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Tinto & 'Lambing'ton Hill

Tinto & 'Lambing'ton Hill


Postby iangpark » Thu May 25, 2017 12:46 pm

Fionas included on this walk: Tinto

Donalds included on this walk: Tinto

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Lamington Hill

Date walked: 22/05/2017

Time taken: 4 hours

Distance: 19 km

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Had a day off work so thought I'd bag the lonesome but majestic Donald Tinto off. Now getting to this area is quite a challenge if you are not the owner of a car - especially if you're coming up from Dumfries! Stagecoach's 101/102 service stops at Lamington with only just over a tenner return (I was also very lucky that someone wanted on half way between Wiston and Lamington, just as I wanted off!)


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[ My full gallery from today is at: http://ianparkphotography.blogspot.co.u ... -2017.html ]


It was drizzly-light rain walking into Wiston but cleared up as I began my ascent, with Tinto looming overhead.

My first ever view of Tinto, just after getting off the bus:
1.jpg


Wiston is a lovely place and the woodland inside Wiston Lodge was beautiful, with late bluebells still in deep purple swathes. I was following the WH route - got a little confused after the water works building but just jumped the fence and returned back to the edge of the field.

Sign to Tinto:
2.jpg


As I approached the small Scots Pine plantation, a field of cows with calves had put themselves right in front of where I needed to go - there was one particular cow that was clearly separated so I backed off a bit and coaxed her back to the herd so I could tiptoe my way around. They were fine after I'd got them all back together.

Smart and Silly (best photo of the day?):
3.jpg


Finally I began the ascent with Pap Craig looming above:
4.jpg


Blaeberry carpets were prominent throughout the day:
5.jpg


The myriad of faint paths here meant that I just took whichever one seemed to be in front of me - the OS track was obvious from below but it seemed to vanish as I actually got up there. I ended up just a bit to the right of Pap Craig so paid it's top a visit.

Summit of Pap Craig from above:
6.jpg


This route really was surprisingly steep - my legs are still hurting today (3 days later), but the last 200m or so is much easier, with the red sandstone starting to appear.

Approaching summit:
7.jpg


Now I had seen nobody else on my way up yet just as I peeked over to see the summit cairn, I was greeted by at least 100 grumpy schoolchildren who really couldn't have given a toss! I generally climb hills to get a break for myself, but now here I am at 711m looking like the weirdo that chose out of my own volition to come and climb a hill!

Spoiled but not ruined:
9.jpg


Tinto Trig:
8.jpg


I took a few pictures, visited the trig and was off. I had hoped to relax for a bit at the top as I hadn't eaten or drank anything yet but that was cut short. I suppose when WH describe Tinto as 'extremely popular', they mean it.

Over to the source of the Clyde and the Lowther Range (my first, and most recent Donalds):
10.jpg


I galloped my way back downhill but forgot about following the paths so went on a small diversion that took me through some deep heather back to the path:

Stonechat courtship?:
11.jpg


I had a big decision to make now - I was getting the bus at Lamington in 3 hours but I'll be there in about an hour so do I have time for one of the 2 hills nearby (Dungavel Hill or Lamington Hill)? Dungavel looked a bit intense so I opted for Lamington. I quickly searched through WH for a good route up. To my luck I found a glorious route suggested by Inca who began at the Holy Trinity Chapel (a minute walk from the bus stop!) I began my very fast paced walk over to Lamington, with a few bursts of jogging now and then. I had to leave the photos for the time being as I was in quite a hurry, although I did get one over the Clyde. The weather was much better than the gloominess the day had started with.

Over the Clyde:
12.jpg


The Holy Trinity Chapel was a beautifully Albionic place. I dumped my bag behind a tree, taking only my phone and began my ascent. Inca said it took them 40 mins to get to the top, although I was determined to do it faster. My account of the walk up is essentially identical to theirs (only my day was much sunnier)!

I continued up through the woodlands and eventually reached the clearing:
13.jpg


Lamington Hill doesn't even feel close to 492m. I found someone's walking stick on the way up so used it to get to the top in only half an hour!

ATV tracks to the summit trig:
14.jpg


The views here were in fact better than Tinto's as the weather had cleared up and I could see where I'd been all day. I also had a great view into the Culter Fells, particularly Hudderstone.

I also got the best view of Tinto I'd had all day:
15.jpg


I left the stick at the top and made my way back down, going through the left hand side of the dry stone dyke so I could see into the woodland better- Blaeberry was out in force in a way I'd never seen before; a foot-high lime green blanket taking up every spare inch of the Larch forest. Back down through the woodland I went, taking a few pictures of more bluebells just before the timber stacks. I had been up and down in only 50 minutes so had a spare half hour to sit by the chapel to drink from my flask which I hadn't touched all day, while the fragmenting sunlight bared down onto the vibrant cemetery flowers.

A wonderful day that was at first somewhat spoiled but very quickly made up for.
Last edited by iangpark on Sat Dec 05, 2020 7:34 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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iangpark
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 318
Munros:81   Corbetts:17
Fionas:24   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:80   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:16   Islands:11
Joined: Dec 29, 2015
Location: Kelty

Re: Tinto & 'Lambing'ton Hill

Postby PeteR » Thu May 25, 2017 10:45 pm

Two very enjoyable hills.......and you had nice weather for them. Nice one :clap:
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PeteR
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2107
Munros:282   Corbetts:173
Fionas:121   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:200   Hewitts:3
Islands:9
Joined: Jan 27, 2010
Location: North Ayrshire

Re: Tinto & 'Lambing'ton Hill

Postby iangpark » Fri May 26, 2017 10:24 am

PeteR wrote:Two very enjoyable hills.......and you had nice weather for them. Nice one :clap:



Thanks Pete, glad to see you've been out and about as well - TalkHighlands seems to be just you now!
User avatar
iangpark
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 318
Munros:81   Corbetts:17
Fionas:24   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:80   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:16   Islands:11
Joined: Dec 29, 2015
Location: Kelty

Re: Tinto & 'Lambing'ton Hill

Postby Fife Flyer » Fri May 26, 2017 3:27 pm

Love the shot of the summit of Tinto - it was even busier when I was up there on a sunny Saturday, still a nice little leg stretcher.
Like Pete I also enjoyed Lamington and most of the Borders hills :wink:
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Fife Flyer
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2642
Munros:272   Corbetts:58
Fionas:39   Donalds:89+33
Sub 2000:130   Hewitts:2
Islands:5
Joined: May 15, 2013
Location: Guess?

Re: Tinto & 'Lambing'ton Hill

Postby inca » Sat May 27, 2017 10:28 pm

Nicely put together report on these two. Been up Tinto and Lamington a few times. Can't recall once when I've had Tinto summit to myself. And I can't recall once when I haven't on Lamington.

That's a heck of a bus journey from Dumfries. Glad it paid off for you :clap:
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inca
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Posts: 314
Munros:225   Corbetts:71
Fionas:82   Donalds:89+41
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Joined: Sep 21, 2012
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Tinto & 'Lambing'ton Hill

Postby iangpark » Tue May 30, 2017 9:25 am

Fife Flyer wrote:Love the shot of the summit of Tinto - it was even busier when I was up there on a sunny Saturday, still a nice little leg stretcher.
Like Pete I also enjoyed Lamington and most of the Borders hills :wink:


I should have stood at the trig and done a panorama! Think that picture shows just over half of them
:lol: Got plans on Thursday for the Carsphairn Hills so I can finally start bagging some more Donalds - Tinto was my first Donald after 9 months (uni. really doesn't give you much time!)

inca wrote:Nicely put together report on these two. Been up Tinto and Lamington a few times. Can't recall once when I've had Tinto summit to myself. And I can't recall once when I haven't on Lamington.

That's a heck of a bus journey from Dumfries. Glad it paid off for you :clap:


Lamington seems to be quite an underrated hill; not been up such a pleasant marilyn in a while. I did see somebody with their dog at the very bottom of the glen to the south, beside 'Key Cleuch' and a man in his workshop beside the church but was person-less except that! Glad to have done your report justice :)
User avatar
iangpark
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 318
Munros:81   Corbetts:17
Fionas:24   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:80   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:16   Islands:11
Joined: Dec 29, 2015
Location: Kelty

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