For Friday's menu I had chosen the Donalds at the northern end of the Manor Hills - Pykestone Hill to Drumelzier. We drove through Peebles then took the small road out past Stobo Castle to Drumelzier, turned left down a driveway just after the phone box and parked up in a good gravelled area beside Mill Cottage. The book said to go round behind the cottage and follow a path on the east of the burn, but you could have as easily gone up the farm track - they met after a bit. There's a good grassy track that leads up Den Knowes - Drumelzier looked enchanting over to the right - we'd have the pleasure of ascending that one last. Over rougher ground to The Scrape (a New Donald) - the sense of space on this hill in particular was considerable, hard to think we were less than 30 miles from Edinburgh City. The hills to the South had a fair bit of snow left on them, unlike those we were on today. Next we followed the fenceline and reached the summit of Pykestone Hill, 2 crows that had been perched there flew off with a caw. Lunchtime, good chance to survey the landscape. We picked up the fence line again down to Grey Weather Law and thence to Middle Hill, another Donald. I'd decided we could do without the extra couple of kilometres to Taberon Law - only a Donald Top and expendible when Allison's recovery was paramount. We had some difficulty finding the highest spot on Middle Hill, but enjoyed the skyline over to Dollar Law and Broad Law in the distance.
Start of the walk
P1120122 by Al, on FlickrDrumelzier in the distance
P1120123 by Al, on FlickrView over to Middle Hill/Taberon Law
P1120126 by Al, on FlickrSummit of The Scrape
P1120129 by Al, on Flickr
P1120130 by Al, on FlickrPykestone Hill
P1120131 by Al, on Flickr
P1120133 by Al, on FlickrView to Broad Law
P1120135 by Al, on FlickrDrumelzier from Middle Hill
P1120137 by Al, on FlickrMaybe summit Middle Hill
P1120138 by Al, on FlickrWe headed down to Glenstivon Dod and glared at the drop before Drumelzier Hill - which was easily achieved as it happened. There's a cairn on Drumelzier before the true summit, then a cairn at the top. Allison was doing well so far, a big grin at the top. Down over a good peaty track to Logan Head then back onto the farm track we'd taken on the way up. A very pleasant and successful afternoon out this one.
Drumelzier
P1120139 by Al, on FlickrSummit looking North
P1120144 by Al, on FlickrPleased as Punch
P1120145 by Al, on Flickr
P1120147 by Al, on FlickrBack to Edinburgh in good time, a shower and change of clothes then into town. The lure of the Hanging Bat was too strong to refuse - had an early tea there and a few of their rather powerful beverages. Back at the campsite early, a bit worse for wear. Saturday morning found me, shall we say, a little fragile. Allison seemed fine, having quaffed as much as me. Must have been something I ate
Anyway it was a return to the dreaded Moorfoot Hills where I'd been roundly scunnered by snow a fortnight ago - this time planned to do the circuit in reverse, with Dundriech first. It seemed inevitable to have to visit Blackhope Scar again and there was no quick way to come down from Bowbeat Hill. I endured the next five and a half hours, stopping to retch every 30 minutes or so over the day and being able to take in neither food nor fluid. I suspect that's not an awfully healthy way to hillwalk - I had hoped that the tramp would clear my head, but id didn't. The ascent was fairly pleasant, up a track past Gladhouse Cottage, a more gentle ascent than the other side had seemed. Up to Jefferies Cairn then to Dundreich, where we saw a few folk at the cairn in the distance. Blue skies didn't last long
P1120148 by Al, on Flickr
P1120149 by Al, on FlickrView over to Bowbeat
P1120150 by Al, on FlickrSummit Dundreich
P1120151 by Al, on FlickrThe going got worse from now on. The boggy ground was largely frozen which did help a lot, but there was still a bit of descent and re-ascent. We cut down to a stream by a plantation before climbing up to the windfarm - Allison had lunch, I curled up in my belay jacket and wished to be left there. Struggling on we got to the windfarm and made use of the road between the turbines to get to the top of Bowbeat Hill - a gouge having been taken from it by the road. Down to Emly Bank then onto fenceline following paths to the top of Blackhope Scar - at least that meant that I wouldn't have to return here in future to help Allison get this one I'd already done
It was much easier going than it had been when I was last here - subtract a couple of feet of snow and allow tracks to be seen, nay, tracks with the boggy puddles frozen properly and it is just better walking. We followed an ATV track past some grouse butts and down Hirendean Hill, to the ruined castle. There was a long strip of snow which normally would have tempted me to bum slide, but not today, it was all I could do to grimly grind out pace after pace. Back at the car I threw up for what would happily be the final time, drove back to the campsite and got into my sleeping bag. Allsion had to fend for herself, while I rejoiced in being able to keep a 500ml bottle of water down in the evening hours.
