A last holiday walk this morning out to Duncolm. Great view of hills surrounding Loch Lomond. Photo not so great.
Tag: Kilpatrick Braes
Walk over Kilpatrick Muir to the trig point on The Slacks and over to Dumcolm, notes and photos on a map:
Went for a short walk round the Kilpatrick Muir this morn. Arrive at sunrise and the car park already full. When we got back about 11:30 the place was hotching. Cars on pavements and verges. This time last year I’d have felt crowded if there has been a handful of cars.
A more serious photographer than me shooting the inversion.
Kilpatrick Braes 11 Oct 2020
We went for a walk over the Kilpatrick Braes to Loch Humphrey this morning. Arriving at the car part around 9am it was already pretty full. Covid has multiplied the number of people out and about.
Up the road, a bit before we turn off to the fields and braes, a fox came out, gave us a look and pogoed up the road in quite a peculiar fashion. It left a trail of wet prints that dried in a moment. There was a heron close by moving around a boggy bit of field.
A bright sunny day with a slight breeze. Up the hill what must be the last butterfly, a red admiral I think, blew past. On the moor we saw a few grouse and heard the go-back, go-back, go-back call. We hardly saw another person until we rejoined the road to the loch.
We did see a bunch of young crows dipping and diving in the uplift in a joyous fashion.
The road was pretty busy, so we returned via the muir and woods rather than the road. Now a bit busier , mostly mountain bikers.
When we got back to the car park it was overflowing, I don’t think I’ve seen the place so busy before.
Kilpatrick Braes Yesterday Evening, lots of purple, thistles, thyme, bell heather, yarrow (mostly cream). Fauna: roe deer, kestrels, larks. Lots of parked cars but the Braes were quiet.
I went 1.8 miles past the 5 mile limit to travel for exercise last night. The first time since lockdown started. Celebrating the end of term. It was worth it. So many things I’ve not seen; ringlet, kestrel, buzzard, larks, snipe, foxglove, heather, bedstraw, and so much more.
Kilpatrick Birds
I’d spent the previous few hours walking without seeing much wildlife. The caw of a few crows and a buzzard in the mist. A couple of grouse on the braes and the odd raven, one with what looked like a lump of meat in its beak. Pigeon and tits in the trees.
Joining the metalled road from Loch Humphrey at the cattlegrid and round the next corner. A buzzard left a tree on the right of the road 10 yards in front. As I watched it glide off some goldfinches went over head. To my left two more sat chatting. My eyes were pulled by fieldfares leaving the trees. A woodpecker was silhouetted on a dead stump like a classic cartoon. It flew to the top branches and clung letting me have a good view.
Old Kilpatrick Braes. Started in thick mist. Frost picking out patterns. Emerged into the sunshine. Below Glasgow and the Clyde covered in cloud.