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Report on Kilpatrick Hills
23 January 2011
Today?s Craggys ? Gail, Irene, Michael N and Charlie
It has only been a few weeks since Gail and I were last up in the Kilpatrick Hills with others from the club but the weather that day was so poor we didn?t take any photos. Anyway due to my mishap 2 weeks ago when I broke my thumb sledging on my bivvi bag and with my hand now in plaster, we decided to re-visit the Kilpatrick Hills so that there would be less risk of me damaging myself any further.
Michael and his nephew Charlie joined us as they have now booked up to do the West Highland Way later in the year and needed the exercise. Michael was keen to show off his new jacket and boots anyway!
We parked at the gas pumping station just off the Erskine Bridge at 10:30am and took the single track road up the hill. This is a popular area for walkers, runners and mountain bikers as it is so close to Glasgow. The route eventually takes you to Loch Humphrey which is one of many lochs and reservoirs in the area. This is where the track ends but it is easy to follow the way to Duncolm Hill due to the amount of folk who have trampled over these hills.
Duncolm Hill gives good views and we could see Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps to the north still with a covering of snow. We could also see over to the Whangie which we will re-visit another day. The plan from here is to head to Doughnot Hill which is directly 2 km west. We crossed moorland passing Fyn Loch until we reached the forest and overlooking Black Linn Reservoir. Doughnot Hill seemed a distance away but we headed there anyway and were surprised how quickly we reached it. After a wee rest we headed back to the forest and picked up the Lang Craigs circular trail which brought us back to Loch Humphrey and within sight of the track.
At this point Michael shouted to us that he had left his expensive touch tone mobile phone on the trig at Doughnot Hill. Typical Michael, he would forget his head if it wasn?t screwed on!!!! He has lost numerous things over the years so leaving his phone came as no surprise. His wife CarolAnne had received a call from someone who had found it and said they would hand it into Dumbarton police Station then she tried to contact Charlie and myself until she managed to get us. So there were calls back and forth to the couple who found the phone and to another walker who let them use his phone to contact CarolAnne. Doughnot Hill is well named because Michael is such a Doughnut!!!!
Anyway we continued our route back to the car with Michael feeling a bit more relieved that the phone had been found by honest folk as he would have needed to go home and face CarolAnne. The views along the River Clyde and of the Erskine Bridge were good but could be better in a clearer day. I am sure we will visit these hills again as it is not too far to drive to.
Irene Cahill
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