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WALK 1

Blairdenon Circuit

Start	Sheriffmuir Road (GR827021)
Distance	9.8km
Total Ascent	372m
Grade	3
Time	2hr 30min
Maps	OS Landranger 57 (1:50,000) OS Landranger 58 (1:50,000) OS Explorer 366 (1:25,000) Harvey's Map – Ochil Hills (1:25,000)

The westernmost Donald in the Ochils, Blairdenon, is also the most remote. As such it is often only visited as a supplementary peak to routes started from the southern escarpment. This little-known and pleasant circular route, however, approaches the peak from the historic moorland of Sheriffmuir on the western reaches of the range. Conveniently starting and finishing near the solitary Sheriffmuir Inn, the route forms a long horseshoe around picturesque Glen Tye. Defined paths are absent for the majority of walk, but the going underfoot is unchallenging except for some boggy ground at Menstrie Moss.

A lack of paths and any real navigational features on the first half of the walk means that in poor visibility it is only suitable for those skilled in micronavigation.

The walk starts from the Sheriffmuir Road at the western edge of the Ochils. Parking is available off the road just down from the Sheriffmuir Inn, next to a row of trees and a drystone dyke (GR827021). This historic area of the Ochils is near the site of the Battle of Sheriffmuir, where in 1715 the Jacobite Army led by the Earl of Mar clashed with Hanoverian forces in a bloody and equally incompetently fought encounter.

Looking towards the picturesque Glen Tye from Sherrifmuir

To start the walk, go through a dilapidated metal gate into the heather-strewn field opposite where the car is parked and take the immediately obvious quad tracks in an eastward direction. The quad tracks soon melt into a narrow and barely visible path which essentially takes the line of least resistance through the heather, wending its way east for 600m from the gate to arrive at the obvious end of Glen Tye. To the left at this point is a set of almost perfectly linearly aligned standing stones, visible by the only remaining upright stone, ‘Wallace's Stone’, so called as it was apparently often used as the meeting place for William Wallace's army. The placement of these stones, however, almost certainly predates Wallace's time.

On reaching the bottom of Glen Tye, cross the drystone dyke and descend to cross the Old Wharry Burn, just below where it is joined by a smaller burn, and ascend up the bank on the south side of the glen. Without a path, head towards the obvious plantation, passing it on the northern side just south of the glen, reaching a small burn shortly afterwards. Cross the small burn and begin to ascend the gentle slopes of Little Hunt Hill by moving southeasterly and away from Glen Tye. The going underfoot is full of small tussocks, but fairly easy. The small, flat and unmarked summit of Little Hunt Hill (421m) provides good views immediately over Sheriffmuir and west to the Gargunnock Hills.

Leaving Little Hunt Hill, navigation can become difficult in poor weather. Head easterly from the summit to cross a fence, entering temporarily into some soggy terrain before ascending steadily to the oblong and unmarked top of Big Hunt Hill (520m). A lack of any useful navigational features at this point means that close attention to macronavigation is required in clear weather, and precise micronavigation must be used in poor visibility to stay on route.

Head southeasterly from the top of Big Hunt Hill to the spot-height marked 496m at GR849009 in between the start of two burns (taking a bearing to this point is advisable even in good weather). Begin to ascend gradually from this point, heading to the spot-height marked 541m (Explorer) at GR855007, and continue east to the fenceline at Menstrie Moss. Here the terrain becomes quite boggy in parts, but navigation becomes easier as a faint path parallels the fence northwards, descending to a small burn (after crossing a fence) and then ascending all the way to Blairdenon Hill (still roughly following the fence). The flat, featureless top of Blairdenon (631m) is probably the most uninspiring in the Ochils, so there is not much reason to linger on the unmarked summit.

Cross over to the north side of the fence and take the vague, grassy path next to the fence that heads southwesterly towards Greenforet Hill. Just before reaching Greenforet there is a humble memorial cairn with a small white cross, planted amongst several pieces of twisted and rusting metal. The sobering memorial marks a more recent part of Ochils history, when numerous aircraft crashed over the hills during the Second World War. The worst occasion was 18 January 1943, when three Spitfires flying in formation crashed in the Ochils, killing two of the pilots.

After the memorial the path bends around without actually reaching Greenforet summit and descends towards the col before Mickle Corum. This is the best part of the walk, with great views north and west and a good view down Glen Tye from the col. Ascend gradually from the col to Mickle Corum summit (594m) and cross the fence to reach the obvious cairn to enjoy perhaps the best vantage point west in the range.

Descend almost due west from the cairn for 700m, again without a path, to reach a broad col, and proceed gently upwards in the same direction for a further 300m to the broad, unmarked top of Glentye Hill (481m). Change direction from Glentye Hill and descend in a roughly southwesterly direction, edging gradually closer to the Old Wharry Burn to eventually arrive back at the bottom of Glen Tye where this burn was originally crossed.

From here cross back over the burn and return to the start point near the Sheriffmuir Inn. (It is worth taking a swift diversion to Wallace's Stone and the four other linearly aligned stones.)