A slice of good fortune in the Whangie area
Weatherallowshikers toenjoytheirouting
JOHN CONVERY
Our Lady of Lourdes hikers took on the Whangie area on Saturday, January 18.
The low level group walked from the Queen’s View to Lily Loch and back, while the high-level group walked from the Queen’s View to Duncolm Hill and back.
The Whangie is a huge slab of rock which has become detached from the rest of Auchineden Hill, leaving a deep narrow fissure about 100m long and very narrow, bounded on both sides by steep walls of rock.
During the last Ice Age, as the ice began to move, it stressed the hillside to such an extent that it caused the long fracture to appear. “Whangie” is Scots for slice.
The weather conditions during the night resulted in quite low temperatures producing a covering of white frost on the ground and some ice, making the climb up the rocky, stony slopes of the Whangie a little treacherous.
Considerable care was called for when picking a way through the boulders, but fortunately no one suffered a slip or a trip.
Club members made their way around the north side of the Whangie, down the west side and then a short steep climb up to the trig point on Auchineden Hill located at a height of 357m – and on this occasion hikers were bathed in glorious sunshine, but very cold nevertheless.
The views out to the north were very bright and clear and the range of the Campsies stood out splendidly.
The sunshine had managed to melt the frost and ice by this time making the area close to the trig point very muddy.
Walkers continued following their route to the south on a muddy path which, fortunately, was easy to follow and eventually the north shore of Burncrooks Reservoir was reached.
The dam retaining wall, being wide and grass covered, was easy to negotiate and it was then a matter of following a well made walking trail crossing open hillside and heading south west towards Lily Loch and from there on to Duncolm Hill for the high levellers.
Lily Loch itself remains hidden from view right up to the point where the walkers were almost on it.
A very chilly wind was blowing at this juncture and the sky was darkening rapidly and as there was no appetite for lingering the general consensus was to turn round and start the return leg of the outing.
The plan was not to return by way of the Whangie but instead to follow the John Muir Way around the south shore of Burncrooks and then east to eventually attain the Queen’s View from the south.
The walking surface for the low group was smooth and easy to follow in this section while their friends in the high group chose to return by the Whangie route which was somewhat more difficult and slower.
An excellent outing for both groups, each covering approximately 15 km in the time expected and with the added bonus of quite reasonable weather even though the temperature was a tad low.
The social hour was in Milngavie and a vigorous, lively and noisy event it proved to be, an excellent end to a most enjoyable day.
The next outing will be to the Luss area on February 1 and, as usual, the club advises members to attend the sign-on night on Thursday, January 23 in the hall to ensure a reservation or check out the club website for details.