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I took the train to Glasgow Central, and after waiting twenty minutes, took the train from there to
Hamilton. After ten minutes standing outside
Hamilton West, Kim's Grandpa pulled up in his Honda with Kim in the back and Kim's
sister in the front. We went to Kim's house briefly and she picked up her things
before her Grandpa, Kim and I drove to Tinto.
Ascent
We arrived at Fallburn, outside Thankerton at 1.05pm. We left a few minutes
later, and began walking up the lower slopes. Kim was going at an absolute
snails pace, so I'd be ahead, then stop for a few minutes, and then walk again.
When we reached the cairn at 478 metres, Kim's Grandpa decided to stop there and
wait for us until we got down. Me and Kim went on, following the path upwards
(which actually reminded me of the Ben Nevis track a lot - a motorway, really)
Apart from the fact that everything you sat on or touched was covered in
spiders, it was a nice ascent. The last part was the slowest maybe,
but we got to the top in the end (2.50pm)
When we arrived, I had confirmed to myself that
this really was the largest cairn I'd seen in my life. I believe it may have
some historical significance, although its metres high and it's even wider than
it is tall. On top of this
massive cairn (which is visible from many, many miles away) there's a trig
point-like column to mark the top.
There were a lot of wind breakers dotted about, usually with old food in
them, or people scribbling their names on rocks. I wasn't too impressed by this
but I have to say, it felt like Nevis in more ways than one. Nevertheless it was
a nice hill otherwise.
Descent
After a while and some pictures, we left the top and met Kim's grandpa on the way
down, exactly where he was was before. That's impressive, considering I don't
have nearly that much patience! We were leaving just as the sun was setting in
the sky. I was dropped off at Hamilton West, where I waited until a train came.
I got home after another twenty minute wait at Central - not fun, but arrived
home surprisingly exhausted!
Written 2007-10-12
Proofed 2008-05-20
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