Not Quite Winter Yet

Best in Big

This is what makes our Scottish weather so interesting; left to go to work in almost pitch black at 8am, arrived to everyone having a good old moan about how dark it was outside, with torrential downpours all morning. Nine hours later and on the road home, this is the view that greeted me at the end of my 9 to 5.

I sometimes take for granted that there's this small but perfectly formed range of hills - The Ochil Hills - on my doorstep, but when the shadows are stretching underneath a blemish free sky, they rather unsubtley nudge you to remind you to stop and take a look.

So, for those who have never seen them, or have only see them from a distance, I introduce the South Western corner of the Ochil Hills.

From the West (left of picture) and near the City of Stirling the first peak is 'Castle Law' on which the remains of an old Roman Fort stand. Next along is one of my favourites - 'Dumyat'. This is a fairly easy climb and is the hill I took my own kids on their first hill walking expedition (A picture of my daughter on the summit is on this page, No.4 in the sequence. It has superb views over the whole of the Forth Valley and beyond.

Next along the Hillfoots road we come to the village of Menstrie above which is 'Myretoun'. This is a favourite launching spot for the Ochils Paragliding Club. Heading East we come to the town of Alva above which 'Craig Leith' rises steeply. Right next to this is the hill 'Torry' and this is the where the exceedingly knackering looking British Championship Hill Race is run every July during the Alva Games.

'Craighorn' is the next peak along, set a bit further back from the A91 Hillfoots road at the end of Alva Glen. Finally we have 'The Nebit' on which I'm sure there are remains of the Silver Mines that the Ochils once were famous for.

Nearer the foreground of the picture, bang in the middle, is the 'Collylands' Roundabout upon which stands one Clackmannanshire's many Andy Scott ornaments. (This one in fact - cheers Jon!)

So, that's the first part of your geography lesson. I'll possibly be blipping another batch at some point no doubt.

Class dismissed.