A more straightforward than expected ramble.....Blackwood Hill

Hill: Blackwood Hill (Anton Fell)

Type: Sub2k

Height: 447m

My second hill of the day only 10 minutes drive from Larriston.

View of Blackwood Hill from my descent from Larriston

The route I had chosen was based on a Walkhighlands route but that was 6 years old. Looking at the hillside from my descent from Larriston I could see that it had been deforested and my planned route would no longer be valid. However, I could see a possible track through the deforested section but whether it would be any good time would tell when I got nearer. If not Plan B was to do it tomorrow from the other side but I would have to investigate where to start from.

So sticking to Plan A I arrived on a minor single track road at a gated forestry entrance. I had read that this gate was never locked and you could drive up to the old railway line where there was a parking space at the side of the track. The gate was open, my legs were tired so I took the chance and drove up and the parking area was there.

After the Baltic winds up on Garriston it was back to warmth at ground level. Nevertheless the rucksack had been topped up with warmer gear just in case but it was only a short ramble so toughen up I told myself.

1st glimpse of the ridge

Another hard packed track along the old railway line towards Riccarton Junction. There are old trains and stuff at the junction. There were roads around here even before the train the railway was the thing. Indeed if you were using solely to go church on Sundays there was no charge.

A longer zig zag than I had anticipated before I was at the start of that trail I had seen from a distance.

Cross Country time

From below it seemed worth a risk of a broken ankle etc but I was still unsure if it would go all the way. But I was here so decided to go for it.

It was not a track as such but a small divide between the newly planted area and the deforested section. A lot of wooden debris scattered about, tried my best to avoid standing on larger wooden pieces in case they were rotted and broke with my weight.

Legs were feeling a bit heavy but I made good progress and the upper fence line was soon reached.

The high point is where the moor turns into the trees

All that was left was a short high level track along the ridge to the original tree plantation where the summit sits hidden further along amidst the trees.

I was walking alongside a newly built fence topped with barbed wire, hoping I would not need to climb it.

View to Greatmoor Hill from the summit

The short section to the top was fine apart from one section where the trees met the fence. I was worried about tearing my jacket but I squeezed past to find the small cairn marking the summit, at least there was one.

On the descent

Back the boring construction track

There was an alternative option to descend beside the treeline but I just returned the same way. Not quite as cold as this morning but not the high temperatures forecast either.

Ascent: 261m

Distance: 5.9km

Time: 1.38

Wildlife: Raven; Buzzard; Blackbird; Robin; Coal Tit: Chaffinch; Meadow Pipit

Easy, easy ,easy. Rough, rough, rough.....Larriston Fell

Hill: Larriston Fell

Type: Sub2k

Height: 514m

A short but beautiful early morning drive through lovely Border countryside took me to the start of my ramble.

Lots of signs to put you off at the start

As I booted up under the trees the sound of the birds spring calling was amazing. I switched on the bird app and in the 5 minutes it took me to gear up it recognised 8 species, I wont say how many I got!

Reached the farm and got my 1st sighting of the mast

This is definitely a walk of two halves. The first section is a long straightforward walk up a hard packed surface up to a communications mast.

The forecast had been for the warmest day of the year and I had geared up for this, lightly.

The long track heading away from the mast

The lower section would have been more of a trudge but I had my binos and the bird app so was stopping regularly to listen and spot. Really enjoyable.

Mast back in sight again

But as I got higher the wind was rising along with the temperatures dropping by the time I reached the mast it was wild. Back to winter without the snow.

The other half of the walk was across rough moorland. I had read reports but had not fully appreciated just how bad the going was going to be. About a kilometre to the top nae problem I thought, think again old man.

Slight track found beside the mast

Soon becomes this stuff

A track starts on the left side of the mast but quickly disappeared as I headed towards a wall in the distance. I have walked many a poor terrain but the section between the mast and the top was easily up there with the worst ever. Closely packed tussocks, heather, boggy sections. All expected but not the depth I was plunging into with each step. At times I felt I was walking in deep snow with huge lifting steps.

Reached the dyke with a barbed wire fence behind but at least it was low one and my wee legs got over it without ripping my trousers.

Big cairn on left which I thought was the high point. Actual high point cairn on the right

I could see the pair of cairns on the ridge ahead, I thought that the worst was over but if anything this next section was the poorest walking of the ramble.

View from big cairn over to Blackwood Hill

The smaller cairn is clearly higher from this viewpoint

Half way across I stumbled on a foot wide track which gleefully I followed for a while before deciding it was not going where I wanted. So roughed it across to the larger cairn which from afar looked the highest point. This measured 512m but the smaller one looked higher from this perspective. 

View from summit back to mast 

With a sigh onwards I went and indeed it was slightly higher, measuring on both watch & Garmin GPS at 514m. There is another top with a trig marked on the map at 512m but from here it was definitely lower. As trigs are not always the high point I was not inclined to bash more crap terrain. The views were good but not great thanks to the hazy conditions. However one view across to England takes in part of the massive Kielder Forest with I presume Kielder Water glistening in the distance.

I was starting to get cold so I made my way back to the mast. Finding and losing narrow tracks all the time I was glad to get to it.

After the mast the track might be boring but better than that stuff

Zoomed in to Blackwood Hill

Then a straightforward ramble back down the track listening to the birdies and looking across to my next objective Blackwood Hill. From here, seeing the deforestation meant my original planning was out the window.

That's for an hours time as i slowed down and just enjoyed the lower level warmth for a little while.

Straightforward but still a wee toughie that deserves its Sub2k tick.

Ascent: 468m

Distance: 11.2km

Time: 2.46

Wildlife: Raven; Buzzard; Blackbird; Robin; Dunnock; Coal Tit; Blue Tit; Redwing; Chaffinch; Nuthatch; Pied Wagtail; Green Woodpecker; Grey Wagtail; Goldfinch; Wren; Goldcrest; Meadow Pipit; Skylark; Stonechat; Pheasant;