Lovely Autumnal Stroll

[Fife Flyer]

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Another trip down to England on the menu so decided to utilise the lovely weather and visit my final Borders hill east of the A74. Usually I visit hills on the return journey this time as I was travelling on a Sunday I decided to stop off on the way south.
The main problem was the drive south down the A7, that really is an awful road, not only is it rather bendy you also have to negotiate 4 Borders towns of Galashiels, Hawick, Selkirk & Langholm.
As the clocks went back I was on my way by 8am and off walking at 10am, I managed to change the clock in my car but my watch had to be left till later - using the manual.


Parking area


Plenty of room for a few cars


Looking back to the parking area

I must say another big thank you to Inca, once again I followed his route as it certainly looked the most direct and easiest. If anyone is thinking of using this route you can easily do this in trainers as the track leads all the way to the summit cairn, although on the GPS mapping system it stops/peters out. There are a couple of small burns to cross, but you don't need to be an Olympic Long Jumper to avoid wet feet.


The track ahead, before the noise started


What a din these things make






Arty shot of the burn at a wider bit


Bridge that is safe - over the burn


I ventured over it


Other option over the burn - a ford, crossed it on the way up


Decided against trying this out - risk assesment, it looks slippy


My crossing spot


Seen one of these before


Makes path building easier when the materials are readily available


Good track on a nice steady incline


Looking westish


Looking back downhill towards the start


Not far to go now


Quite a few stalagtites






Path very visible, if you look closely the summit cairn can be seen


Summit cairn, with a big stick to aid spotting it from far away


I carried a stick that I thought may be bigger but it wasn't really


Plenty of these on the summit plateau area, which probably explains why the track has been extended

I really enjoyed this walk and it was a good little leg stretcher. Hope to get out again before the WH meet up at Torridon, but that depends on quite a few factors - the main one being the obvious one, weather.

[inca]

Appreciate the name check Martin and it's nice to see this hill again. I enjoyed it very much. Twislehope -or the signage at least- looks like its had a makeover. What's happened to all the hounds though? They were queuing up at the bars when I passed by. Must have been 20 or 30. Maybe they get winter holidays. That must be you finished in the Borders now?

[Fife Flyer]

That must be you finished in the Borders now?

Er nowhere near, I now have to venture across the A74 and visit all the further away ones. Hopefully I will make a start before the end of the year.

[inca]

Doh. DIdn't word my post as well as I could have. Meant the Scottish Borders, as in the regional authority/area. Plenty of decent smaller hills west of the A74 to your teeth into. Been meaning to backfill some trip reports there for ages.