Hill: Hunt Law
Type: Donald Top
Height: 639m
After a superb
breakfast at the excellent Queensberry B&B in Moffat, a good
option if staying over, I made the short drive north to the Manor
Hills. It was a grey sky but still a lovely drive through these
rolling border hills. As I passed the Devils Beeftub I spotted a big bird in the sky, immediate
thought Golden Eagle but by the time I safely stopped and got the
binos out I saw it no more. As 40 birds have now been released in this area there was a good chance of it being an eagle.
My walk objective
was to pick off another Donald Top, this time Hunt Law, an outlier of
Cramalt Craig. I remember doing CC with Broad Law from the Meggat
stone but the onward rough ground and then the trek back was too much for
that outing but no hardship to have to come back and bag it on its
own via a new route.
During my planning I identified 4 different options and I hummed and hawed over
making this a bike/hike. I couldn't find any reports using my planned
route, there's a surprise, and I was concerned about potential
gates/fences that I could not get the bike over. As it turned out it
would have been ideal for the bike but heehaw.
|
The bridge over the River Tweed at the start |
I parked up at a
convenient layby opposite my start point where I crossed the bridge
over the River Tweed at Patervan Farm. The OS map suggested an on-off
grassy farm track at the beginning but aerial maps appeared to show a
timber route and indeed this was the case. This goes for about 2
miles circling Polmood Hill before reaching an open area at the base
of Birkside Law. |
Texel sheep |
This is sheep
country and there were plenty of them about. Most were traditional breeds but the 1st ones I encountered was this pair of Texel sheep. I love the attitude they give out, always think they are ready for a scrap, probably with me lol. |
The winding track, Hunt Law at the back |
|
Palmood burn |
|
Broad mass of Hunt Law |
Apart from the sheep
shooting pheasant and red grouse appears to be the economics of this
place. The grassy track became a new rough ground ATV track as it
rose taking me to the rear of Hunt Law. |
View West to Culter Fell/Tinto |
|
View NE Pentlands just peaking through |
The main view is dominated by
the Corbett of Broad Law and the demoted Corbett of Cramalt Craig.
Although only 4 metres shorter than Broad Law its descent was
measured at 146m and not the 150m required for Corbett status, small
things do matter to some. |
The mast on top of Broad Law |
It surprised me how
this hidden side of the Manor Hills is devoted to grouse shooting, I
am surrounded by a vista of patchwork heather. Not at all evident
from the Meggat side or indeed any other side. It gave me a moments
pause to think about the many acres of shooting moorland I have
tramped across and question just how many people shoot for a so
called pastime, a lot more than I would like to think. |
Patchwork grouse moors |
At this point I
would have left my bike and walked the remaining 40 metres of ascent
up a grassy slightly eroded ATV track to the top. Fairly short
distance but nice views over the wind turbines to Culter Fell.
Through the gap in the Drumelzier hills could be spotted some
Pentland tops. And behind me the aforementioned grouse moors and
Broad Law.
|
Spotted quite a few of these but thankfully empty of mustelids
A gentle saunter back the same way spotting a few traps, wouldn't be a grouse moor without them but thankfully empty. Had a look at this enclosure, not sure if it was a corvid/raptor trap but the skies were certainly absent of them. |
|
Birkside Law's steep slopes
On the walk out Birkside Law was prominent and looked a much more shapely hill than Hunt Law, more deserving of recognition I thought. |
|
Fly Agaric mushroom |
Under the trees I spotted a large fungi patch dominated by the Fly Agaric. Interesting how many had a clean cut wedge out of them with no sign of the wedge. I don't know a lot about mushrooms but I know red is normally dangerous and these definitely are.
Suddenly I was
stopped in my tracks by the sound I had hoped to hear. A stag roaring
but only a couple of times. I stood for 5 minutes but no more roaring. Where
are you? I began to question myself but I knew what I heard, probably on the top of the hill or in the trees, even other side of the hills. No sighting, just the sound of the
roar, unforgettable and the highlight of my day.
Ascent: 471m
Distance: 13.8km
Time: 3.12
Wildlife: Buzzard;
Pheasant: Red Grouse; Grey Heron; Wren; Robin; Great Tit
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