Common Hill - 132m
Sunday 3rd July 2011
 

Weather/Conditions: Cool clear twilight - I did this top as it got dark.
Distance/Ascent/Time: 1km / 20m / 9m
Accompanying: Alone

Common Hill may be the shortest hill I have ever included in my website. It is Rothesay's hill, similar in style to Barone Hill. But if you hadn't seen it on a hill-list, you may never know it existed. I'd struggle to call it a hill - it is in the woods behind the golf course, caught up in a tangle of trees and houses. But if you are bagging HuMP's, it is one of four on the Isle of Bute, and that can be reason enough. (Just like the Marilyn-baggers go for Crowborough!)  As a HuMP it's prominence exceeds 100m, which is surprising given it's low altitude.

Having climbed Suidhe Chatain not long previously, I stopped by to tick off Common Hill. It was probably just as well I was climbing this summit after sunset because there were no golfers to get in the way of. Leaving the public road, I stopped by the trig point then went into the woods to search for the highest spot. After some rummaging through the trees, a mound of dirt appeared to be the top. In any case, I'd searched around enough to have done the tick without doubt.

Even if this isn't a real hill, it is a high vantage point. The scenery towards Cowal is worth mentioning. Back at the car, we drove down the steep hairpins off Canada Hill and into Rothesay.

By the end of the day I'd climbed three of Bute's HuMPs, out of a total of four. The following day I set off of Barone Hill, the last HuMP. Even then, I was at the beginning of the 30m prominence tick-fest...

List-ticking can be beautifully simple. So climb Common Hill for the novelty tick, and watch out for golf balls while your at it.

Written: 2011-08-23

<< previous | next >>