Drive on(or close by) summits GM/SS area

Activation Reports Pre-Planning
1

Heading up to Edinburgh next month for a wedding.
I am planning on GM/SS-272 once/if permission is granted,

Are there any drive on (or close by) summits on route from Carlise to Edinburgh?

Cheers
John

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2

No.

Quickest route North is M6/A74(M)/A702. If you come across country then the roads are slow. Even in fast cars.

You could go A7 from Carlisle to Hawick, cross country on A6088 to Chester and grab Belling Hill which is a 10-15min meander from the car park. But… the replanted forest has been growing for 10 years. It was trivial in 2012 but the fire breaks will be much tighter now.

Black Hill between Earlston/Melrose is easy but is a 30/40min walk. It’s a proper hill but simple.

Or Lamberton Hill out near Berwick-upon-Tweed is probably 20-25mins.

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3

The summit marker on Belling hill was initially a bit hard to find when I was there this summer, but the corner of the fence was a good support for the pole.
Easy walk up though still.
Andy
MM7MOX

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4

Thanks both. I think our route will be Carlisle M6 > (A74M) > A702 > Edinburgh.

Cheers
John

5

If you plan on coming along the M8 then the quickest summit from the car I have come across in the area is just outside Bathgate Cairnpapple Hill GM/SS-254. Less than 10 minutes from the car with semi-decent views across the central belt.

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6

Hi Lee and welcome!
You’ve replied to @MM0FMF who I suspect can see Cairnpapple Hill from his bedroom window. It’s on my list to do this December.

I was thinking of mentioning that one to John. Even if he drove out from Edinburgh to do it, it wouldn’t take too long.

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7

So I have! My first post here (Doh!), must have clicked the wrong button. Aye, only a 20 minute-ish drive from Edinburgh. Worth a visit if you’re in the area and looking for a quick activation.

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8

I did Cairnpapple a few weeks ago on 2m. Only person I saw was a guy in another field picking mushrooms. There was no staff on site.

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9

Staff?

10

@MM0FMF Just what kind of hill is this?

11

Cairnpapple also had about a dozen fairly aggressive heifers that surrounded me and forced a retreat earlier this year.

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12

I did Cairnpapple hill the other year while on route to the Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel. Some good views from up there.

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13

The site has a significant burial ground on it. In the centre of the site there’s a burial mound, I think when it’s open you can go inside. It was on a BBC Scotland show with the blind presenter a few weeks ago. There’s a Nissan hut for a ‘visitors centre’ and when I looked at it online it said there was staff on site. None were evident.

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14

The burial site is not the SOTA summit.

They’re just very friendly! Took me a while to get the cow snot off my bag after they surrounded me!

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15

Oh poo, I may have to cancel my activation. Just checked my bad, I’ll have to delete that one. Guess what I’ll be doing on Sunday.

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16

Shame but you get to do it again.

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17

It was foggy as hell the day I did it so going back I may get the views.

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They’re not bad TBH.

19

Cademuir GM/SS-219 might be worth considering.

BTW, I had to smile when I read the thread title. Probably the first time I’ve seen “drive on” and “GM” in the same sentence. :grinning:

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20

I thought there were a couple in SW Scotland?

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