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This report should really be titled 'Spot the purplies' - purple Quality Street and summits are very special for me.
Three small summits on the shortest day of the year is a happy challenge (particularly when the driving distance is added). I had set my alarm for 6.00 am but woke every hour anyway - just to check I hadn't slept through.
First target was Dungavel, bit wet on the lower slopes but no problems.
![WH Summit 1.jpg]()
- Dungavel Hill 2.74 km, 200m ascent. McMole with the first purplies of the day
The next targets lie the west side of the M74, but when I reached the M74, the car automatically (no, not the driver!!) turned south - too many recent trips to Galloway added to years of heading to Yorkshire. Fortunately a fairly close slip-road and we were soon back on track.
![WH Summit 2.jpg]()
- Middlefield Law 2.59 km, 160 m ascent
![WH Arran.jpg]()
- Yes that really is Arran beyond the low-lying mists
The final objective was sadly the least attractive, but had been chosen in case we ran out of daylight and could be helped by a descent down a track.
![last summit CH.jpg]()
- Last summit purplies of the day - difficult to miss the turbines
Thanks to McMole for photo - and also for making sure we stood on the actual summit (not at the trig point).
![WH View of mist gathering.jpg]()
- Mist beginning to gather in the valleys - time to go
Our timing was spot-on however and we were back at the car in daylight. Longest walk of the day at 8.25 km and 280m of ascent. (Just for the record, we ate a total of 8 purplies during the day.)
A really enjoyable shortest day - now, with increasing daylight, time to look forward to planning more walks, and before that, to all on Walkhighlands, very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, with many happy and safe walks in 2018.
P.S. I haven't put in routes/maps as these are well-documented in others' reports posted on Walkhighlands
