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The smooth fast tracks that I remember from orienteering and cycling on Drummond Hill are but a memory…the Forestry Commission have been pretty busy up there
- Drummond Hill from Kenmore
This was supposed to be a nice run up to what seems to be the summit, the 460m point on the wall (at OS grid ref 749455), and then along to the trig point. But closed tracks and bulldozers meant my route was a bit different to what I'd planned
I parked at the FC car park above Mains of Taymouth, and headed W then NE up the main track to a crossroads. At this point, my route W again was fenced off with signs warning of CCTV monitoring of miscreants. Since the track behind the fence looked seriously chewed up and muddy, I wasn't tempted. So instead I continued on the track heading NE, up hill, then took a left turn up a steeper track that led into the mist and up to the TV mast that sits on Drummond Hill's eastern top, point 430m.
- TV mast in the mist
I then headed along a faint path parallel to the ruined drystane dyke that runs along the summit ridge, and this path soon became a horribly muddy bulldozed track. It was rough going, and eventually I dropped down NW to join a track when then climbed back up over the ridge.
- Looking down to Glen Lyon and Fortingall
I stayed on this track as it swung round to the S side of the hill, but it became seriously muddy, so I bailed and climbed up through the forest back onto the crest of the hill.
- Grotty bulldozed track below the final pull up to the 460m top
Up a steep rise, along the wall, and a wee cairn indicated that this was (possibly) Drummond Hill's true summit. By this time, I was pretty tired and didn't fancy continuing to the 458m point near the trig point. So if WH is right about the location of the summit and I'm wrong, I'll just have to go back once the FC has tidied up the place
- The spectacular summit cairn. (I hope!)
I descended steeply S back to the upper track, ran along it for a bit until it started to get churned up, then dropped down to the next one, hoping I could get along to the Black Rock viewpoint as the weather had brightened up. Nope, it was horrible muddy going, and the threat of CCTV freaked me out a bit, so I backtracked, and descended steeply S again to the next track, which eventually led me back down to the car after a nasty encounter with a bramble bush
I really hope no-one had planned to go MTBing on the hill this Easter holiday, and that the FC spends some time tidying up the tracks on what should be a lovely place to walk, run and cycle.
- A nice picture of Loch Tay, instead of another one of a muddy track :)
