork of bonnie lower Loch Lomond. In the other direction I zoomed in on the sun-kissed tower blocks & smoke stacks of [smiles better], Glasgie city, afore veering right up the final broad ridge tae the reigning peak of Earl's Seat. I reached it's trig point, OS column duly mounted at 1.50pm, after a 2hr trek fae ma steel hoss, 3 1/2hr fae the fleshpots o' Milngavie.
Here I took a panorama under the ever brightening herring bone skies, my recent conquests of Meikle Bin & Stronend being prominent to the east in the middle distance. An icy breeze had now sprung up so ah didnae hang around and by way of variation I headed due east, following a wee path close to a line of fence posts. Although more direct, cutting out the dogleg to the NE via the cairn on Ballagan west top, this proved to be rather rougher going, particularly when I lost the path whilst texting ma idle safety officers. I soon found it again, crossing a reedbed rightwards towards the fence, being glad the marsh was hard frozen.
The way then led across the headwaters of the Ballagan Burn, then climbing up gentle broad heathery slopes to the south of the col twixt Earl's Seat & Garloch Hill. The distant view of the evening's yellow-orange sunlight on the snows of the Southern Highland panorama running round fae the Arrochar Alps to Ben More & Stobinian, with Ben Lomond to the fore, was nicely framed between the bounding hillsides of the col. By now the lowlands stretching north towards the highlands was also bathed in the glow, the wee white dots of Balfron scattered like spilt sugar on a green & brown patchwork carpet. I again lost the path as I followed a line of footsteps through deeper drifts of soft snow round the north side of the wee top SSE of Bell Craig, then moved rightwards to join the wide path o' ma ROA crossing Garloch Hill.
I was now heading SW into the lowering sun, following the icy path back doon towards Dumgoyne, which soon appeared awa below. I took some last shots across the orange tinted steep nose of the west end o' the Canny Tops, over the wee white dots of Killearn nestling at the base of the hill, Ben Lomond noo in shadow, with the sunlit snows of the higher mountains beyond. Down to it's right lay wee Conic Hill, it's undulating ridge dusted with snow, o'er which I kent ran the West Highland Way, heading towards the bonnie banks, left again. I took the right fork in the path at the col, by-passing Dumgoyne to it's north, skirting it's steep, crag girt slopes under by now largely clear blue skies, as the sun set in the west.
I veered slightly leftwards as the path first steepened & then levelled out again, as I approached my tethered steel hoss. Unhitching ma patient steed I then rode her doon the narrower right fork of the path doon the smooth, gentle slopes of close cropped grass, soon descending to dismount at a steeper bank, close above a fork in the track of ma ROA. Back in the saddle I soon dropped doon the lower branch to arrive at a gate below the wee building site of Blairgar hoose. Here I took yet another snap looking up past the pines to Dumgoyne backed by blue skies with a wee bit o' cotton wool cloud. I was glad ma brakes were in better shape than ma back tyre as I descended the steep hairpins, passing Easterton farm, soon emerging on the A81, just north of Dumgoyne distillery.
100yds doon the road to the left I turned right along the lane passing between the distillery buildings, turning left past a large warehouse & dismounting wance mair tae cross a burn. I then headed down tae the right, riding along a faint vehicle track which led to a wee gate, through which I passed to join the West Highland Way. This I followed to the left, here being fairly wide, level gravel, running along the straight course of an old railway line, fae which I took a snap of the large white buidings of the distillery, backed by the steep cone of Dumgoyne. This section of the WHW led in half a mile or so to a narrow gate barred by several loose chains, which I avoided by hefting mein steed over the fence tae the right. Here I followed a wee lane over Dumgoyach bridge, forking off right fae the drive up to the farm of the same name at the top of the wee NW ridge of Dumgoyach, a very steep, craggy wee wooded volcanic plug.
I then dropped doon a wee bank, back onto the main path, which had taken an unsignposted lower route doon tae the right, then dropped further towards a gate above an unnamed wee stream, passing a fellow middle-aged beardie coming the other way. I then dismounted for a wee climb up the toe of the lower west ridge of Dumgoyach, before a brief ride back in the saddle doon tae a stream crossing. This was followed by a much langer pull on shanks pony, up the excellent gravel path, past a wee sheepfold on the left, to cross back o'er the stream higher up.
