A failed Craig

Hill: Lime Craig circuit, near Aberfoyle to Craig of Category: Sub2K Height: 400m

On my way up I decided to take a small detour to try out my new boots. Well not that new but they have not had an outdoor outing.

A quick look at the map and I found the ideal Sub2k from Aberfoyle, Craig of Monievreckie. Well, that was the plan and as it turned out a quick glance at the map is not always the best.

With the new boots laced up tightly I started from The Lodge car park and followed the Lime Craig trail.

What can you see in the picture?

Initially this is a forest walk with lots of sculptures and things to keep kids happy.

A few people around but I soon lost them as I headed up the steepening red marked trail.

Perfect blue skies

It was a beautiful morning and the autumn colours just stunning at times combined with a vivid blue sky. Nice waterfall.

As I climbed I heard rather than saw much bird life but one exception a stunning male bullfinch was low down, a while since I have seen one.

Autumn colours stunning

The track twists and turns through the trees with many cross junctions just as well there are red marked posts as I had not plotted a route.

At the furthest end of the red trail there is the option of a steep ascent to a viewpoint which I wanted to use as the platform to get me to the Sub2k. Standing on the top and the OS map shows a mast, now gone, just a concrete platform how old is the map?

Stob Binnein with Ben more behind

Still have a good look around. Last week's Stob Binnein looks to have more snow on it. Ben Lomond also well covered, a great contrast with the trees and bracken.

Enough of the views what about my sub? However, failing to plan is planning to fail. I could see where I wanted to be but the terrain looked awful. From the OS map I thought I would be going along a flattish top. The problem was not the height but the head high ferns and hidden holes. I started up beside an old fence but this was not safe, I was on my own, no poles for support.

Craig of Monievreckie in distance

Back to the viewpoint from where I could see a head bobbing along going up the damned sub. With the binos I could see he was on a track through the bracken coming up from the other side of Aberfoyle. There were a few curses.

Later, when I looked at some walk postings and their mapped routes I realised I was not a million miles away from the trail the walker had taken but it does not show on my OS map. Had I taken a GPS route no doubt I would have gone for it.

Warming leaves

Still the hill will be there for another day and the boots were fine. The weather was great and the views stunning.

Tomorrow will be a different day and I might see some of that snow action.

Wildlife: Bullfinch;  Jay; Wren; Blackbird; Redwing; Greenfinch; Robin; Treecreeper.
Time: 2.01
Ascent: ft (319m)

Distance: m (7.4km)