Possibly the WORST hill to date

[Fife Flyer]

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Yes I know it won't please everyone as in theory all hills are fun and pleasureable, maybe it was the conditions wind, low cloud and drizzle - even so, unless the views are spectacular it won't feature on my return list
That has cleared that point up. Cauldcleuch was planned as a single hill with a sort of circular route taking me east and then south back to the start, if time was on my side I was considering visiting Greatmoor Hill
I left Cheshire at 8am and for the first time ever managed to travel NW round the M60 (Manchester Ring Road) without any hold ups Started walking at 1045 and knew I wasn't going to get any views, sadly.

Interesting, especially as it is literally in the middle of nowhere

Zoomed

Pretty solid building

Decided to park here, there is a large parking area, that has a 'home made' no parking sign at Billhope Cottage

From previous reports I noticed that others had parked in the largish parking area, maybe the 'no parking' sign is a new addition, so I behaved myself and parked on a muddy grassy bit near a bridge

The way ahead, Billhope on the right

The track after Billhope

Looking back at the no parking sign, zoomed

Information board on the way

Just after here once I started on the incline I thought something is missing and then I suddenly realised I had left my poles in the boot of the car In my defence - they were underneath my overnight bag and bags of Christmas pressies I had already been walking for 20mins so turning back wasn't an option, I would manfully soldier on It's funny when you are without one of your essential items how much you miss it, last walk I forgot my watch so hopefully this isn't a new trend I am starting Going uphill on the grassy slopes would have been easier with my poles, maybe that was psychological

Billhope Burn, that has a bridge every 400m or so

The way ahead, note the low cloud

Looking back

Rolling hills with newish plantations



The way ahead, or so I thought until I checked - when over half way up

Was easy going, shame in the wrong direction

I could have continued uphill and then headed north but I thought as I didn't know or could see what was ahead, the safer option would be to traverse towards the summit, so that's what I did It wasn't easy, the grass was long, wet and slippy as well as being rather uneven. I was grateful to some of the local residents for making faint tracks across the hillside

Was still following the ATV track, lots of these poles all over the hill????

Looking back before the cloud engulfs me

Looking back at where I had traversed (to the left)

Now on the plateau, more poles and ATV tracks

The plateau area surrounding Cauldcleuch Head was a mass of peat hags and boggy grass, there are ATV tracks going in all directions, I tried to stick to them making sure I was still going in the right direction.

The summit area of Cauldcleuch Head, as you can see well worth all the effort

It doesn't look any better from a different angle



Had taken me 90mins to reach the summit and the windy drizzle made me rethink my options, should I continue on my planned route which would probably be another couple of hours, or do I head back down - hopefully in a more direct route than the ascent I headed down the gully to the east of North Mid Hill which took me downhill following the burn called Black Grain. I then joined the track further down that I should have followed, utilising all the the bridges that zig-zag across the tiny burn

The way down, note all the bridges

Yet another pole, not many more photo's due to the drizzle

Low level shot of a few bridges

Good solid bridges, approved by Health and Safety folk

Next bridge

And the next one

Maybe a WR on bridges may have been more exciting as they were all very substantial and in there own way different I was glad to get back to the car as I was a bit on the damp side, now the drive home
Unfortunately that will probably be my last walk of 2016 and come the New Year will be chomping at the bit to head down to Dumfries and Galloway
A Happy Christmas to everyone who continued reading this WR to the end and have a safe and prosperous 2017

[malky_c]

I went up there with reasonable visibility and I still doubt I'll be back for another visit (and I rarely say that about anywhere)! Maybe if I lived locally (the surrounding glens were nice enough), but I doubt I'd even bother making the detour off the M74 otherwise . The No Parking sign was there a couple of years ago.

[weaselmaster]

Done as a horseshoe, I remember rather enjoying it.

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But you'll enjoy D&G - nice rough mountains

[Alteknacker]

Well, that's a bit surprising - I just assumed that "worst" was the phonetic pronunciation of the Gaelic name "Cauldcleuch"...

The summit looks similar (but a bit worst) than Cheetham Close, which is where I was on Tuesday. There must be a reason for going to these places....

Great for those of a limicolous disposition....

[Sunset tripper]

A great incentive to through away the lists.

[PeteR]

There's no such thing as a bad hill Martin................just the wrong weather

[Sunset tripper]

I meant throw away the lists.


Having said that a bad day in the hills is better than a good day at work.........................................within reason.

[rockhopper]

Unusual building, decent path, helpful info board, some views, poles, more poles, water crossings, hills, not clagged in all the time...............
..........the list is endless............what more could you ask for from a wander in the hills - cheers

[BlackPanther]

That's called dedication and perseverance in Graham bagging

This G reminds me of our local Carn nan Tri-tighearnan - the summit is in the middle of large, flat plateau, peat hags everywhere, and by peat hags I don't mean small canals you can easily jump over, but 2 m high ravines


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year with great weather and lots of new hills! I must rush outside now, Storm Barbara is trying to claim possession of my rubbish bin

[Fife Flyer]

I went up there with reasonable visibility and I still doubt I'll be back for another visit (and I rarely say that about anywhere)! Maybe if I lived locally (the surrounding glens were nice enough), but I doubt I'd even bother making the detour off the M74 otherwise . The No Parking sign was there a couple of years ago.

Very diplomatically put Malky

Done as a horseshoe, I remember rather enjoying it. But you'll enjoy D&G - nice rough mountains

That was my original plan Al, looked at all the WR's and came up with my own route, which got 'binned'

Well, that's a bit surprising - I just assumed that "worst" was the phonetic pronunciation of the Gaelic name "Cauldcleuch"... The summit looks similar (but a bit worst) than Cheetham Close, which is where I was on Tuesday. There must be a reason for going to these places.... Great for those of a limicolous disposition....

Thanks for replying, I was advised when I was on top of Cheviot a month ago, that had it not been covered in snow, that is a bog fest as well

A great incentive to throw away the lists.

Agree, but we all need targets and reasons to get off our backsides

There's no such thing as a bad hill Martin................just the wrong weather

Kind of agree Pete, it's not often I criticise a hill but as you say the weather and conditions didn't exactly help

Unusual building, decent path, helpful info board, some views, poles, more poles, water crossings, hills, not clagged in all the time............... ..........the list is endless............what more could you ask for from a wander in the hills - cheers

Nice one RH, but I forgot my poles

That's called dedication and perseverance in Graham bagging
This G reminds me of our local Carn nan Tri-tighearnan - the summit is in the middle of large, flat plateau, peat hags everywhere, and by peat hags I don't mean small canals you can easily jump over, but 2 m high ravines

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year with great weather and lots of new hills!

Don't think I will be rushing to visit Carn nan Tri-tighearnan looking at that photo
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you & Kevin too