Blaeloch Hill

It was a brilliant but cold blue sky morning and my dilemma was whether to climb Kaim hill from a different direction than my previous blog or try its neighbour Blaeloch hill. I felt that it was just too close to my last attempt at Kaim hill so opted for Blaeloch.
If you want it to be, this could be one of the easiest hills to tick off. I did not realise at the time that you can follow the windfarm hard packed route almost all the way to the summit, but, unless you are in a hurry, or not fit enough for moorland tramping, then I suggest don't.

The track ahead Brown hill on left

I parked the car at the wind farm entrance, parking for about a dozen cars as cars can go no further, and with a pretty cold icy wind blowing. Starting at this level you have far less climbing to do, one bonus. Well dressed I set off up the track. The sun was so low in the sky that it was difficult to look too far ahead. Also apologies for photo quality, not the best in today's light. I intended to follow the track round the back of Brown Hill then go off track. Going round the hill I squinted up and I could see what looked like a trig/cairn up to my right. 

False summit and typical moorland walking terrain

It seemed a bit soon but after a mile or so I just picked a spot and left the track to aim for the cairn. Being stupid today I had not brought my walking poles so I picked my way carefully through the moorland tussocks. One advantage of a very cold night was that a lot of the boggy stuff had firmed up so walking wasn't too bad although I imagine that this could be a very different walking surface at other times. There is no tourist track so just find a sheep track and follow until it vanishes and then try and find another.

The faint track & to the true summit

I was concerned that there might be grazing hill cattle but thankfully only sheep today. I spot a shepherd's quad bike trail and follow this for a while until the the cairn comes into view and the tracks disappears. A quick pull up and I am there but as expected it is a false summit, I can see what I think is the real one in the distance. Why build a stone cairn here, it must mean something to someone I suppose.
There are good views back the way but north and west are shrouded in cloud and mist, which is a disappointment.
Now there is a thinly marked trail, more prominent than a sheep trail and for a while making the walking easier but still plenty of wet patches to get across.

Suddenly I see debris ahead and think an old tractor has been abandoned. Closer up it is clearly aeroplane debris, some significant pieces. On inspection the crater where it hit is clear to see. Time for a moment's reflection that someone obviously died here, was it bad weather, lost in cloud and mist, who knows but thought provoking.

Blaeloch cairn

Now I see the what I presume is the Blae loch, it is not very big, a lochan would be my more accurate description. Then a short clamber up to the cairned summit of Blaeloch hill. I can imagine that the views from here would be stunning out to the west in better conditions. The way the hill is angled you cannot see down to either Largs or Fairlie but you do see Cumbrae. To the south Kaim Hill stands clearly and behind me the wind farm and its turbines, the blades of all bar one rotating away, more profits for the Spaniards or whoever owns them but no cheap power for us. I sit and have my lunch with these out of sight.

Don't look this way

Also I now spot, a very short distance away, the marker post for the Fairlie walk which joins up with the Kaim hill walk in a previous blog. A hop skip and a jump and it's the wind farm road. So, as mentioned earlier, you can walk almost the whole way.

On the leisurely wander down there are good views north, including more hills in the Clyde Muirshiel regional park, one of which, Hill of Stake, is on my to-do list.
Following the track back down I reflect on how little wildlife I have seen today, a couple of ravens and a calling pheasant low down. But not one of the expected moorland birds whatsoever, not even a call, surely that can only be down to the environmental damage caused by the wind farm.

When almost at the carpark I look across to the small hills opposite and see a line of 4 buzzards holding station looking for voles etc. 3 pairs of raven can also be seen. Worth reflecting life across the road, none this side.
So a short but interesting and worthwhile day. If you want a rather more strenuous outing the hill can be climbed along with Kaim Hill but better if another car was parked at the Fairlie end. My own days climbing was only just over 700 feet but it was a good walk on a cold spring day. It's full altitude is 407 metres so I covered about half of it. Blaeloch is classed as a sub 2000 hill.

The impact crater & debris

PS: an internet search confirmed the air crash as a Fairey Firefly which took off from Ayr on a navigation exercise in Oct 1944, never to return. Both aircrew were killed.