The Ochil Hills

The Southern Wall of the Ochil Hills

Cool but clear weather this bank holiday weekend induced me to drive north to Dollar and explore the much-vaunted Ochil Hills, many locals’ favourite uplands. Ochil comes from the ancient Brittonic/Celtic word uchel = high. Their most impressive feature (by some margin) is the wall of steep grassy slopes arranged in a uniform line above the hillfoot towns of Menstrie, Alva, Tillicoultry and Dollar. The hills themselves extend for some 30km between Bridge of Allan and Auchterarder forming a dissected plateau of eroded lava flows that averages about 600m in height. The Ochils offer a number of circular options from the hillfoot towns with paths leading into steep-sided glens and up the numerous spurs that the higher ground throws down on to the flatlands of the mid-Forth valley. Today I planned one of the longer options: a 5-hour circuit from Dollar that would take in the Ochil’s highest point, Ben Cleugh.

Bank Hill and King's Seat Hill

Dollar has a nice rural feel about it and the town planners have done well to maximise the town’s position immediately below Dollar Glen. A hill road winds up alongside the Dollar Burn past the golf club to the first of 2 strategically placed car parks; these give a useful head start in elevation. I followed the lane up past Castle Campbell which is currently undergoing restoration work and is consequently shrouded in scaffolding and cladding. Then it was up the eastern tributary of the Dollar Burn, the beautifully named Water of Care (the other tributary bears the equally evocative title, the Water of Sorrow). The path is a right-of-way much-used in olden days for travel between Dunfermline and Blackford by, amongst others, chanters: travelling salesmen who were keen to avoid road tolls using the more conventional routes.

Ben Cleugh From King's Seat Hill

Just below the watershed before the Maiden’s Well, strike up the grassy hillside to your left and make a rising traverse for Whitewisp Hill (643m) which marks the eastern end of the higher Ochils. Great name for a hill! From here it’s a steady plod over a broad grassy ridge never undulating more than 100m and following an old fence past Tarmangie Hill (645m), Skythorn Hill, Andrew Gannel Hill (670m) and finally the highest point in the Ochils, Ben Cleuch (721m; hill of the ravine).

Summit View South From Ben Cleugh

An Ordnance Survey trig point and view indicator adorn the summit which gives wide views in all directions: west to Dumyat, the Campsie Fells and Ben Lomond; north to the ubiquitous twins of Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin, and the Ben Lawers group; east as far as the Lomond Hills, Bass Rock and North Berwick Law; and south to the Pentlands and Tinto Hill. Of closer interest though (and the hill’s best feature by some way) is the view down into Mill Glen which feeds into Tillicoultry. This aspect probably gives the hill its name.

Distant Stuc a'Chroin and Ben Vorlich From Ben Cleugh

After a fairly cool and breezy pause to take in the view, it was time to turn for home back over Andrew Gannel Hill and on to King’s Seat Hill (648m) where a large boulder cairn and windbreak mark the last summit of the day. The name may come from this being the reputed sight from where King Malcolm Canmore would observe his hunt. Maybe... From here Dollar fills the view once again as a good path descends steadily past some ice-scoured landslip troughs – the Banks of Dollar – and Bank Hill (346m). This brings you neatly down into Dollar Glen, a spectacular tree-lined gorge full of interest and spectacle. After hours of gentle plodding over drab grassland the world becomes a striking mix of cascading torrents, rich, vivid green vegetation, plummeting ravines and narrow cliff trails perched in places on timber walkways. Where the Burns of Sorrow and Care meet, Castle Campbell sits isolated on its Hill of Gloom, it’s impressive aura spoilt only by the temporary shroud of protective restoration cladding.

Castle Campbell

I returned to the car down the wee lane accompanied by the therapeutic sounds of the tinkling birdsong and cascading rhythm of the Dollar Burn, and the sweet, sweet aroma of Spring. It must be time to return once more to the Highlands, Skye is calling....

The Lomond Hills From Above Dollar Glen

Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm