Saline Hill and Easter Cairn, Saline

Summary

Saline Hill rises above the village of the same name in a quiet corner of Fife. Be aware that its ascent is a tough outing despite the distance - it lacks a formal path and is very rough going at times - usually with lots of livestock present. It can be very overgrown in places, and very boggy in others; the descent route is a little more straightforward The neighbouring summit of Easter Cairn is the site of an old fort, and the views are extensive.

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Mixed; short sections of minor road, track, various paths - some of them very overgrown at times. Very boggy in some fields. Pathless sections on the hill.

Getting there

Start

Saline car park.

Public Transport

Bus to Saline.

Start Grid Ref

NT022924

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 9.5km / 6 miles
Time: 3 - 4 hours
Ascent: 318m (Profile)

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Walk Description

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Stage 1

The walk begins from the parking area by the road junction at the centre of Saline. Begin by walking up North Road - which is opposite the parking area, signed for the cemetery, then almost immediately turn right onto Bridge Street. Note that the first section is very overgrown in places - you can avoid it by roadwalking as mentioned in the next stage. Continue past the cemetery and round a corner to the left, then turn right after a white cottage, heading along a tarred lane. When this bends right (to Killernie Farm), leave it and instead turn left through farm gate, heading across the hillside with a fence on your right.

Stage 2

This is the line of an old right of way. At the end of the first field cross a stile into the next one. At the end of that, go through a kissing gate to the right of a big tree, then continue now with a fence on your left. When there's a gate in the left side go through it, continuing between two fences. As the strip descends to a burn, use the stile on the fence on the left, then continue to a gate in the dip. The going can be overgrown and unpleasant if wet (this whole section can be omitted by heading further along the road and then joining the route via the track from Balgonar). Pass through another gate, now with a wall on your right. There's a short but very overgrown stretch of nettles to cross as the old route joins up with the track from Balgonar at a bend.

Stage 3

Turn right along the track - which is now a core path. After passing a barn it descends gently towards Sheardrum. Ignore the turning here on the left, and keep ahead through a gate. There's another gate to pass through; keep ahead and ignore the sheepfold on your right. Eventually the track bends right at a (locked) gate. Our route is straight on, but to cross the fence you need to divert left slightly to pass through an old farm gate. Continue along the line of the original route, passing between a copse on your left and a line of trees heading off right.

Stage 4

After the trees a track is met - go briefly right to head to a grassy embankment which was once the line of a railway, then head left along this. The masts on Knock Hill are prominent from here. Continue along the line, crossing a raised section with stone pillars. Shortly after this turn right to pass through a gate and head up the rough edge of the field. At the top go through another gate and turn right along a faint track, with a fence on your right. At a corner pass through the leftmost of the gates and continue into the gap between the Knock Hill and Easter Cairn. The ground can be very wet indeed in places - keep the fence on your left.

Stage 5

After around 500m leave the fence and turn right to head directly uphill towards Easter Cairn - there's a bit of track you can use initially but soon it is pathless. Looking back, Knock Hill looks impressive from here. Gain the ridgeline and continue up it with a fence on your left. Just before reaching the summit of Easter Cairn there's a fence, but stones placed at the fence corner act as a makeshift stile.

Stage 6

Cross this to reach the summit of Easter Cairn, which is surrounded by the earthworks of an ancient fort. Continue by the wall to descend towards the col below Saline Hill. A line of low crags is best descended right by the wall. Beyond the col, keep to the left side of the wall on the ascent of Saline Hill. There are stunning views of the Ochils from the summit.

Stage 7

Don't be tempted to continue along the ridge, instead retracing your steps back to the col (with Easter Cairn looking quite impressive). Now descend the open slopes to the right. These soon steepen and are pathless; you are aiming for a stile into a plantation of young native trees; the post by the stile is marked in orange. Cross this and head down through the planted area to reach another stile and orange post. Crossing this again, head down through the open meadow to the third and final orange-marked stile.

Stage 8

Cross this, turn left on the track beyond very briefly and then turn right onto a path behind the houses. This soon emerges on a wide grassy area; keep to the right edge until the path leads back into the woods. There are several variants on this final section, but all keep to the south side of the Saline Glen and its burn, sometimes in the trees, sometimes alongside. Eventually the path emerges near the junction in Saline at the start of the walk.

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