First walk of the year is Merlin's circuit....Pykestone Hill to Drumelzeir Law

Hill: Pykestone Hill; Middle Hill; Drumelzier Hill
Category: Donald x 3
Height: circa 800m

How to find Merlin's grave

Three days into the New Year and it is great to be out with friends to get our first hills of the year achieved. Thankfully these rolling border hills are close enough together to allow us to bag a few together.
The start of our walk is from Drumelzier where the mighty wizard Merlin is allegedly buried. There is a plaque marking the spot but it is off our route so not an objective for today. But it is very possible that he tramped these same hills.
We would normally have our first walk on the 2nd but the forecast was bad for yesterday. Today should be dry but cloudy and possibly very high winds.
We planned a clockwise ascent heading for Pykestone Hill as our first top.
Good weather when we started our walk by crossing the half hidden footbridge and going up behind the cottage, they must get fed up of walkers passing their windows.

Looking over to the ascent of Pykestone, through V in trees and follow grassy track

We initially followed the burn but backtracked and crossed the burn at the first bridge. It turned out there was another footbridge further on. We followed the wide, soft grass track up towards Pykestone Hill. What a joy to walk on.

Heading for the trees, Pykestone left & Drumelzeir on right.

The low sun did hinder photos but looking to our side we are flanked by the steep slopes of Drumelzier Law. Looking through the gap, in the distance, the ariel on Broad Law and a few others big and small.

We caught the group ahead at Pykestone trig

A nice climbing gradient but a very chilly wind, time to get hat and gloves on.
Before you know it Pykestone Hill trig is reached. 

Looking back to the trig from the cairn

There is a small cairn about 100 metres away, is it higher? Just in case I crossed the fence and went over but GPS suggests it is two metres lower.
Great views particularly looking back. The nearby hills have cloud cover and some rain but down towards Peebles and the east the sun is shining.
Now we are on the fenceline and the boggy section is the next portion although to be fair I expected worse. The weather briefly catches us with some sleet and hail but it is short lived. The Thief's Road path can be seen climbing up the flanks of Dollar Law but the top disappears in cloud. It can be added on to this route but we leave it for another day. Our walk continued towards Long Grain Knowe, where I realised that my GPS watch has slipped off my wrist. I last looked at it just below Pykestone Hill but it could be anywhere since, a few curses.

Middle Hill summit looking to Culter Fell

Followed the fence to Middle Hill crossing over said fence to the summit marker posts. Still enjoying the views.

From Middle Hill looking at the cone shape of Drumelzeir Law

We backtrack at an angle heading for the shepherd's cairn to hide behind for a brief refreshment stop. Feel like temperature in the wind must be close to minus figures.

There is a descent first!!

The descent and climb up Drumelzier Law looks imposing from here but the reality is fine. The only one of these hills today with a true mountain shape.

First cairn on Drumelzeir Law

The first cairn reached is superior to the higher one slightly further up the hill.
This is a super viewpoint looking far and wide and taking in all of our route.

The valley and road to Moffat, Worm Hill on right

Looking down the green valley and across to Worm Hill there is a very large cairn for a small hill on top. Later find out it is a prehistoric ritual & funeral cairn. Looks a wee toughie to climb, doubt they held many rituals up there. If you take a look at the OS map there are numerous forts and settlements around here.

Sun briefly comes out looking over to the Broughton hills

A slightly meandering descent allows us time to take in the impressive views before meeting up with the outward track.
The rains come on for a brief soaking but we have been lucky today.
First walk of the year and if I enjoy them all as much it will be another good year.

Wildlife: Red Grouse; Meadow Pipit; Wood Pigeon.
Time: 4.37
Ascent: 1026m
Distance: 16.3km