P1120152 by Al, on FlickrYou can see the gouge out of the top of Bowbeat Hill
P1120153 by Al, on FlickrWinter lingers
P1120154 by Al, on Flickr
P1120155 by Al, on FlickrSummit Blacklaw Scar
P1120156 by Al, on Flickr
P1120157 by Al, on FlickrSunday - felt fine today! It had been very cold over night - car temp said -1.5 at around 08.30 and the grass was covered in thick frost. Beautiful looking morning however. We packed up and drove off Peebles way again - this time to try the southern half of the Manor Hills. I was not sure that Allison would be able to complete these, being her third day in a row, and was aware there was a footpath bisecting the hills which we might wish to use in that case. Anyway, as we drove out of Edinburgh we entered a cloud inversion - thick fog, with the roadside grasses and bushes covered in rime. We took the road to Manor Head just after Peebles and by the time we arrived at the white cottage before the bridge the sky was becoming clear blue. We'd decided to do the eastern hills first and set off across a field to a bridge and thence up the steepish slopes of Langhaugh Hill. Allison was definately struggling more today - a look of discomfort and a definate reduction in pace from yesterday. We pressed on, up a good track onto Waddyside Rig then scuttled about in heather and (frozen) bog to find the summit of Black Cleuch Hill, for what reason I don't know. We followed the fence line to Black Law and its two summits.
Cold crisp morning
P1120158 by Al, on FlickrAt the start
DSC00141 by Al, on FlickrView N back up the valley
DSC00143 by Al, on FlickrThe circuit
DSC00145 by Al, on FlickrWaddyside Rig
DSC00146 by Al, on FlickrApproaching Black Law
DSC00148 by Al, on FlickrLot of snow on Cramalt Craig
DSC00149 by Al, on FlickrMinimalist cairn, Black Law
DSC00150 by Al, on FlickrI was a little anxious to see the way ahead to Deer Law appear so far, but there you have it, the map doesn't lie. On we went, Allison struggling a bit by this time, over Conscleuch Head and up to Deer Law, which had a standing stone as its cairn. We parked there for lunch and a look at what to do. Dollar Law looked snowy up top and I had left the crampons in the car. With all this glorious sunshine I could imagine the hard snow getting a slippy melted surface - maybe not a goer for today even if Allison had been fit. We could head down the footpath, or we could sneak in Greenside Law which was only 130m extra once we got to the start of the right of way. There's a substantial drop in height were you to try the direct route from Deer Law to Black Rig, so we contoured around below Conscleuch Head, sometimes on an ATV or animal track, sometimes not. Again I gave thanks for the icy conditions underfoot - this would be a morass in ordinary conditions. A fox perked its head out and dashed off ahead of us into another secret place- have to say we have very rarely met with foxes when out on the hills - see more of them in town now. Eventually we completed the traverse to Foulbrig and I persuaded Allison to do the "easy" 130m up to Greenside Law. The glorious sunshine had melted some of the icy puddles up here. I got to the top and eventually she joined me, looking thoroughly scunnered. I had been looking over at Dollar law whilst I waited for her - would have been do-able without crampons, but even if I had gone over there today I would have had to return for Cramalt Craig, so I can do them together sometime.
Black Law to Deer Law
DSC00151 by Al, on FlickrConscleuch Head to Dollar Law
DSC00152 by Al, on FlickrDeer Law
DSC00153 by Al, on Flickr
DSC00154 by Al, on FlickrYou can imagine how wet this is normally
DSC00156 by Al, on FlickrGreenside Law - c'mon it's not far!
DSC00157 by Al, on FlickrStart of the footpath
DSC00160 by Al, on FlickrView N from Greenside Law
DSC00161 by Al, on FlickrWe found the ring trig at the summit then headed down and onto the footpath. This wound up a little below Redsike Head then proved a lovely high level walk back along the hillside, dropping down gradually to rejoin the road and leaving us with a couple of kilometres back to the car. A most enjoyable day, real taste of spring in the air today.
Notman Law and Dollar Law
DSC00162 by Al, on FlickrHmmm enough said
DSC00163 by Al, on FlickrBitch Craig
DSC00164 by Al, on Flickr
DSC00165 by Al, on FlickrAcross to Dollar Law
DSC00166 by Al, on Flickr
DSC00167 by Al, on Flickr
DSC00168 by Al, on Flickr
