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Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee

Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee


Postby Gordie12 » Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:17 pm

Route description: Sidlaws: Craigowl and Auchterhouse hill

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Craigowl Hill

Date walked: 19/08/2013

Time taken: 1 hours

Distance: 6.6 km

Ascent: 333m

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Craigowl Hill near Tealing, I've driven past it for the last 10 years and never climbed it. Last time I was there I was photographing a mountain biking event from half way up the hill but it would never have crossed my mind at that time to walk up to the summit.

So with 2 weeks holiday starting today it was time to take in this little Sub 2000.

Parking at the Balkello Community Woodland car park the first thing to strike me was how the trees had grown since my last visit but then it probably was about 15 years ago.

20.jpg
Car Park


19.jpg
Start of walk


I took a good track through the woods and once out on the open hill basically headed for the bealach between Auchterhouse Hill and Baluderon Hill.

1.jpg
Easy track to start with


3.jpg
Baluderon Hill with Craigowl in the background


4.jpg
Baluderon Hill summit


Leaving Baluderon Hill there is a narrow track that heads over to the fence and then following the fence down to the bealach and then up on to Craigowl.

7.jpg
Lonely tree on Craigowl


It took 10 minutes from the bealach to the summit of Craigowl (a bit different from the norm).

8.jpg
Masts


9.jpg
Masts 2


12.jpg
Masts 3


13.jpg
Masts 4


It took me a couple of minutes to notice the trig point over a fence and between buildings.

10.jpg
Trig point


11.jpg
Tay estuary


14.jpg
Dundee


I followed the WH report to return to the car. There is a maze of grassy tracks in the trees close to the car park and without it I could still be there.

17.jpg
Looking back to Craigowl


18.jpg
Craigowl


In summary, quick and easy hill. Ugly summit, but if you pick the right day the views down to Dundee, over to Fife and out to sea could well make it well worth the effort.
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Gordie12
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Re: Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee

Postby The Rodmiester » Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:24 am

Ta for posting Gordie, a long time ago I used to take my athletes up there on training runs, brings back some good memories. I also remember when I was young picking blaeberries on Auchterhouse Hill, as I remember it's covered in them :D
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The Rodmiester
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Re: Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee

Postby Gordie12 » Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:51 am

Hi Rod

If you were up there on training runs you wouldn't be looking at the views but they are pretty impressive to the south and east.

I saw one chap running up Craigowl but apart from that it's a dog walkers paradise.(it was a bit odd getting the rucksack out and betting booted up surrounded by dog walkers out for a stroll through the low level woods).

Talking of training areas that was part of the reason I enjoyed Auchnafree so much on Sunday. A mate and I used to run the back roads around Crieff and quite often that would include running up to the Turret dam. When we included the dam we also ran up and down about 120 steep steps at the lower power station. We used to do this in winter in total darkness, I stopped and had a look at the steps on sunday - absolute madness :shock: :shock:
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Re: Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee

Postby The Rodmiester » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:04 am

Gordie12 wrote:Hi Rod

If you were up there on training runs you wouldn't be looking at the views but they are pretty impressive to the south and east.

I saw one chap running up Craigowl but apart from that it's a dog walkers paradise.(it was a bit odd getting the rucksack out and betting booted up surrounded by dog walkers out for a stroll through the low level woods).

Talking of training areas that was part of the reason I enjoyed Auchnafree so much on Sunday. A mate and I used to run the back roads around Crieff and quite often that would include running up to the Turret dam. When we included the dam we also ran up and down about 120 steep steps at the lower power station. We used to do this in winter in total darkness, I stopped and had a look at the steps on sunday - absolute madness :shock: :shock:


Aye the things wee did right enough! as a matter of interest did you run for any of the local athletic clubs? I'm ex Dundee Hawkhill Harrier and Tayside AAC. With you taking about steps to power stations brought back memories, not done in the winter or darkness but in the rear stair at the now demolished Tayside House :crazy: :crazy: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee

Postby Gordie12 » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:29 am

No, I didn't run for any athletic club.

I played golf to a decent standard (up to age 18 it was basically my life) and football in the Tayside juniors so no time for joining a club but I did a lot of road running (especially from October through to March) and competed against club runners in the odd hill race.

I wish I could still run up hills :(
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Re: Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee

Postby gmr82 » Wed Aug 21, 2013 10:20 pm

Nice report Gordie, might be round this way at New Year (yes already planning walks for when out of town!). Like the looks of the track in the lonely tree photo. Can't go wrong with a nice wee path dissecting the heather - reminds me of Aberdeenshire
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Re: Baluderon & Craigowl Hills - Dundee

Postby Gordie12 » Wed Aug 21, 2013 10:43 pm

gmr82 wrote:Nice report Gordie, might be round this way at New Year (yes already planning walks for when out of town!). Like the looks of the track in the lonely tree photo. Can't go wrong with a nice wee path dissecting the heather - reminds me of Aberdeenshire


Hi gmr82

I'm struggling to plan walks for next week (on hols just now) never mind New Year - I'm impressed!!! If doing this one you have King's Seat just along the road at Collace or alternatively if you are not averse to climbing a little un with no blue flag at the end of it I did this hill after Craigowl (great views for very little effort).

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=35325
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Munros:114   Corbetts:65
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Joined: Sep 6, 2012
Location: Nr Forfar

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