Over The Hill

To join todays scheduled walk, I had two options. I could either drive over the hill to the other side, walk back up the hill to the summits, walk back down the other side of the hill and then drive back over the hill to return to my side once again. Or, I could simply walk up my side of the hill, meet up with the group for the walk along the high moors, and then walk back down my side of the hill again. I hope that’s at least as clear as mud to understand. Decision made, I took the simple option.

As I parked up at Lomond Shores car park I donned my light waterproof jacket as there was a bit of drizzle in the air and set off towards the Stoneymollan track. However, I had only gone 50 metres before the drizzle turned to a torrential downpour which had me scurrying into my rucksack for my waterproof trousers and quickly adding yet another waterproof layer. Anyway, I plodded on, up the steep narrow tarmac road until passing through the gate at Upper Stoneymollan and onto the open hillside. As I turned to close the gate I realised that there was another walker just behind me who joined me as he came through the gate. Turned out he was a Scout Leader on his way to meet up with six scouts who were on their D of E, having camped overnight lower down by Loch Lomond and were to rendezvous with the leader at the Coffin Stone at the top of Stonemollan. We walked on in the steady rain chatting about the D of E and then of hillwalking in general, all of which made the short section to the Coffin Stone pass exceedingly quickly. And, right on cue the intrepid scouts were there awaiting their leader. A quick break for a drink and a chat with the group and I was off again heading over the hill on the forest track towards Gouk Hill. As I climbed up through the forest towards Gouk Hill I could here singing behind me, and as I glanced back through the trees I could see the scouts on the open track below me, obviously none the worse for their wet walk up to Stoneymollan.

Beyond Gouk Hill I turned off the main path leading downhill to Craigandoran and plodged through the ever soggy section at the base of Ben Bowie before climbing the hillside onto the fine 313m summit. I hadn’t been in contact with the group who would be approaching Ben Bowie from the grassy southwest ridge, but I knew they would be starting out from Craigandoran about 09:15, and so had calculated my arrival time on Ben Bowie to hopefully coincide with theirs. Initially there was no sight of them, so I decided to have a quick snack and drink, but had no sooner had a few sips of water than a few figures appeared on the twin hump a few metres away, heading towards the summit. A wave from the group was enough to confirm that it was indeed them, good timing, and good fortune, for they also brough dry weather with them, the rain having been getting lighter since leaving Stoneymollan and now, had finally stopped.

Once we had said our Good Mornings, we set off towards Gouk Hill, as this group had already split, with the intention of re-grouping at the small quarry pond at the base of Gouk Hill for a spot of lunch, which was fine by me. And so it was back through the soggy section and onto the good forest track once again, and a welcome stop for some lunch.

Lunch over, we took a quick circuit of Gouk Hill for the photo opportunities it offers of Loch Lomond and the hills towards Ben Lomond before heading over to Stoneymollan. It was here that I left the group, their return being via the triangulation point on Bromley Muir and downhill to Cardross, while mine was back down the Stoneymollan track to Lomond Shores.

A very enjoyable day, and great meeting everyone over the tops. Thanks all.