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A whole weekend had passed t getting out on the hills - Allison was away seeing her dad and I was doing other things including going to a football match and household tasks. I had Monday off, and before I went completely round the twist I thought I'd better get out and about somewhere. Duncolm was only a few miles drive away and seemed a worthwhile circuit. I set off around 8, in thick fog which I hoped would clear - Judith on the radio said we were in for a fabulous day.
Parked at the designated place in Old Kilpatrick and set off under the Erskine Bridge flyover - always find it a bit disconcerting to be so close to city life when doing hills. Onto the signed track for the Kilpatrick Hills - frosty underfoot, the mist lifting as the reddish orb of the sun rose. A fine morning in prospect, indeed.
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Al, on Flickr
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The track rises steadily to Loch Humphrey, the sound of traffic slowly diminishing the further I walked. There's some forestry work going on over to the west of the reservoir but nobody was up yet. At the reservoir I went up to the edge to take some photos reflected in the still waters then onto a grassy track towards Duncolm. Fortunatley the worst of the boggy patches here were semi-frozen. Over Middle Duncolm, down steeply then up to the trig on Duncolm itself. Views to Burncrooks Reservoir and The Whangie/Earls Seat. It was warm in the ruby sunshine and I stopped for a coffee at the base of the hill. I spotted a couple of walkers heading down to Loch Humphrey - in fact there were quite a number of walkers and runners out as I did the return leg along The Slacks.
Duncolm to the Right
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Al, on Flickr
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Summit Duncolm
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From the trig point on The Slacks, Glasgow City slumbered still under mist, the highrise blocks poking out to meet fingers of sunshine. The ribbon of the River Clyde, stained ochre by the sun snaked away to the east. A somewhat slippy descent over grass/mud tracks, churned here and there by cyclists, returned me to the outward road and I was back at the car for an early lunch in under 3 hours. Rather enjoyed this walk, and I got the best part of the day, as leaden clouds filled the sky on my drive back to Greenock.
Summit The Slacks
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr