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Friday night to myself with the car... before finishing work I hatched a devious plan... sunny evening, nothing to do, busy tomorrow so no chance of walking and Middlefield Law still to go up... hmmmm...!!!?!!! It was the nearest hill within 15 miles that I had yet to climb, so the decision was made, while most would be clamouring for pub beer gardens on a Friday night, i'd be heading for a cairn, trig point and views up to 60 miles north, 45 miles west, 41 south & 23 miles east. Only one thing for it...
I drove home, quickly got changed, grabbed the camera and packed a snack then set off for just north of Muirkirk, a quick 40 minute drive.
RLC and Sgurr had recommended parking towards Middlefield Farm but the grid ref they gave didn't look like the start of an ATV track, that looked to be at the fence section shown below a little bit before their grid ref. I set off for this point and there was plenty of room to park, just between the Lamonburn Bridge and the Cattery next to Middlefield Farm.
On the left is the gate to go through:
20170602_181049 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
To the south is Cairn Table which I climbed a few years back:
20170602_181200 DSCF0125 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Of the four S2000 Marilyn's around Muirkirk, Middlefield Law was the last one left for me... bagging it would mean increasing the circumference of the nearest unclimbed hill quite considerably! I need to move house...
So it was through the gate I went and the ATV track heads straight up the hill. After a few minutes the summit comes into view:
20170602_181700 DSCF0130 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Large cairn and Trig Pillar... how on earth can a hill like this can miss out on having pap in the name?
20170602_181701 DSCF0132 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Over the rise and the ATV track extends all the way to the shoulder then heads left to the summit... I know I know it's hardly the most strenous walk ok? But it was Friday evening and the silence (apart from the lambs) was blissful and I had the whole hill to myself...
20170602_181757 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Oh alright, it's a tiny hill but still, it was all mine on this sunny evening!
Despite stopping several times for photos I made the summit in just over 15 minutes!
Beyond the Lamonburn Plantation is Common Hill with it's ugly crown of wind turbines, which should all be banned and torn down:
20170602_182100 DSCF0139 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table still looking impressive to the south:
20170602_182200 DSCF0141 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_182201 DSCF0142 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The quad track is easy going, a couple of minor boggy bits are easily hopped over:
20170602_182300 DSCF0143 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
At the shoulder:
20170602_182700 DSCF0146 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
It's about as basic a hill as you can get, a quick walk to the top in under 20 minutes, but sometimes simplicity itself can be very rewarding:
20170602_182752 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
As the summit nears, behind me Nutberry Hill comes into view, bagged last month on another lovely walk in the area:
20170602_182900 DSCF0152 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_182901 DSCF0154 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Almost there, the local sheep scarper as I approach, verbally bleating their annoyance that i've disturbed their quiet Friday night! The cheek...
20170602_183100 DSCF0157 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Trig point incoming...
20170602_183137 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
...and cairn:
20170602_183300 DSCF0161 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
The classic Middlefield Law shot, stood atop the cairn looking east at (L to R) Nutberry Hill, Tinto and Common Hill:
20170602_183400 DSCF0164 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_183403 DSCF0171 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_183500 DSCF0172 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_183501 DSCF0173 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Hang on it's getting a bit crowded up here now...
20170602_183600 DSCF0182 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I sit and soak in the view for miles around although Arran to the west is invisible in haze. North is Meikle Bin with Ben Ledi behind it:
20170602_183700 DSCF0185 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Panorama north:
20170602_183814 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
East:
20170602_183828 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
South east:
20170602_183842 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
South, from the Lowther Hills to Cairn Table and the Galloway Hills:
20170602_183847 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I was loving the solitude, surroundings and view, what a great way to spend a Friday night!
20170602_184216 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_184234 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
My zoom hunting continues, I spot the Lowther Hills in the distance:
20170602_184600 DSCF0199 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_184700 DSCF0202 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Cairn Table's double summit and massive memorial cairn:
20170602_184800 DSCF0213 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
North is where the big hills are though, I begin to long for them in the distance:
20170602_185900 DSCF0225 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Ben Vorlich & Ben Lomond:
20170602_190200 DSCF0240 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Arrochar Alps, Ben Arthur, Beinn Ime and Beinn Narnain:
20170602_190201 DSCF0242 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Arran's ridges now more visible to the west:
20170602_190300 DSCF0249 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Clear Moon, definitely a space station...
20170602_190501 DSCF0259 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
You can see the burn here that I took on the walk back from Nutberry Hill last month:
20170602_190701 DSCF0266 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Another enjoyable walk with only the local lambs for company:
20170602_190702 DSCF0267 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
20170602_190800 DSCF0268 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Ben Lomond again:
20170602_191000 DSCF0275 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Stob Binnein, Ben More, Ben Venue and Dumgoyne looking very impressive bunched together from this angle:
20170602_191001 DSCF0277 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Sun setting to the west:
20170602_191200 DSCF0279 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Arran again:
20170602_191201 DSCF0282 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
Satisfied with more time spent on the summit than walking to it, a big contrast to recent walks where i've had to race to the summit and not had time to sit and enjoy them, i decide that i'm balanced again and head back to the car, this won't take long...
20170602_191556 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
A final look back and my last local hill:
20170602_192237 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
I enjoy the view of Cairn Table on the way back...
20170602_192706 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
In no time at all i'm back at the start point:
20170602_193048 by
Chris Mac, on Flickr
So, although this walk took 1 hour 20 minutes, less than half of that was walking time, the rest spent soaking in a fine summit viewpoint that is well worth a quick hike on a nice day. It was also a fitting end to get the best weather on the last of the 4 Muirkirk Marilyns so I could properly enjoy the surrounding area which I had only partially seen before now.
Next up, adventures further afield and i've now got Dungavel Hills, Kirkland Hill, Brown Carrick Hill, Hill of Stake, Kilpatrick Hills, Campsies and Pentlands as my next "local hills"... time to move north!
Thanks to RLC and Sgurr for the start point tip, it is definitely the easiest route to the top. Cheers!