I took ma 68th & last shot o' the day hereabouts in the failing daylight, back up to my ROA ascent o'er Dumgoyne & Garloch Hill, awa up on the skyline. Another wee sojourn in the saddle across a wee level stretch, was then followed by a further wee rise up above Southbrae Wood. The way then crossed another wee burn below Arlehaven cottage, before a surprisingly rocky, steeper short wee climb up to a right turn along it's access track for a wee stretch. The path branched off tae the left just short o' the cottage, thence climbed up wance mair tae reach a wee col. Back in the saddle I rattled laboriously along towards a wee strip of broad leaved woodland, where another mature gent who was collecting firewood nodded a fiendly greeting.
A gentle descent down the side o' the field soon took me tae his Beamer estate car, belying any notion of his haein' bin a humble tink... I was rather disappointed tae find that the way then led left alang the B821, with not so much as a pavement for the famed WHW... I later realised that not far in the opposite direction lay the fine wee crags of Craigmore, whence I'd spent many a pleasant hour over a decade earlier, soloing some of it's many good routes. I didnae hae lang on the highway, as I clattered doon the tarmac for a few hunnerd yards to the right turn along a track following the edge of a forested hillside. I hadnae gone far when a well worn track cut off up left into the woods, whilst straight on led doon intae a yard, where several 4X4s were parked outside a row of cottages.
As there was nae WHW signpost I took the left, uphill branch, pushing mein steed up the fairly rough, rather muddy surface. After cutting up the steep, wooded hillside, the wide path levelled out, allowing some more laborious riding, before reaching a junction with a wider track. Somewhat surprised at the lack of WHW sign, I turned right & rode most of the way o'er the west side of a long, narrow hilltop clearance, above the east shore of Craigallian Loch, hidden awa below Loch Wood in the gathering darkness.
By this time I was beginning to suspect [correctly], that the WHW had continued down past the motors, nae far after leaving the A821, so it was with some relief that after passing a couple oot for an evening stroll, I took the central of trois tracks, which led round to the right and doon tae a minor road. Turning right along the lane this led o'er a wee hill, then down a steep hill, with a sharp left hairpin bend, past Kyber Cottage [after which an infamous pass & carry-on film were named]... Near the foot of the hill I was pleased tae find mesen reunited with the comforting WHW signs, which pointed left into the woods above Craigallian bridge over the Allander Water.
This made for mair speedy progress along a guid track through lower Mugdock Wood, the route dropping mair steeply past a fork up to the left, to close to the rushing waters of the Allander Water on the right. Up a wee rise led through the dark deciduous woods to another fork, where I took the right branch, signposted to Milngavie via the Allander Water. Wance mair this proved to be a wee diversion fae the WHW, emerging fae the lowe edge of the woods, crossing a field & arriving on the banks of the river, where I turned left, following it's course downstream, opposite some large factory buildings over the other side.
The WHW bent to the right, following the river past the buildings to reach a footbridge beside some playing fields, which I crossed, then recrossed tae peer at the signs. Wan o' twa young guys asked moi where I was headed & teld moi I'd be quickest tae the toun centre by gang doon t' lane back o'er yon bridge. However, I'd already set off doon the final stretch o' the WHW, which led along the right edge of the playing fields & wee wood, past the end o' a fair sized pond, then under a wee bridge to reach the road at it's start/ southern end. Here there was a large map of the whole route, complete with wee paintings of well kent places alang the route.
Nae sure o' the way to t' station, I 1st followed the road up to a roundabout, then back again & doon under a bridge to reach a dual carraigeway. This I followed for a wee way tae the right before again retracing ma steps, finally hitting upon the rail station doon tae the right, nae far past the end o' the road I'd come doon. Here I jumped on a train at 5pm, 3hr after leaving the top o' Earl's Seat & asked a young lad if it was gang tae Queen's St. He replied that he didnae think so but he wasnae sure, as he bided in Bearsden, just doon the line. Shortly thereafter a ticket wifey teld ma tae take the Edinburgh train, which was sitting on the other platform, which I duly did, it pulling awa after a wee whiley...