Blackcraig Hill, Glen Afton

[Johnny Corbett]

A short report here of a short walk. Time was the main factor today hence the enjoyable short walk to Blackcraig Hill. We parked just before the bridge in Glen Afton and took the path upto the cairn and from here to the 675 mark and onto Blackcraig Hill. We descended north west after getting back to the 675mark. Conditions were not great as it was windy and visibility was poor, it was none the less a good walk with an interesting rocky summit.

The start

The burn

Low cloud

A waymarker

The cairn at Quinten Knowe

Heading up

The 675m ciarn

Blackcraig Hill summit

Us at the summit

On our way down

Glen Afton

A waterfall

[soulminer]

Haven't been up there for years (decades ) Camped on the summit when I was 11/12 in an old canvas tent. I stayed in New Cumnock at the time, and thats how we passed the time -fishing and camping.
Some fine views from the summit on a clear day, you will have to go back to find out or just take my word for it
Cheers.

[ChrisW]

Looks like 2 different days there JC, shame you missed out on the summit views....maybe next time eh

[Johnny Corbett]

]

Haven't been up there for years (decades ) Camped on the summit when I was 11/12 in an old canvas tent. I stayed in New Cumnock at the time, and thats how we passed the time -fishing and camping.
Some fine views from the summit on a clear day, you will have to go back to find out or just take my word for it
Cheers and what a way to pass the time Soulminer, i imagined the views would be good. I'm thinking returning this Sunday to climb Windy Standard. I'd also like to do a circuit taking in the Donalds but will leave that for a good day

Looks like 2 different days there JC, shame you missed out on the summit views....maybe next time eh

The clear blue sky days are coming Chris, i don't know when but they're coming

[malky_c]

Shame about the weather. Still, it kept the walk short anyway. I was looking at a short route on this before noticing two Donalds I hadn't done. Before you know it, you're working your way through another list . Anyway, I never got around to it. Looking forward to some more trips in this area at some point though.

[daveh]

Good memories there and when i first moved to Scotland we lived on the Afton Road so did plenty of walking around there.Thanks for posting and i dont remember the posts but do remember the dogs at the farm

[tookiebunten]

That looked like great weather on Blackcraig It's cracking hill too many times over looked and has spectacular views on a clear day...... Great report and I enjoyed reading it

[Johnny Corbett]

Thanks guys it's good to have given some recognition to what is, as you say Tookie, an overlooked hill

[Tinto63]

I parked at the same place the day after you (14/2) and followed the same route up to Quintin Knowe, but then went north over Laglass Hill to Hare Hill (listed as a SubDonald in the New Donald tables) - I must be getting desperate!

These two hills are covered with wind turbines, but the mist was well down and only saw 2 or 3 all walk, but could sometimes hear the creaks, groans and swishes as they rotated. There is a turbine about 30m from the cairn on Hare Hill and could only just see the tower. Obviously not as nice hill as Blackcraig which I have already been up twice, and lots of peat hags and boggy bits on the way from Quintin Knowe. I had considered heading NE from the cairn and going to High Cairn and McCrierick's Cairn but as I could see rather less than the square root of sweet FA, retraced my steps and had a short day.

Enjoy your wanderings!

[Johnny Corbett]

I parked at the same place the day after you (14/2) and followed the same route up to Quintin Knowe, but then went north over Laglass Hill to Hare Hill (listed as a SubDonald in the New Donald tables) - I must be getting desperate!

These two hills are covered with wind turbines, but the mist was well down and only saw 2 or 3 all walk, but could sometimes hear the creaks, groans and swishes as they rotated. There is a turbine about 30m from the cairn on Hare Hill and could only just see the tower. Obviously not as nice hill as Blackcraig which I have already been up twice, and lots of peat hags and boggy bits on the way from Quintin Knowe. I had considered heading NE from the cairn and going to High Cairn and McCrierick's Cairn but as I could see rather less than the square root of sweet FA, retraced my steps and had a short day.

Enjoy your wanderings!

Cheers, I noticed there was a couple of Donalds once i got home so it'll be nice to return and conquer them somtime

[coldwetandhungry]

nice weather you got for it worth another shot in good weather to get the views probably