Hill: Lamberton Hill
Type: Sub2k
Height: 217m
It was the time to get my To-Do list moving, to kick out of my winter malaise and get my Mo-Jo going. With the weather still being mixed the better forecast was for the east of the country so I decided to get started with a Borders raid on 2 small Sub2k’s.
The easiest way to get to the start of Lamberton was heading up to Glasgow, across to Edinburgh and down the A1 almost to England. At least it was motorway/dual carriage way for most of the trip and without traffic issues, so far so good.
It wasn’t a concern as such but as I travelled eastwards the clouds were a lot more threatening than the forecast had suggested, with the car being buffeted by the high winds, interesting.
Walkhighlands ‘Lamberton Hill joined the ranks of the Marilyn’s following a resurvey on 7th June 2013. It is set in enclosed pastures not far from the border with England’.
Lamberton Hill is definitely in the top percentile of easiest Sub2k’s and another that raises the eyebrows, why did it get its categorisation? But not for me to debate, I am just bagging the Walkhighlands blue balloons so it has to be done. But read on it is not without interest and the locale is not just a farmers field.
The other reason for getting it done early is because the top lies in the middle of a big field which from previous reports is often full of cattle along with the odd bull! I hoped that lot would still be in their barns. When the coos are involved I always look for the easy option.
No easy obvious parking on the single track road so fully pulled on to the grassy verge just in case a tractor came by as not much room and I can do without a scratched car.
That wind I mentioned earlier was indeed much stronger and much colder than I expected so even though it was a short walk I was dressed accordingly.
No sign of any cattle so I jumped the fence and headed up the grassy slopes, staying close to the fence just in case they appeared. But this fence was electrified so I had my gloves on not just for the cold.
Alert signalled, I spotted some movement but it was just 3 tups. By god they are of the ugly variety but as they had done their job months earlier, testosterone would be low and they only saw me as a food provider, not danger.
Monitoring post & trig
The field I was in does lead to the unmarked high point of Lamberton Hill. But to confuse things there is another field on my right which has a trig point but according to the map is 2 metres lower. This might be Ayton Hill.
As I had no time barriers I took the opportunity to visit the trig just in case.
Before the trig was an interesting construction which is the remains of a Royal Observer Corps monitoring post. A Cold War relic for monitoring planes and radiation and there will be an underground complex below it, now sealed off.
Not even a stone to mark it. Plenty of dried cattle dung so if you come to bag at the wrong time they will be here as well.
There was a further reason to be interested as next to this field is the remains of an iron age hill fort (Habchester). Estimated to be between 2000 and 2500 years old. I do like standing at historical sites letting the mind and imagination wander, what was it like?
The kind farmer has recently planted a line of trees between it and the field. Most of the plastic tubes had something protruding from the top so hopefully successful. But he has put a double electrified wire fence on either side of the plantings and the only wooden styles have barbed wire on the tops, nice one.
I wandered down the field and did find a gate that let me into the forts. There are two clear structures with a walkway/ditch in between them. The remainder of the fort on the lower slopes presumably flattened by years of farming. The views east and north are superb for the fort but I suspect there must be another one close to give warnings of attacks from the SW. Still as said always good to stand at points of history and let your thoughts roam.
Back down to the car with views over to the see with the fields being used as a pig farm. Takes me back a few months to Moray.
Glad to get out of the wind and sheltered back in the car. As rambles go short and sweet but the monitoring post and hill fort certainly added to the history, education and enjoyment as well as bagging possibly the most eastern hill on the Scottish mainland, if not 1st at least 2nd.
Not too shabby at all for a nondescript hill that most people would turn their noses up at. I enjoyed my ramble with history.
Ascent: 103m
Distance: 2.1k
Time: 0.41min
Wildlife: Kestrel; Meadow Pipit;
