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A hillwalking loop around Glen Sherup in the Ochil Hills (Lowlands, Scotland)

January 12, 2019 by Maria Fernandez

Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

Climbing several hills: map & data

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Total distance: 9.87 mi
Total climbing: 745 m
Total time: 05:56:25
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Donalds: Innerdownie (611m), Whitewisp Hill (643m), Tarmangie Hill (645m)

Also: Ben Shee (an unclassified hill)

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10 mile walk in 5h55 from 09.50 to 15.45 – average 1.7 mph

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Like the previous week, Simon had prepared another splendiferous day trip to the Ochil Hills.

On Sunday we’d driven to Tillicoultry and climbed King’s Seat Hill. This time we drove to Yetts o’ Muckhart and parked at the Woodland Trust’s Glen Sherup car park.

Off to the forest

Simon’s plan was to do a loop that involved climbing three Donalds and Ben Shee, a 516m unclassified hill with some magnificent views.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

10.16 – Starting off on the forest track

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Click to see the photo gallery
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We left the car park, walked past the Glenquey Reservoir and then up the peaceful and sheltered forest track.

Soon we turned right and walked up the firebreak. Not that it was much of a firebreak. It was more like a tunnel, with trees overgrown on both sides.

That hard surface wasn’t easy to walk on in my new mountain boots. I was wearing them because I need to break them in before we go to Laggan in February. Luckily, it wasn’t too long before we got to the end of the firebreak.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

10.46 – Fence on the edge of the plantation

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We left the plantation, got to that picturesque gate and headed for Innerdownie (611m), our first Donald of the day.

At the top of Innerdownie there was an unexpected gale. Simon had to hold on tight to my glove while I balanced my feet to take this photo.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

11.25 – Simon catching the wind at the top of Innerdownie

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To our right, we had a commanding view of the Forth.

There were also some threatening clouds in the distance, which we hoped wouldn’t catch up with us.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

11.26 – Looking south towards the forth & beyond

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A while back, the Woodland Trust acquired the Glen Devon Woodlands. The whole area covers 1,200ha and Glen Sherup, where we were, is part of it.

According to one of the information signs we saw, 1.5 million native trees have now been planted in the Glen Devon Woodlands: oak, birch, hazel, rowan, juniper and Scots pine.

Unfortunately, sheep have been banned from the Woodlands, so we were very much on our own most of the time.

To our second Donald

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

11.34 – On our way to Whitewisp Hill

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Before reaching the top, we got to this steep stile. I was so busy figuring out in my head how I was going to climb down those steps with my heavy rucksack on, that I didn’t see the gate.

And there was he, the prof, opening it for me.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

12.04 – Simon opening a handy gate

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Throughout the day, we saw a few people. Some were in small groups, others walked alone or with their dogs.

We walked on the dry grassy path along the small wall, in the direction of Whitewisp Hill (643m), our second Donald of the day.

Donalds, by the way, are some of the 2,000+ ft (610+ m) hills in the Scottish Lowlands.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

12.09 – Maria at the top of Whitewisp Hill *

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At the top of Whitewisp Hill it was gloriously sunny.

I love that beautiful winter light we get in Scotland, so humble and enigmatic.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

12.21 – Looking north, with the Trossachs on the horizon

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The weather forecast was for broken cloud in the morning, and a good amount of sunshine at around noon. Luckily, that’s what we got.

We pressed on. Our next conquest was Tarmangie HIll, the third Donald.

On our way there we could see King’s Seat Hill right in front of us. That’s the Donald we’d climbed the week before.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

12.43 – Cairns on Tarmangie Hill

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Apparently one of the peaks we could see from this Donald, Tarmangie Hill, was Ben Cleuch, which is the highest point in the Ochils. Looking at the photos, though, I can’t figure out which one it is.

Heading for Ben Shee

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

13.04 – Simon on Scad Hill, looking for a lunch spot

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This walk was part of our training for the Lairig Ghru, the 40-mile walk from Aviemore to Blair Atholl that we’re planning to do in May.

That’s why, like the previous week, we filled our rucksacks with all the equipment we’ll be carrying then, including the tent. My rucksack weighed a ton: that’s 10kg to be exact.

Simon chickened out and carried only 7.5kg, two less than the previous week.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

13.47 – A view of Ben Shee & Glensherup Reservoir

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To get to Ben Shee there’s a slightly steep but short ascent; a very rewarding one.

The most stunning thing about the Ochils are the views you get from the flat tops. Some stretch all the way to the Trossachs, 50 miles away.

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14.15 – Looking west at the Glendevon reservoirs

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There are five water reservoirs in and around Glen Sherup: Upper Glendevon, Lower Glendevon, Glensherup, Glenquey, and Castlehill.

To the north, you can spot Glen Eagles. If you make the map above full screen and zoom out, you’ll see where it is.

I’ve just learned that the “Eagles” in Glen Eagles doesn’t refer to the bird, as I thought, but rather to the chapel and well of Saint Mungo, in the Gleneagles estate. Apparently, the word “eagles” is a corruption of “ecclesia”, which means “church”.

The long way back

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

14.39 – A wintry looking track, coming off Ben Shee

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From Ben Shee, we walked on a narrow path for a little bit until we got to a fork. There we took the path to the left.

At first, the path down was easy, then it got slightly steep, specially after walking for nearly five hours with those heavy rucksacks.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

14.55 – A quirky gate+stile near the Wester Glensherup farm

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Eventually we arrived at this curious fence cum stile, not the easiest to get out of when you’re carrying that bulky rucksack.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

14.57 – A view of Wester Glensherup

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We walked down towards the settlement and road. That’s when we saw our first sheep of the day.

The tarmac felt too hard with those stiff mountains boots on, so we walked on the grass. That last hour back to the car was going to be long.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

15.02 – Simon on the road to the Glensherup Reservoir dam

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We crossed the dam and soon rejoined the path we’d taken earlier that morning.

Happily for us, the threatening clouds we’d seen on and off in the distance never caught up with us.

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Hill walking in Scotland  - www.simonking.bike

15.12 – The unremarkable Glensherup Reservoir dam

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In the end, this walk was longer but in a way easier than the previous week’s. Our loop around Glen Sherup was roughly 10 miles (16km). That’s one quarter of what we’ll be doing in the Lairig Ghru.

Oh, dear. It’s going to be tough.

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Our other walks in the Ochil hills (Lowlands, Scotland)

Climbing King’s Seat Hill: a Donald (648m).

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I took all the photos with the Panasonic.

* Simon took this photo.

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Filed Under: Blog, Donald, Scotland Tagged With: Car, Walking

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