Three figures, and counting
Ben Cleuch, high-point of the Ochils, is a hill that draws people back time and again - and Coatbridge-based FotO member Ken Stewart recently reached its summit for the 100th time.
- When did you first climb Ben Cleuch?
- On 30 May 1983 when I was just beginning to walk on the hills, having decided I was no longer any use at golf. Not having any previous Ochil experience, on a fine day I went up Alva Glen and over Craighorn to Ben Cleuch; descent was by Wood Hill and I was surprised to see the large hollow below Millar Hill on the southern ridge of Ben Ever.
- And what about the 100th ascent - a special route, with champagne on top?
- On the last day of March with FotO chair Dave Hewitt, I went up from Blackford - the first time I had done that - and descended via Skythorn and Bald Hill to Frandy. The long and gradual ascent was quite a contrast to the sharp ascents from the Hillfoots. No champagne (it's only a milestone, not a completion), but Dave produced some tasty biscuits at the top. Mist was down below 500m, so we had a bit of navigation to do on the way up.
- Why Ben Cleuch? Why the Ochils?
- There are so many possible routes on ridges over good ground with fine views. They are my nearest option for this; though the Campsies are closer in distance, there is little to choose in travel time and most of the ground there is less good.
- Do you have a favourite route up? And down?
- Perhaps from Tillicoultry by the King's Seat ridge (Helen's Muir) to the right of the Gannel path, then over Andrew Gannel Hill (possibly after a diversion by Tarmangie), Cleuch and down by Wood Hill.
- Have you climbed all the 2000ft tops in a day?
- No, but on my 19th ascent I did walk the main ridge (omitting outliers such as King's Seat) after taking the bus from Alva to Dollar.
- There must have been a few particularly memorable days, and some unpleasant ones - or have these categories overlapped?
- A patchwork of memories rather than many major ones. A summer late evening from Sheriffmuir to Alva for my 50th ascent, cold winter mornings with mist hanging at different levels, autumn days after heavy rain with the burns in spate. Three winter battles come to mind: in early days (ascent 5) from Dollar - fine but with a stiff wind and snow; from Alva (54) with a fierce wind at the top with stinging spindrift as we went back down and over Ben Ever; and from Tillicoultry (99) this February when the gale made it a struggle to walk at all on the summit. Perhaps, though, the most memorable was one of a number of evening winter walks. In January 2001 (47), seven of us saw a lunar eclipse become total at Wood Hill and persist until we left the top of Cleuch; light came back steadily giving views to the snow-covered mountains. In October 2003 (81) there were strange effects of moonlight in the Gannel glen as we descended the path - as if the light was shining upwards.
- Any accidents or injuries?
- No.
- You've written previously about your visits to various smaller bumps in the Ochils, but when you go for a "big hill day" on the main ridges, do you always tend to take in Ben Cleuch?
- My records show that about 80% of such walks include Ben Cleuch, but I quite often walk round some combination of the eastern tops from Dollar and there have been occasional visits to Blairdenon without reaching Cleuch.
- Have there been occasions when you've set off up Ben Cleuch but haven't reached the top?
- Only once. I tried to walk from Frandy in January 1987 but gave up at Burnfoot Hill as the deep snow was making progress too tiring and the weather was beginning to threaten.
- Are there other hills, away from the Ochils, that you've climbed a substantial number of times?
- Nothing at all close. Next would come hills such as Beinn Narnain, Meikle Bin, Ben Ledi and Stuc a'Chroin, but they have all had about ten visits.
- Have you seen many changes in the Ochils?
- Not too many, though changing farm practice is bringing more wheels over ground which may struggle to sustain this. Woodland Trust tree-planting seems to be going fairly well, though I would not like to see a huge area under trees.
- Any worries and concerns for the future?
- The main risk seems to be unsuitable wind generation schemes industrialising the landscape. If generators were built on the East Craigs to Steele's Knowe area they would be directly in front on the descent of the north-east ridge of Innerdownie, currently a most pleasant and easy way down.
- So when can we expect to read of your 200th ascent...?
- At present I make about one ascent per month, so perhaps in nine or ten years. By then I should be in my seventies, but there are a number of very active Ochil walkers in that age group
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