A Well, a Bishop, a Witch, Glen and Bruce.

Yesterday, Saturday, such splendid sunshine, and dreams of running happy as a child over the hills in only shoes, socks, and shorts. This morning rising around 7am, cool, cloudy, overcast, the Pentland Hills invisible. Quick, check the weather forecast, where to go today ... general direction north. I'll have a bit of a yomp over one of the lesser Lomond Hills ... wearing the aforementioned items of clothing plus a long sleeved top. First, must do family breakfast, I swallow my glass of green smoothie, and cook up the Sunday Big Breakfast for the others.

I'm parking in the village of Scotlandwell near Loch Leven. The usual car pak near Portmoak Church is full, fair enough this is Sunday Morning, so I'm parking near the well and wash house. The information board reads "The village ... takes its name from the healing waters that bubble up through sand ... In medieval times the water was used for its curative powers by the Red Friars who maintained here a hospital that was visited by pilgrims ...".

The well (1858) and ...

... the wash house (1860).

I have about 150m along road to the steps up into Kilmagad Wood. It's a pretty place and the woodland wildflowers are beautiful. I meet a few folk out for a Sunday stroll either ascending or descending. The ascent is a bit on the steep side but I'm determined to run up here however slowly I move ... honestly at times I am sure it would be faster walking. I reach the gate at the edge of the wood and there is some more ascent ahead. Near old quarries someone has had fun building little piles of stones. The views over Loch Leven and Benarty Hill are delicious although there is a little haze. Ahead a white sphere towers above the trees on Munduff Hill, apparently its a "rain radar" ... I'm hoping the thing is not seeing any rain around here today.

Steps into Kilmagad wood with ...

... delightful woodland wildflowers

The ascent seems endless ...

... but the gate at the edge of the woodland is reached

Pile of stones near the old quarry

Loch Leven

Benarty Hill

The rain radar on Munduff Hill

Some more huffing and puffing then the ground levels off a bit as I run along a narrow path above the steep north edge of the hill. There are crags and old quarries below to my left so take care here. I can see a red shirted mountain biker to my right, he's on the wider path which I soon join taking me toward the summit cairn on Bishop Hill. Just below the final few metres of ascent the ground can be a mud bath when wet, but today it's bone dry up here. The views over West and East Lomond are better than I'd expected today.

Narrow path above the steep north edge

I spy a red shirted mountain biker ...

... on the wider path ...

... toward the summit of Bishop Hill.

The ground below the summit is bone dry today.

Bishop Hill Summit cairn.

Decent views toward West Lomond and ...

... East Lomond.

I can see the red shirted mountain biker pushing his bike up to the summit. I think its a good thing to be aware of other people in these kinds of places, and even better if you can have a wee natter together and learn of the routes ahead, its important that we all look out for one another. I wave and wait here for a moment until the chap catches up with me at the cairn. I'm going to descend a little on the steep grass slope of the north edge into an old quarry to have a look at something rather special. It turns out this chap has never been there, doesn't even know of the place, so we venture down together, one runner, one biker, to view Carlin Maggie. This carlin stone is a pillar about 30 feet tall ... legend tells that Maggie was a witch who got on the nerves of the devil, so he threw a petrifying lightning bolt, and here she stands as stone to this day. The friendly biker takes a photograph of the happy old plodder before we scramble back upwards, and on our way. He's faster than me now on the flat and gentle descent. I'm running fences again, like last weekend but without horrid bogginess, and the biker is just about to disappear in the distance.

The mountain biker pushing up to the summit

We visit Carlin Maggie ...

... your truly a happy old plodder.

Out running fences again

I'm descending now with a pretty cluster of trees to my left and beautiful Glen Vale ahead and below. I'm going to run on the high path along the south side of the glen which is convenient for me today but perhaps does not always offer the best views. It is however a great place to view the edge head, and looking back up the glen as I am leaving is a delight.

Pretty clump of trees descending ...

... toward gorgeous Glen Vale

Running on the high path on the south side ...

... great views of the edge head ...

... and looking back into the glen as I am leaving.

I turn south after the glen and run along farm tracks and sheep runs over undulating pasture back in the direction of Scotlandwell. I'm surprised to find a blackbird sleeping on a gate near recently ploughed and seeded fields, other birds are wheeling overhead. Along the way I meet a group of three mountain bikers and stop for a brief chat. Just before I set off again I look up to the old quarry above but my old eyes cant make out Carlin Maggie. In a way its hard to believe I was there less than half an hour ago. There are lots of springs and small streams in the sandy earth here and quite often the ground is waterlogged, but clouds have silver linings, the yellow bloom of the gorse is gorgeous.

Turning south to return on undulating pasture

Blackbird sleeping on a gate

While other birds wheel over ploughed and seeded fields

Looking up to the quarry where Carlin Maggie stands

Lots of springs and waterlogged ground, squelch ...

... but the yellow bloom of gorse is a wonderful sight ...

... and the babbles of wee burns in the rocks is a delightful sound.

I'm running along a narrow traversing path above the village of Kinnesswood where I spot some interesting garden furniture before I see the proper path below me and then a bit of fun down through the bracken. The proper path is the Michael Bruce Way, and there's something here to do with Tetley Tea-Folk. Oh no, oh no, I realize I am old enough to remember the Tetley Tea-Folk on the television. Oh well, never mind, at least I've got better things to do than watch television these days. I'm really enjoying running on this path through the bracken and soon I approach Kilmagad Wood.

Narrow traverse above the village of Kinnesswood ...

.... where I see some curious garden furniture.

Down through the bracken to the main track below ...

... the Micheal Bruce Way.

Do you remember ... the Tetley Tea-Folk?

Approaching Kilmagad Wood on return.

It's beautiful running along the path through the woodland here, and happy as a child I pause for a small swing in the trees. Then I'm through the bluebells and alongside the field of buttercups before I scamper back down the steps and then saunter along the road to the well.

Lovely running on a carpet of russet leaves

The woodland path is a delight and ...

... like a child I pause for a small swing in the trees.

Through the bluebells ...

... and passing the buttercups.

I've had a really pleasant outing today and enjoyed meeting a few friendly folk. The weather started cool and overcast and a bit of a wind, ended warm and still, and overcast and kinda humid, so I've got a good sweat on me back at the well. I've been on the go for one hour and thirty-nine minutes, about 12.5km distance, and about 520m total ascent. Very happy not to have to endure horrible bogs today.

Enjoy!