East and West Lomond, the unconventional way
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 10:25 pm
A misty Sunday morning started with a drive to the Ochils in vain hope that the mist/cloud would break on my arrival, how wrong was I? It had only worsened. The cloud level was right down and covering Woodland Park. So a quick thought on what to do had me soon driving through to Falkland to attack the Lomond Hills.
Parking in Lomond Side, Falkland, by the mill I made my way south up the hill following the signposts for East Lomond through the plantation.
The path initially starts off on stairs past a small sub-station before becoming a forest track that is clearly defined but soon returns to stairs, of quite considerable height as height is quickly made. (It had appeared I'd forgotten how to pace myself and I was soon sitting on the stairs regaining my breath!)
Soon the stairs lead out of the plantation and turns back onto a defined track and is clearly seen rising towards the top of East Lomond.
Within 40 mins of heading off (my breather included!) I was at the cairn/viewpoint, where I spent 15/20 mins talking to a few of the fellow walkers who there also.
From here I was planning to continue to walk on to West Lomond. However I was to do this the unconventional way. I retraced my route up, back down to the car, and on walking through the plantation was greeted by a couple of deer by the sub-station. I was back to the car in about 25 mins, and from here I drove to the car park/picnic area located on the Falkland to Leslie road, to which I was greeted with hoardes of people and cars and managed to find myself a wee space to park.
From the car park, again the signs show the way to the track taking you towards West Lomond, through a steel gate and across a small section of field before joining the main track which is easy going of small stones/rubble, but is still level. The ground was covered at a reasonable pace, but not hurried either.
On approaching the base of the last bulk of the hill there was a considerable number of people descending the route which was clearly visable on approach, however by following the split in the track to the NW a faint track in the grass ascends the north side of West Lomond which is fairly steep but isnt over any considerable distance.
At the summit were a couple of cairns, and a central trig point.
I sat at one of the cairns to have a bite to eat, having not had anything since setting off but that idea was quickly ended as there was a wasp nest within the cairn and it was swarming.
With this I decided it was best just to head off the hill and back to the car.
A quick descent down the track that was previously busy, not to steep or tricky but might cause some issues if wet, and I rejoined the main track leading back to the car park and was back to the car within 40 mins, taking a more lesuirly stroll.
Unconventional and not the best way to do these two hills together but gave me the burst out I was looking for.