Borders Sub2k raid Hill 5.....Rubers Law

Hill: Rubers Law

Type: Sub2k

Height: 424m

Rubers Law is a volcanic plug in the Borders and as a stand alone hill it is also another Iron Age hill fort. Seem to have visited quite a few hill forts around the country recently.

According to Wikipedia it was also a Roman Signal station. A Roman signal station on the hilltop may be inferred from the presence of many Roman dressed sandstone blocks on the hill, many decorated with a diamond pattern. The same pattern was found on stones at the Roman site of Castlecary on the Antonine Wall.

From my original plan I had intended to do this hill the following day but I had made good time so I reckoned I could get up and down before darkness.

Parking is in the small village of Denholm. It has a traditional village green as its centrepiece which is quaint, I cannot remember the last time I saw one like this. I followed the Walkhighlands route going anti-clockwise although I was not intending to do the full circuit.

I walked alongside the village green to reach the War Memorial then headed up the steepening road, no pavements, until I reached the electrical sub station where the track up the hill starts from although there is no signage to tell you so.

Followed the track until just before a field where a new track was on the right taking me up to the trees. Some tree replanting as well as a sign ‘deer management in progress’, in other words we are shooting them so flying bullets an option.

First view of the hill

Looking back a shaft of sunlight catches the Minto hills (another pair of volcanic plugs) and in the foreground the village of Denholm

There were a couple of stretches of woodland walking through an attractive native forest of mainly old Scotch Pine. Another small patch still hanging on in the Borders.

The track is mainly good going, bit boggy in places but it was going to get a whole lot worse.

Finally a sign

I enjoyed the woodland walk as groups of finches and tits were moving through the canopies. Had to be wary of time but it was a good chance to see them close up. I have seen more Goldcrest in the last few months than I think I have in my whole life.

Out of the trees the angle meant the hill had disappeared

Over the brow and the coos and the trig come into view

When I left the trees a gate was ahead but I had to cross a hump before I could see my target, the volcanic plug of Rubers Law. But also spotted on its top and flanks, it was not lava but a herd of cattle. The majority were browsing right at and just below the trig. When researching possible routes I had read a report where a walker had been charged by cattle on this hill so dilemma time.

I am respectful of cattle, not scared to walk through them but where possible I will give them a wide berth. These did not look like a pedigree breed, more of a typical hill cow. If they live on the hill all year round they are more feral than tame and can be unpredictable.

However, I decided to keep going upwards and reassess later, maybe they would have moved on.

The ‘path’ was now a quagmire of wet, deep mud and boggy stuff churned up by this herd. Throw in lots of droppings and you get the picture, not very pleasant with no way to avoid it.

Surrounding the trig

Got close but at the top of the gully I could not see anymore

Nearing the top I spotted a rough grassy track on my left, seemingly unused by the cattle, which I hoped would take me round them. It took me to the top and I managed to get almost level pegging with the height of the trig, which I could just see about 50 metres away. But the low winter sun that I was walking into was so blinding that I could not safely see. I could make out shapes of cows ahead of me but whether they were grazing or watching me I could not tell.

So, being on my own, I backed off to let my eyesight come back. Out of the glare I could see that one cow had followed me but was stationary, just looking. I could also see that if I got past it there were no others between me and the trig but 3 or 4 were just behind. However, I decided that on my own with darkness not far off it was not worth the risk. But I am bagging it on the basis that I was more or less at the summit height and was just a feartie today lol.

Freezing fog and Moffat hills

Decision made I was able to now breathe more easily, take in the view and take some snaps. Excellent views particularly to the west where the freezing fog still lingered and I believe that is some Moffat hills peaking out.

Golden hour light

I enjoyed the walk back and although the light was fading I got back to the car in time. Not the highest hill but one I will remember for a long time.

Some additional historical notes:

In the 17th century Alexander Peden may have preached to a conventicle of Covenanters from a chasm in the cliffs on Rubers Law which is known as Peden's Pulpit.[3][6] The restoration of King Charles II of Scotland in 1660 was followed by an attempt to impose Episcopal polity upon the Church of Scotland. The Covenanters were those who vigorously sought to maintain the Kirk's Presbyterian polity. Ministers ejected from the Kirk, like Peden, preached to illegal conventicles of their followers in the open air between 1660 and 1688.

