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Having previously visited Afton Reservoir on a short day to walk
Blackcraig and Blacklorg Hill, I was back again for another short day on the hills to the south side;
Windy Standard and
Alhang.
The weather was a bit grim, but rain wasn't forecast until later in the day. The cloud looked to be firmly covering the hills but my planned route was to be easy navigation following mostly fence-lines and some tracks.
The 'carpark' for Afton Reservoir can be tricky to spot. When you reach the industrial building of the Afton Filter Station, the road curves right, going to the rear of the Station. However, before the road turns, there is a narrow, foliage covered stone bridge that continues straight ahead. The carpark gate is actually closed due to unsafe fallen trees, but there is a lay-by with enough space for 4 or 5 cars.
Once past the carpark and onto the reservoir track, my first task was getting up to the service road which loops around the western side of the reservoir. Luckily there is a wide break in the forestry through a craggy field. It looks as though there might have been an actual trail here at some point int the past.
The old trail heading up to the service road.View back down to the start of the walk.Looking across to Craigbraneoch.Approaching the 428m spot between the rocks.Reaching the track, there is some work going on to improve lower route around the reservoir.Taking the uphill right fork in the track, passing the locals.Views open down across the reservoir.I followed the track up Black Hill until it reached the forestry fenceline, turned left and followed the fence up Lamb Hill.The fence crosses Lamb Hill and continues over Wedder Hill.The top of Wedder Hill is a juntion of fences, turning right following the fence South to Millaneoch Hill and on to Windy Standard.Following the fence up Blackgrane, a tall indistinct shape appears on my right. I head across to the turbine to find the windfarm track.I passed another 2 turbine shapes in the mist, before making a right turn into the clag to find the trig.Retracing my steps back down Blackgrane, this time taking a right, heading SE towards Alhang.The cloud doesn't lift all day and I continued along the handrail fences.Reaching the top of Alhang needed another wander into the clag to find the summit.For my descent route, I had decided to continue onto the New Donald, Alwhat.From Alwhat, I found a very faint quad track/grassy imprint heading down Lagower Hill towards a sheepfold near Afton Water.I got lucky here finding a good track leading from the sheepfold and through the forestry.The track joined back onto the track around the reservoir and I took a left onto the route back to the car.Passing the Afton water flowing out of the reservoir, I was back at the car in 3.5hrsHaving completed the 4 hills around the reservoir in 2 seperate half-day trips, I would love to return in good weather and do the full circuit. Its a good area with plenty of options for a wander.