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This was one of my many 'night before' plans, my original plan was to nip up my local hill Bishop Hill, but I find going up the same hill a tad boring and all I can do is try and improve my time. So rather than attempt a quicker time (because I knew I wouldn't manage it due to my level of fitness) I came up with a new option.
Studied my Marilyn map and am spoilt for choice with the amount of red balloons, however not many red ones nearby. I only had a maximum of 5 hours as I had been left in charge of Fiona's dogs whilst she was down south and Meikle Bin was a perfect fit, WH has it down as 2 to 3 hours.
Plan made I was up early and made sure the dogs were happy and was on the road in my "courtesy" car by 8am. My courtesy car is an Astra and is not a good advert for Vauxhall, suffice to say I won't be buying one, no Satnav, not even a CD player and a dodgy accelerator.
I arrived at the parking area at 9am having missed a turn off in Denny, because there was no sign post for Fintry, which there was after a 180 coming from the other direction - no Satnav didn't help!
It was a lovely crisp morning and the majority of the walk is on a good track that ascends and descends nice and gently through the forest.
I met a chap towards the end of the track he was on his way down with his dog and then a female near the summit who I would overtake on the descent. The final part after the track isn't difficult a bit boggy in places but compared to some of the higher hills very easy.
The summit offers superb views as it is an isolated hill, it was pretty chilly with a brisk breeze making it feeling even cooler. A few photo's and it was back down and back to the car. Met quite a few folk on the lower slopes of the track and was back at the car in a shade over 2 hours.
Meikle Bin is a super little walk.