On Easter Day in 2000 another open-air service of worship was held on the summit of Rubers Law. People from Bedrule, Denholm and Minto churches met there to commemorate both the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, and earlier Christians who had worshipped in that place. The event is recorded by a metal plate fixed to the summit rocks of the hill. Bedrule church holds a service of worship on Rubers Law each Easter Day.

Ascent: 368m

Distance: 7.3km

Time: 2.28

Wildlife: Treecreeper; Coal Tit; Goldcrest: Blue Tit; Great Tit; Siskin; Jay; Wren; Chaffinch

Borders Sub2k raid Hill 4.....Belling Hill

Hill: Belling Hill

Type: Sub2k

Height: 354m

From my planning I knew that this should be another up and down in no time hill. But it does count for a blue balloon on Walkhighlands so it had to be done. There are two options and I opted to start from the south at Falside where there is a big parking area.

Not sure why there all these bins as there are no houses on this side. Maybe nearby farms are told to use them as the big area easier for the refuse trucks.

Anyway up the decent track in an easterly direction with good views when it opens up. The track climbs gently heading north until it reaches the plantation.

A 3 way junction where I followed the main track westwards until it ran out. This was a nice section as the Crossbills were active in the upper trees.

Now the track is rough ground and very wet and boggy. There were horse tracks around so this could be churned up.

Although the rough track continued I noticed a slight deviation track into the trees, was this the forest break I wanted? Only one way to find out.

Yes was the answer as it soon opened up but was even wetter and boggier underfoot. Wished I had put on my gaiters. There was a loud crashing of branches which gave me a start, of course a clumsy woodie emerged.

It didn't take long to reach the stone dyke at its 90deg junction which marks the high point. If I had ascended from the north there is a newish tree plantation and a deer fence that you can see in the snap preventing you from getting to the true top without difficulty. The view along the wall to the distant hump is to Rubens Law, my next ramble it time permits.

From the high point it became obvious that there was another forest break track at this V junction which I suspect takes you back to the rough track, just further along. From the snap I was taking the left route.

Brighter light looking south towards The Cheviots

Much darker looking SW but the shafts of light highlighted the green field

I thought that I could get one more hill in today so it was simply a case of retracing my route back to the car, but enjoying the atmospheric vistas as the winter sun was playing beautiful light tricks.

Ascent: 62m

Distance: 2.2km

Time: 0.35

Wildlife: Red Crossbill; Goldcrest; Blue Tit; Wood Pigeon;

Borders Sub2k raid Hill 3.....Hownam Law

Hill: Hownam Law

Type: Sub2k

Height: 449m

The Borders flatlands are dotted with volcanic plugs so it is not surprising many of them are also historic hill forts. I have visited quite a few. Today was another such hill. This fort was 1^st identified in written format in the 1700’s. It was a significantly large structure, only 2^nd to the one on The Eildons so a significant hill fort.

The pointed top is Hownam Law

Room for only a single car so thankfully no else was here. A pair of Roe deer looked at me in disgust for spoiling their morning browsing before disappearing into the small copse of trees.

I had a good view of Hownam Law from the parking area before wandering up over the arched stone bridge and down to the farm.

Although on farm tracks the lower sections were a horrible gloopy mud fest and I lost count of the number of gates I had to open or climb.

A good gradient meant decent progress without sweaty stress. A very wide tyred tractor had chewed up the ground. It must have been heavy but no indicator of what it had been carrying.

Getting closer I was surprised at how much landslip had taken place on the slopes

Disturbed a flock of grazing fieldfare as I gained height and it was just me and the sheep. Or so I thought. 

Zoomed in on landslip exposing the volcanic rock and the coos

I spotted a head looking down at me and then one became a dozen, a herd of coos. I kept ascending and got a better look at them, they looked rough like a herd that remains out all year. There were lots of other cattle on the hills but they were all a smallish black variety a mainstay of the Borders. My lot were not interested in eating but continued to stare at me.

