restrict the pace of walking, so providing support to the injured area by snugly binding it with gaffer tape (carried in the first aid kit or taped around a walking pole) is often the ideal treatment. Walking poles are extremely useful in relieving pressure on sprains and twists.
Less preventable and more difficult to deal with, fractures are often the result of falls or slips. Fractures to the legs or ankles will almost certainly require rescue assistance, while fractures to the arms or wrists may well be supported by creating a sling from a triangular bandage kept in the first aid kit, or by improvising with an item of clothing.
Perhaps the most serious medical conditions to be aware of result from environmental factors affecting the body's core temperature. Walkers who are unprepared for the effects of heat loss, due to inadequate clothing or a lack of equipment to cope with an enforced stop, may quickly become susceptible to hypothermia. The very serious effects of hypothermia are felt in a relatively short space of time and are initially hard to recognise. Feelings of fatigue, listlessness and irritability are some of the vague symptoms common at the onset of ‘exposure’, which if not spotted early on can quickly spiral into the later stages of hypothermia. Thankfully, good planning and preparation should eliminate most circumstances where hypothermia may arise.
Walkers on Andrew Gannel Hill with King's Seat in the background (Walks 11 and 20)
As with hypothermia, heat exhaustion is also easily preventable, but if left untreated can also lead to more serious conditions. Heat exhaustion occurs gradually due to a loss of water and salts from the body as a result of vigorous exercise in warm, still temperatures. The body becomes less able to dissipate heat effectively, leading to feelings of fatigue, light-headedness and muscle cramps. Heat exhaustion is best prevented by a regular intake of liquid and by regulating body temperature while walking. However, at the first symptoms the walker should seek shade and rest, take on board fluids, and eat sweet and salty foods.
The effects of sunburn should also be prevented on hot days by covering exposed skin with clothing or sunscreen, which should always be carried in the first aid kit in the summer months. Other recommended items in the first aid kit may include:
crepe bandages
lint dressing
triangular bandage
plasters
blister kit
wound closure strips
saline wash
disposable gloves
antiseptic wipes
gaffer tape
scissors
emergency high-energy food.
Access and the Environment
Most land in Scotland and the areas covered in this guide is privately owned. The long-standing tradition of freedom of access to the hills in Scotland was formalised through legislation in February 2005, giving hillwalkers statutory rights of responsible access within the guidelines of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS CODE
The main points of the code relevant to responsible hillwalking are summarised below.
Take personal responsibility for your own actions.
Respect people's privacy and peace of mind.
Help land managers and others to work safely and effectively.
Care for your environment.
Keep your dog under proper control.
The guidelines of the code should translate into responsible action, with an awareness of the particular environment walkers find themselves in.
Some specific advice that hillwalkers should consider for the areas covered in this guide is as follows.
Minimising disturbance to sheep, especially during lambing season (March–May). Dogs should be kept on leads at all times near sheep and efforts should always be made not to unduly upset them.
Carry a plastic bag in your pocket to collect any litter you see. Don't just take your own litter home with you; walking past the litter left by the ignorant few is almost as bad as dropping it in the first place.
Be aware of the grouse-shooting season (12 August – 10 December). Also be aware of work carried out near farms and on forestry tracks, observing any reasonable request from land managers. It is respectful to ask permission to use the land if the landowner is met, and they will often be able to give you good advice on areas to avoid or good routes.
A lot of the routes in this guide cross fences. Wherever possible use the stiles provided or walk around fences. If a fence does need to be crossed, avoid applying weight to the fence, in particular by taking off heavy packs before crossing.
Stick to paths when possible, keeping to the middle of the path to avoid further widening it.
Minimise the environmental impact of your walking by using public transport or one car for transporting several friends to the start of a route.
Do not disturb wildlife or the environment by picking plants/flowers or interfering with the habitats of birds and animals.
THE OCHILS
Rising abruptly from the carseland of the Forth Valley, the southern escarpment of the Ochils forms one of the most dramatic and distinctive profiles of any range of hills in the country. The steep southern slopes and crags have been gouged by fast-flowing burns to create some breathtaking gorge-like glens that lead onto broad, whalebacked ridges and summits.
The highest peak, Ben Cleuch, sits curiously beyond immediate view from the bottom of the hills, but is the main spinal massif that branches out to several main ridges that can be linked in many different combinations of walks. For instance, the popular Ben Cleuch Circuit (Walk 8), which is a fine walk in its own right, can easily be extended to include neighbouring peaks such as Andrew Gannel Hill, Ben Buck (Walk 5), Craighorn and even Bengengie Hill, yet still remain a pleasant circular route.
Separate smaller walks should also not be overlooked, with Dumyat (Walk 2) providing remarkably different approaches from three directions, the most exciting being the route up the cavernous gully of Warlock Glen (Walk 2C).
Other shorter routes such as the Nebit (Walk 6), Wood Hill (Walk 7) or Kirk Burn Glen (Walk 13) are also an excellent opportunity to explore in detail some of the unique terrain and features of the southern escarpment.
As the Ochils slope away gently towards the Strathearn Valley from their highest peaks in the south, the interior landscape changes from predominantly grassy tops to a mixture of blanket bog, tussocked grass and heather. While the peaks also become less defined, the sense of solitude is much increased, and some particularly fine and undisturbed routes include the Innerdownie Ridge (Walk 12), Blairdennon
