Angus Coast Walk 25/02/17

Another change of direction this weekend, a great sunny 7.5 mile circular route starting off in Ferryden by Montrose around the coast to Scurdie Ness then to Boddin Point before heading back inland down into Ferryden.

Entrance to Montrose Harbour

Second World War defensive Pill Box

Scurdie Ness lighthouse

Lesley admiring the view

A rainbow arcing over Scurdie Ness Lighthouse

Elephant Rock

 The Rock of St Skeoch, locally pronounced St Skae and more usually known as the Elephant Rock is a volcanic dyke eroded into the shape of an elephant by the sea.

Boddin Point

The kilns were built during a period when agrarian improvements and enclosure created an enormous demand for lime, which was used until the late 19th century to reduce acidity and improve the workability and drainage properties of heavy clay soils.
The Second Statistical Account (1835) notes that limestone was first extracted from the headland at Boddin in 1696 and that the lime workings were abandoned in 1831. Three kiln bowls are depicted on the First Edition Ordnance survey map of 1865. Today, two of the kilns are clearly visible; the third kiln is now almost completely buried within an earthwork mound. The visible structures consist of a 4-draw kiln and a 3-draw kiln and these are thought to have been constructed c. 1750 by Robert Scott of Dunninald.   

5 Sidlaw Hill Walk Weekend 19 & 20/02/17

Another East versus West as far as the weather was concerned this weekend, the East won.
On Saturday we travelled to Balkello Community woodland carpark to start our Saturday 5 mile walk to Auchterhouse Hill Fort, Balkello Hill, Craigowl Hill and Balluderon Hill, pretty steep climbs in places but it was great to feel some sunshine warmth on your face. Sundays walk was from Newtyle to Kinpurney Hill and Observatory Tower, just about T shirt weather on the way up, very blustery up top, plenty sunny views all around.

Lesley in the Auchterhouse Hill Fort

Looking back to Auchterhouse Hill

Craigowl Hill in the distance

Lesley & Sitka on top of Balkello Hill at the Sydney Scroggie memorial

 Sydney Scroggie memorial

Only those with a passion for the hills will understand why a blind, one-legged man would want to continue mountaineering after an accident that left him in such a debilitated state. But Syd Scroggie was not one who succumbed easily in the face of adversity, and his devotion for mountains, especially those of Scotland, was etched into his soul. The incident that deprived Scroggie of his sight and the lower part of his leg came during the Italian Campaign in the Second World War. He was a lieutenant in Lord Lovat's Scouts - a ski-mountaineering regiment for which, with his climbing skills, Scroggie was well suited, having participated before the war in first ascents of routes on Lochnagar and Ben Nevis. Among other places, the soldiers trained at the School of Mountain Warfare, then in existence in the Cairngorms. Scroggie, aged just 25, was involved in action against elite German mountain troops on the Gesso Ridge, in April 1945 - only weeks before the end of the war - when he stood on an anti-personnel mine that blew off his leg and blinded him. The last thing he remembered seeing was the mountains of Italy and the azure blue Italian skies. But rather than marking an end to his mountaineering, the accident began a remarkable and inspirational period which lasted the rest of his life. That Syd Scroggie's response to his devastating injuries was going to be different from what we might expect, came in a report from one of his fellow patients in the Naples hospital where he was treated after the accident. The patient recalled that he'd heard a lot of noise from an adjoining ward and went to investigate. What he found was Scroggie, surrounded by patients with whom he was laughing and joking. Already he was beginning to inspire those around him with his positive attitude to his physical loss. "I can do without my eyes," he reflected, not long after his accident, "but I can't do without my mountains."

A lonely tree

 Rain heading our way

Dundee to Fife road & rail bridges

Trig point and TV mast

Sunday Kinpurney Hill Walk

Another tree

Kinpurney Tower is one of the most prominent landmarks in Angus. Built on the summit of Kinpurney Hill, above Newtyle, in 1774 by local landowner James McKenzie, it originally housed an observatory. Now an empty stone shell, it is the destination for this strenuous yet rewarding hike.

Sitka sizing up the tower

Photo opportunity

Lesley posing in the window :-)

Sitka and Lesley posing in the sunshine

Allean Forest Walk 12/02/17

To round off the weekend we looked for a shorter walk nearer home, we found a waymarked walk around the Allean Forest not far from the Queen's View by Pitlochry. A biting cold wind but dry and scenic.

Kirkton Glen, Balquidder Walk 11/02/17

Wet and cloudy weather forecast for the East and North this weekend, it looked better over to the West so we headed to Balquidder in search of sunshine. The Kirkton Glen walk starts at Balquidder Parish Church which houses Rob Roy's grave, Scottish outlaw and folk hero, worth a look round if you are over that way. A brilliant 5 mile walk in mostly sunshine, we couldn't have asked for a better day out in February.

Lesley and Sitka leading the way

Sitka in his element

Lesley's old school gps, a big red arrow