My detour all the way left this side of the dyke

I was walking up the side of a stone dyke which I could see turned right beside where they were standing, on the path to the top. I opted to cross over the dyke and head north to try to get to the back of the hill.

Of course my detour had fresh coo droppings, they were from the black ones but although they had spotted me they were lower down the hill and couldn’t be bothered with the effort to come up and annoy me.

Round the back of the hill I again clambered over the dyke and crossed the rough ground up to the trig. The dyke was probably along the boundaries of the lower outreaches of the hillfort.

Safely on the summit and the view to The Cheviots

Nice sun burst breaking through the clouds illuminating the landscape

Of course a magnificent long distance view particularly of any invaders coming from the English side, probably Romans or even built by the Romans but maybe even earlier.

Descending heading for the strip of trees

The descent was simply a case of back via the same route where from on high I enjoyed watching a sheep round up on nearby hills. Two people on quad bikes with a dog each, flying up and down the hills, lots of shouting and whistling, a working session for them but a pleasure for me.

A lovely crisp winter ramble without any snow, ideal.

Ascent: 392m

Distance: 6.6km

Time: 1.56

Wildlife: Buzzard; Raven; Roe Deer (2); Jackdaw: Rook: Fieldfare 30+; Crow

Borders Sub2k raid Hill 2.....Linton Hill

Hill: Linton Hill

Type: Sub2k

Height: 282m

After my short ramble up Sell Moor Hill I drove to Linton Hill which is another Cheviot foothill, to be found on the narrow back roads between Kelso and Town Yetholm. 

The mast visible top left

I parked on a muddy section on the side road across from the War Memorial, closely watched by the occupant of a nearby house who stayed at her window until I had walked away. 

Escaping the watcher I crossed the road and headed up the hard packed track which initially leads to a farming related garage/workshop before continuing uphill to the farm buildings which are adorned with squirrel ornaments. Indeed a grey one ran across the yard, had hoped it might have been a red.

Could have headed for the trees but stayed on the track

Then the track became more of a muddy tractor trail with a couple of gates to negotiate/climb over.

I spotted some cattle on the brow of the hill and they had spotted me. Two of which did some stiff legged jumps and ran around a bit. Flighty youngsters I thought and as I had another field beside me a slight detour seemed the obvious move.

Heading diagonally to the top corner

I thought the field was empty but there were fresh coo pats and as it was an undulating field I was on high alert in case I stumbled across some over a brow.

But as it turned out there was no issues other than there was high dyke running the length of the field with electric wires on each side which I had to get over at some point. Thankfully at the top corner there was another climbing gate.

What have you done with our mate?

Still trying to hide

Once again the next track had more fresh coo droppings so still looking around as I headed for the mast. I disturbed a flock of sheep who all went one direction apart from the village idiot who was now confused and separated from its mates.

The Eildons are never far away. Must be one of the most notable profiles

After having a look over the lovely countryside and the obligatory Eildons I reached the mast. Wandering round it I found the trig which was hidden behind it.

Zoomed in I think the right cairn is The Cheviot

Panoramic over Kirk Yetholm to The Cheviot range 

Nice views particularly across to the nearby Cheviot Hills, England is very close. With these 360 degree views it was no surprise that this was another Iron Age hillfort but most of which was destroyed by farming in the 1700’s so nothing to see. Just used my imagination.

Hownam Law on the left

Upon leaving the top I noticed an isolated group of Scotch Pines, not so frequent in the Borders. Also spotted on the left of the trees is Hownam Law which I hoped to do tomorrow.

As I clambered over a gate I noticed the farmer had dumped a fresh stack of hay right beside it. It was not there earlier. Coincidence or deliberate but luckily for me the coos had not yet worked out that it was there.

Glad I fitted it in today, a pleasant wee ramble with good views.

Ascent: 189m

Distance: 4.8km

Time: 1.19

Wildlife: Rook; Pheasant (m+f); Blue Tit; Wren; Crow; Blackbird; Wood Pigeon; Grey Squirrel;