Highstown Hill

 Hill: Hightown Hill

Type: Sub2k

Height: 250m

Walkhighlands description ‘Hightown Hill is the highest point of the rolling countryside northeast of Dumfries. Or is it? A survey has shown that adjacent White Hill is the same height. Best climb both these summits to be sure of bagging this one’. Mmhh.

I was heading to Moffat to blue tick Scaw’d Fell and took the opportunity to tick off this tiddler as well. A slight diversion via the Dumfries road so not too far out of the way. The temperature never rose out of sub zero numbers but the main roads were fine even if my screen wash was obvious at summer settings. The hill is so short that it makes you wonder the validity of some of these lists, but a Sub2k it is so I did it.

Hightown hill is located in the middle of extensive farmland so getting parked on these single track roads is a bigger challenge than the climbing the hill, particularly with very wide farm equipment coming by.

So a six point turn, parked as close to the hedge as I could get and the walk was on.

Climbed the gate as it had a combination lock and headed across the field to the next gate. Big holes indicated cattle had been here but thankfully not today. Climbed the next gate and plodded up the grassy slopes. Light snow was falling but no issues. A huge flock of starlings rose and noisily flew round the other side.

Criffel rising out of the mist

Reached the cairn where there are nice views particularly looking over towards Criffel.

Another hill fort to bag!

Across the way lies the aforementioned White Hill. All the maps I looked at have it as lower than Hightown but as it had taken no time to get up Hightown I might as well do them both. Another attraction is that is marked on the map as the ruins of a hill fort.

Do the slopes like like structures? Electric fence ahead 

As I went down the slope I could see a hole in the dyke but could also see a fence behind it, maybe there is a gap, nope. Touched the top wire and got a significant electrical pulse so glad I had no rucksack and squeezed my large frame through the middle wires.

View back to Highstone Hill

Up to the top of White Hill where two stones marks its top and a flock of sheep that seem unconcerned by my presence. Little evidence to my untrained eye of the fort. Anyway, that is both climbed just in case so I can confidently get my blue tick. It does have a slightly better all round view to justify its hill fort status.

Avoided the electric fence on my descent by heading to an ATV track which leads back to the farm. But with hindsight I should have stuck to the fields. This track is alternatively hard rutted or boggy, not easy walking. But I did flush a snipe at two different points close to each other but not the same bird. Both took off silently rising on a S shaped manoeuvre, like a fighter plane avoiding being hit.

The tricky bit 

At the farm I followed the road back to the car. This was the hardest part of the walk as the road had a solid coating of ice and it was all downhill. Survived. Another short ramble but at least rewarded with another blue tick.

Now, I have an appointment with the Lowland Brewery at Lockerbie, if I can get out of the maze of these country roads. Not quite sure that hill ramble deserves a beer but lack of height/distance/time has never stopped me so far. Cheers.

Ascent: 162m

Distance: 2.3km

Time: 0.47

Wildlife: Starling 50+, Snipe, Meadow Pipit