I need a Dollar, a Dollar is what I need…

[superstar_tradesman]

Sometimes the best days are the ones you didn’t plan! For this fabulously cold and clear Sunday, I was up early with the intention of heading south for a Sub2k bagging raid in Dumfries-shire. But an over-sensitive tyre pressure warning light that didn’t go out even after I’d inflated the tyres made me think that a long drive in fairly extreme weather conditions wasn’t such a good idea.

So at 8am, I decided to change tack and look for some unclimbed hills closer to home, and for me that was the central Ochils. I’d been up Tarmangie and Innerdownie on a beautifully cold and sunny late February day in 2016, but Ben Cleuch was always a hill I’d seen many times from back and front and never got close to. Today was just as sunny and even colder (it hit -10ºC at one point on the drive over).

Unhelpfully, the only maps I had with me were of southwest Scotland. So after parking in Tillicoultry, I read up on as many walk reports as I could, and decided that I’d take in Ben Cleuch and King’s Seat Hill, and choose my descent route once I was up there. I was on my way just after 9.30, and soon in the narrow confines of Mill Glen.

I never thought I’d be comparing Clackmannanshire with Colorado, but today the similarities between the Ochils and the Front Range of the Rockies really struck. Mill Glen reminded me of a miniature version of Boulder Canyon, as after leaving wide open space, suddenly the slopes hem you in from either side, as you twist and turn into the hills, where the sun can’t easily reach.

Mill Glen path engineering

As I passed a couple of icy patches on the well-constructed path, I began to worry about my lack of winter equipment. I’d been prepared for the cold, but when I got to a spot where the splashing of a drinking well had created a stretch of bobbly sheet ice, above a 20 foot drop into the burn, I briefly thought of bailing. But I had my waterproof trousers on, so bum-shuffled across the ice, hoping that there wouldn’t be much more…

Dodgy ice patch!

Thankfully there was only one more patch of ice, easily avoided, just before the drop to the last burn crossing and then the short scramble to join the path that climbs steeply to The Law. With a lot of effort, height is quickly gained, and topping out at the Law was a welcome relief. There was hardly any wind, but the raw cold meant that minimising exposed skin was necessary.

Morning sun, looking back down Mill Glen

Towards Ben Cleuch, with big snowy hills beyond

The last km up to Ben Cleuch was easy going—the bogs were frozen but the grass soft enough that it was easy to avoid the worst rutted and icy bits of the path. The views from the top of Cleuch were stunning. Snowy mountains to the west and north, and the sparkling Forth Valley to the south. Far in the distance there were patches of fog over the Firth of Forth and the lower Clyde Valley.

Summit view, west from Ben Cleuch

Sunny southern vista from Ben Cleuch

It was too cold to hang around, and as I’d already decided to leave Blairdenon Hill for another time, I turned, and headed E back along the boundary fence towards Andrew Gannel Hill. This hill is a real perch, with a fine view back towards the route of ascent, and towards King’s Seat Hill.

Looking back down Mill Glen, from Andrew Gannel Hill

Heading E down the path I stopped to talk to a couple of guys who had come up from Dollar Glen, and didn’t report any ice issues. So that made my mind up for me—I’d get the miles in with a longer circuit to Dollar, instead of descending back to Mill Glen.

On climbing out of the Andrew Gannel/King’s Seat bealach, I missed the direct path up to King’s Seat, and had to zigzag back to it. But it wasn’t long before I reached the tiny summit cairn, the sparkling frozen pond, and then the large cairn and shelter with a wonderful view to the south. I stopped for some lunch here, and surveyed the scene. The Queensferry Crossing’s towers loomed out of the fog, but further east, West Lomond Hill stood proud and clear against the blue skies.

Icy summit pond on King's Seat Hill

The descent towards Dollar Glen was straightforward, passing the memorial to the crew of the wartime plane crash.

Airmen memorial, with Dollar beyond

After a couple of knolls to cross, the path swings northeast to the top of the wooded part of the glen above Castle Campbell.

Looking over Dollar Glen towards Fife

Castle Campbell and Dollar Glen

I’d remembered from one route description that there were options on either side of the glen, and I chose the west option. This is definitely the path less travelled, as it narrowly wound its way down through trees.

Castle Campbell in the sunshine

Eventually I was in the town, and knew my route continued down beside the burn, crossing the main road before a right turn onto Dewar Street. This took me right along to the old railway line, and Sustrans Route 767, a fast and flat tarmac path all the way to Tillicoultry.

The cycle path back to Tilly

I resisted (without much effort!) joining the Christmas shoppers at Sterling Mills, and instead carried along the cycle path before turning north up through town streets, with this morning’s ascent route high above, and soon back to the car. The warning light went out somewhere in Sauchie, and the Kwik-fit guys in Alloa couldn’t see anything wrong with my tyres when I went to get them checked up. But I was glad to have saved a few litres of petrol, and had some quality time on the Ochils instead.