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Having had the Tuesday off work and using it to climb Beinn Luibhean, when the Sunday came around I faniced something local and to the south for a change of scenery. I hadn't been up Cairn Table in years, it had a Hump and Tump nearby that I could add in, takes only 45 minutes to reach and I was curious to see if it would still be a bogfest at the start. I also didn't record tracks back then so would get to add a new one to my collection for an old walk.
Decision made, in less than an hour I was setting off from Kames Car Park, over the brilliantly named Linky Burn and through the disused quarries with my target dead ahead:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (1) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
A few local sheep were hanging around and the huge summit memorial cairn cone was visible behind them:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (2) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Directly south of me was Wardlaw Hill which I planned on finishing on then descending from:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (3) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Past the quarry and it now felt like a gun duel in the old west as I faced the boggy area between here and The Steel:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (4) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
My memory from 2015 isn't too bad but I recalled very deep and boggy ground, a very wet traverse along any shrubbery that looked like it could hold weight and Y really not enjoying it either at the time. Now it was just me and, wait, what's that? Someone has been doing path work and some small plank bridges are before me, result! Well done locals, great work!
I still encounter the occasional dodgy bit but nothing like how it was before:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (5) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Looking back to Muirfield and Middlefield Law, easily the easiest Marilyn I've done to date and only a 20 minute blast to the summit:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (6) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Wardlaw Hill, a rough summit descent will soon reach a good track that I attempt to make out on the right:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (7) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I'm soon on the good path thanks to the bog being easier to navigate and making my way up to The Steel:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (8) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
On my right to the west Arran is coming into view:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (11) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Looking back at the ascent route:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (12) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Progress is fairly fast up the good path:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (13) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
To the north and east I can make out the indistinct summit of Nutberry Hill:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (14) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I reach the cairn and can see the final route to the summit:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (15) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The wind is getting chillier higher up and to the north it's hazy but I can make out Ben Arthur, Beinn Ime, Ben Lomond and Ben Ledi:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (16) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I had passed a few other walkers and joked about the bog earlier on and as I approached the summit there were even more people and a few family groups but I took the path to the left:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (17) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Summit approach:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (19) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (20) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Galloway Hills now visible to the south west:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (23) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Wardlaw Hill and Ailsa Craig:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (25) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I reach the summit, one of my favourites:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (28) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Directly south of me is Stony Hill and where i'm heading to after my lunch:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (30) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
West from the summit:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (32) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I pop over to the large cairn to escape all the people on the summit:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (33) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I hunker down to the south of the large cairn to get out of the wind and eat my sandwich. To the east and north is Common Hill with East and West Cairn Hill behind it:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (36) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Tinto to the east and Little Cairn Table, once pondered but best left for another day as it will mess up my loop:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (37) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Culter Fell:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (38) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Lowther Hills south east:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (41) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
To the left of Stony Hill looking south it's not quite clear enough to see the Lake District today:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (43) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
To the right of Stony Hill in the distance is Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and co.:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (45) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
This also shows my descent route down from Stony Hill.
South west to Merrick and co. now:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (46) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Visibility to the north is improving:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (49) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I head past the memorial cairn for one last look:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (51) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Then down to the left to make my way to Stony Hill, enjoying the view of Arran and saying hi to a few other people hiding in different parts of the best summit you could ever play hide and seek on:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (52) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
How many people can you spot?
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (55) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (56) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (57) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I'm soon leaving everyone behind:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (58) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
First time i've seen a memorial rugby ball cairn:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (59) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I follow the good path down that I took years ago but miss the turn off for Stony Hill:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (60) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I veer back on course by going rough towards another cairn, it's not called cairn table for nothing you know:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (61) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Hump ahead:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (62) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (63) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
This is the path I should have taken:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (64) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The way ahead:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (65) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Not the most distinct summit from here:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (66) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I spot a load of frog or toad spawn in a large puddle on the path, it's a good thing not many frequent this route:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (68) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (69) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Lowther Hills as I make my way along:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (70) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The next section was much rougher as the track went through a gate away from my route ahead up Stony Hill:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (71) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The boots were still hurting the feet, i'll need to do something about this. Wardlaw Hill looking very far away at present!
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (72) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Already planning ahead, there is a good track I can take down between both hills if need be:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (73) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (75) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Just go for it, not enjoyable but a neccessary evil for those mental enough to bag any hills for bigger adventures and different views:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (76) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I'm not even half way at this point:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (77) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
All of a sudden I look back and realise i've found Cairn Table's interesting side, sometimes the pain is worth it:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (79) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I'm still skirting a landrover track and very boggy and squishy sections while trying my best to power uphill with new boots hassling my feet:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (80) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The fence is a good guide and it is drier next to it compared to on the track:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (81) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
At least the view is still good over to Tinto:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (83) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Finally atop the hill I spot the summit over to the right, at least a large stick or something is marking it:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (85) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The direct route looked very boggy:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (88) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I decide to skirt the bog to the left and follow a fence just out of view around and back to the middle to the lump of grass seen here:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (89) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Still skirting around:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (92) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Arran beyond Wardlaw Hill's summit:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (94) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Back to Cairn Table:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (95) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Summit, made it:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (96) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Unconventional, I like it!
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (100) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (101) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
A pretty good view south too:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (102) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
With sore feet I don't dilly dally and make a bee line towards Wardlaw Hill, still undecided on whether to do it:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (103) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (104) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Pathless again until I reach this fence and have another rough track to follow down:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (105) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (106) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Wardlaw Hill (not named after Derek Wardlaw as far as I know
):
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (107) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Yet again it feels like it's taking for ever, distance can be deceptive with sore feet!
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (108) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (111) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
At last the track:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (112) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Looking back to Stony Hill and the route down:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (113) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I've never been so relieved to see a massive bog! Since it's clearly not on the OS map and is big enough to qualify for small lochan status
it's an easy decision to leave Deek's Hill for another day and take the emergency invalid track back down to Muirkirk:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (114) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (115) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Wardlaw Lochan:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (116) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Enjoying the view of Cairn Table from this side as I descend:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (117) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (118) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (119) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (120) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (122) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Middlefield Law:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (123) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Bert Bradford memorial bench:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (124) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (126) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The evening light was making the walk back very colourful:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (129) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (130) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
An added bonus was seeing Cairn Table from almost every angle:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (131) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (132) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
A few local sheep run away as I approach the bridge over Garpel Water:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (134) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
It's a great viewpoint for the local Marilyn:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (135) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The track makes the final section good but of course it feels much longer than I remember! Some locals scarper as I approach:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (141) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table showing off one last time in the evening sunshine:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (142) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (143) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I eventually reach MacAdams Cairns, the last section seemed to go on forever:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (145) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (148) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Past the old kirk:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (149) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
A final shot of Middlefield Law and Kames race track:
Cairn Table - Stony Hill (150) by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
No summit video for this walk, I took a few but with no zoom and a biting cold wind it wasn't worthwhile as Cairn Table is a bulky big hill with nothing nearby of great interest but it is still a supreme viewpoint and one of the highest Sub2000 hills.
Adding in Stony Hill was a good addition despite the difficulties but that was more due to the boot problem. I have since discovered the heel lock tying technique and it has worked a treat on subsequent walks, recommended for those breaking in stubborn hard new boots.
If you haven't climbed Cairn Table it is well worth the outing and has a great summit area plus with the bog factor now lower due to good path work you have no excuse.