Larg Hill a wet and woddy obstacle course

Hill: Larg Hill
Category: Donald
Height: 676m
The year is definitely moving towards its conclusion. It was still darkness when the first alarm, wrist watch on vibration, woke me but no problem straight out of bed. Looking forward to a new hill with new walkers, happy times. Plus remembered to switch off the other one or the good lady would not be happy.
We started from the signed bird watching/nature trail into Cree Woods, a Jay flew into the trees, a good start.

Surprised to see smoke coming out of a cottage in the middle of nowhere on a narrow muddy boggy track. A brief chat with the man renovating it before heading onwards into the woods.

Looks grassy but very muddy hills ahead

Out of the woods onto an open area, that means deforested landscape and followed a track until we reached a dead end.

Track ends abruptly

We had hoped for a firebreak, must have missed it, but nope into the darkness. Actually it was multi shades of green, grass, moss you name it even green trees. 

Climbing time

Fallen trees to negotiate but all part of the fun. The root areas were deep gloop holes so going around not an option.

Finally out of the plantation and we were now on the slopes of Black Gairy Hill and it was taps off, really warm, but that was soon to change. 

Punch Well Brae and Larg Hill, cloud descending

The grassy tussocky moor terrain up to Punch Well Brae and then just keep walking upwards until you reach the junction of two stone walls. The main stone dyke could be used if weather poor.

The clouds had descended, cold and drizzly, taps back on.

Larg hill cairn

 We were slightly too far but could see a cairn which of course as we approached we could see another bigger one in the gloom, this was the summit of Larg Hill.

We intended to return via Craignaw but dropped too low and were too lazy to go back up it.

We went into the plantation just here the Hags await

We could see a fire break and a dyke which surely would take us back to the outbound track, a BIG mistake. It did but not the way we would have liked.

Typical dyke abandoned and going nowhere

There are huge amounts of stone wall dykes around, clearly in the past the land owners had plenty of cash to spare and men to do the building.

The odd area good walking but short sections few and far between

Our descent route took us through a forest area called the Hags of Borgan. The name doesn’t sound complimentary and of course it wasn’t. There is no doubt that this was the longest, wettest, muddiest bogfest I have walked through. You just had to laugh and lots of black humour. The moss was just a cover hiding a mud filled wet hole up to the calves at least. And the smell it released, wow.

We followed the burn most of the way

It was with some relief when we finally reached the track but we still had another hours walking to get back to the cars. It felt a long way.

Overall it was still a good day out, met some lovely people and bagged a new hill, success.
Now for that cold beer, this one has been earned.


Wildlife: Raven; Snipe; Buzzard; Jay; Red deer
Time: 5.57
Ascent: 713m
Distance: 20.2km