are today. The many once-forested hillsides and summits have been cleared over the years to provide fuel and building materials, and the actual shape of the hills has been altered through mining, quarrying and mill-related activities.
Amongst the oldest and most obvious signs of man in the landscape are the numerous remains of Iron Age forts, which can be found across all three ranges. Mainly built on the most prominent and defendable hills, many forts took advantage of the steep slopes of volcanic plugs such as Dumyat, and in particular East Lomond, where the site of an Iron Age fort encompasses the entire summit. Other notable forts can be found on Benarty Hill, Easter Downhill and Dunmore, where narrow trenches (sometimes with stone remains) surrounding earthern mounds let the unsuspecting walker know that they are standing on an historic site and not just another summit.
Perhaps the most ancient and beguiling place in the region is the line of standing stones at Sheriffmuir in the Ochils. Supposedly once the rallying point for William Wallace's troops before the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, and for the Jacobite Army before the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715, the five perfectly aligned stones (of which now only one remains standing) retain a mystery of purpose, and certainly date back to a much more ancient people.
Without doubt, the most striking historic building in the area is Castle Campbell. Situated on the high ground at the head of Dollar Burn, in between the gorges carved by the Burn of Care and the Burn of Sorrow, this castle has one of the most beautiful settings in the country. Originally called Castle Gloom, the Clan Campbell acquired it in the 15th century, and in the 17th century, under a royal decree, changed its name to Castle Campbell. Other notable historic buildings seen or passed on some of the walks include the remains of Fintry Castle, Glendevon Castle, Falkland Palace and Loch Leven Castle – the one-time prison of Mary Queen of Scots.
As well as their strategic importance, there is also evidence of the hills being used as a place of refuge for local people. The Covenantor Hole below Dunmore in the Campsies, and John Knox's Pulpit in the Lomond Hills, are likely sites of Presbyterian conventicles held in secret during the late 17th century, to escape the period's religious persecution, dubbed the ‘Killing Times’.
The fluctuating economic significance of the hills, in particular the Ochils, is also closely linked with human history. During the Industrial Revolution the fast-flowing burns from the steep southern escarpment of the Ochils supplied the ideal method of powering the many textile mills that came into existence in the collectively named ‘Hillfoot’ towns of Menstrie, Tillicoultry and Alva. At the height of production, towards the last quarter of the 19th century, the Hillfoots was the second largest wool-producing area in Scotland, with over 1500 people directly employed in the textile industry in the town of Alva alone. Fine examples of mill houses are the Clock Mill, ideally located at the bottom of Mill Glen, and the large Strude building in Alva.
Heavy industry was present in the Ochils, however, before the advent of textile production. The discovery of silver at the beginning of the 18th century sparked some large-scale mining operations. At their most prolific they were producing silver to the value of £4000 per week from the largest known deposit of silver ore in Great Britain. Other minerals such as coal and copper have also been heavily exploited in the Ochils, and the hills themselves bear the marks of these mining activities, in particular the numerous mines-shaft openings found in and around the aptly named Silver Glen.
PRACTICALITIES
How to Use this Guide
The walks are divided into three sections, one for each range of hills, and each section opens with an introduction to the area. All the route descriptions begin with a summary of information, along with an overview of what can be expected on the walk, including any significant details concerning terrain and navigation. The summary includes the distance, height gain and approximate time required for the walk (the time estimated for each walk is calculated at a walking speed of 5km an hour, using Naismith's Rule for ascent, and does not include time taken for breaks), as well as the required map and a difficulty rating.
The maps in the guide are from the OS 1:50,000 Landranger series, but it is highly advisable to also carry the relevant OS 1:25,000 Explorer or Harvey's 1:25,000 maps (identified in the summary at the start of the walk), as many routes require intricate map referencing unavailable on the larger 1:50,000 maps. The difficulty rating takes into account navigation, terrain and time spent on the hill, and ranges from 1, which is an easily manageable route such as Walk 24, Dungoil in the Campsie Fells, to 4 for routes such as Walk 20, the Round of Nine in the Ochils, which involves long distances, some difficult terrain underfoot and potentially complicated navigating.
A basic level of ability in macronavigating is assumed, as is the understanding of grid references, map orientation, gradients, map symbols and estimation of distances. For more challenging routes the ability to use a compass in setting and walking on bearings is crucial, as are micro-navigational skills involved in timing and pacing distances.
Quite often route descriptions will refer to ‘attack points’. These are obvious features that are aimed for en route to a less visible destination point near the ‘attack point’. Many of the routes also use obvious linear features in the landscape – such as a burn, the edge of a forest or a fenceline – as useful ‘navigational handrails’ that lead the walker on to the next obvious feature on a route.
A view of Dumgoyne in the Campsie Fells (Walk 21)
Planning and Preparation
An element of risk is inherent in all the hills and wild places visited in this guide. Fortunately, careful planning and preparation can minimise potential risks, and the hills can be enjoyed safely and respectfully.
Before setting out, careful consideration should be given to whether the demands of a particular walk can be met by the fitness, equipment, experience and skills of those undertaking it. For example, it would be foolish for a walker with only basic map reading skills to attempt a route through featureless terrain in poor visibility.
When a walk has been selected, a ‘route card’ (a simple description of the route to be taken, along with an estimated time to arrive back and a note of the number of people in the group) should be left with someone who can anticipate your return.
Weather conditions should also be taken into account before starting out – obtain accurate, up-to-date local forecasts where possible. The route descriptions assume summer conditions prevail, but our maritime climate means that extreme weather is possible at any time of the year, and it should be assumed that a variety of conditions may occur in one day. When planning a walk the effects of weather should factored into the demands of the route, as strong winds and driving rains can be both energy sapping and demoralising, although hot and still days may have equally debilitating effects. Clothing and equipment should also be planned in advance to match the prevailing and expected conditions.
As well as being prepared with essential equipment (listed in the section below), some dietary preparation before and during a walk will be of benefit. The complex carbohydrates in starchy foods such as pasta, rice and wholemeal bread take longer to be broken down into an energy-giving form, so these are excellent for releasing energy evenly over longer periods, and are best consumed some time before a walk.
On the hill, a mix of different food groups will result in a sustained release of energy. Some typical foods to be packed in the rucksack could consist of those high in carbohydrates and fat, such as peanut butter wholemeal sandwiches, as well as those that supply natural sugars, such as dried fruit, proteins from seeds and nuts, and quick-release energy foods such as chocolate.
It is also important to replace the large amounts of fluid lost from the body
