Sub 2k Marilyns: Duncolm
Date: 20/06/2020.
Distance: 11km.
Ascent: 430m.
Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes.
Weather: Warm and sunny
Plus a 31 mile cycle from home.

Time to head out to another local hill. The selection isn't massive, and given that Jackie wasn't feeling confident enough to do something too long or rough yet, Duncolm seemed like the most obvious place to go. We stuck to cycling there - this makes a decent day of things even when the walking part of things is fairly short. Also the carpark (and roads nearby) were absolutely heaving, so it was a sensible decision to leave the car at home (not even sure if it will start anyway - it hasn't moved since the middle of March!)

A little over an hour on the bike took us through Clydebank, onto the canal and past the usual parking area on this side of the Kilpatricks. Being on the bikes, we could carry on up the hill past Drums farm and beyond the end of the tarmac. This part was absolutely heaving - doubt it has ever been this busy.


Cycling map


On the canal, approaching the Erskine Bridge


Clyde from above Drums

Ditching the bikes at the start of our preferred path up the Slacks, we soon left the majority of the people behind as we wound up through the woods. This hillside is lovely, with a great view over the Clyde and back to Glasgow.



Busy on the normal route to Loch Humphrey


Time to start walking

Passing a couple of mountain bikers on the summit of the Slacks, we dropped down to the Loch Humphrey track and back to the crowds. Unsurprisingly these thinned out again as we left the end of the gravel track for the rougher path over to Duncolm.


Nice vegetation lower down


On our way up the Slacks


Slacks moorland


Campsies from the Slacks


Loch Humphrey

The final pull to the summit is satisfyingly steep, and we arrived just in time for a long lunch break. The view down Loch Lomond from here is great - first time I've seen more than a glimpse of it in months.


Loch Lomond and the big hills


Burncrooks Reservoir and the Whangie

On our way back, we decided to take in Middle and Little Duncolm for the extra exercise. Jackie's general fitness didn't seem bad at all, but she was more concerned about a couple of specific injuries flaring up again, which is why we hadn't opted for anything more strenuous (I had my eye on a longer Campsies circuit). Although I hadn't done any walking much before the beginning of June, I wasn't too concerned about my own fitness. I had a similar layoff from the hills in 2011 when I worked in the Middle East for a couple of months, and I've managed a lot more exercise recently than I did then. Similarly in 2001, I had a couple of months off due to Foot and Mouth - I vaguely remember doing some cycling, but nowhere near as much as I've done this time. I also remember being rather sore on the first hillwalk after that (Sgurr nan Eag from Coruisk) but that was soon remedied by going up more hills.


Big hills of Arrochar again

Little Duncolm in particular provided some introductory rough terrain for Jackie's knee, but not too much of it, and we were soon back at Loch Humphrey.


Duncolm from Middle Duncolm


Dumgoyne standing out against the Campsies

We were just going to drop back to the bikes by the vehicle track but I spotted a path heading along the edge above us. This turned out to be a lovely way back down, and much quieter too.


Firth of Clyde


Firth


Descending with Glasgow ahead


Almost back at the bike

The bell was required frequently on the cycle back down to Old Kilpatrick, at which point we decided to cross the Erskine Bridge to complete our regular cycling circuit, rather than just pedalling home the same way as we had come.