I class myself as a walker. That often involves tackling hills and traversing higher ground. Difficult to escape elevated terrain in Scotland! However, I don't specifically plan an expedition with altitude in mind. Some people like to bag Munros and that's absolutely fine. As a bit of a box ticker myself, I can see the attraction. However, the arbitrary 3000 feet threshold doesn't grab me in that way. I'm inclined to ask what makes a hill special because it happens to exceed 915 metres? Why not 925 (or 3035 feet in old money)? Munro status in no way guarantees the best views and the smaller hills offer sweeping panoramas just like their bigger cousins. You can also blast up and down them in a couple of hours.
Moncreiffe Hill was one I'd had on my list for a while. Situated between Bridge of Earn and Perth, the online reports confirmed the climb provided fantastic views of the Fair City skyline as well as the nearby rivers Tay and Earn. Perfect for an autumnal afternoon expedition. An added bonus was the presence of a wildlife sculpture trail. We passed through Bridge of Earn in the car, a place (to the best of my knowledge) I'd never seen before as it is bypassed by the M90. Seemed like a nice little town. The car-park was surprisingly busy. Obviously this route was popular with local hikers and dog walkers. The area was designated as a nature reserve (managed by the Woodland Trust) and the trails well signposted. Our plan was basically to keep going uphill in a straight line and then back by the reverse route. Our cartography skills wouldn't be put seriously to the test. At least, that was the theory. Height was rapidly gained and a vista opened up, showing the rocky outcrop of Kinnoull Hill directly opposite. We had climbed that one a couple of years ago and today the folly atop the cliff face was clearly visible from our vantage point. You can just make it out on the extreme right of the above picture. Rather sadly, it is a known blackspot for suicides and there are those who feel the tower shouldn't be used on Perth promotional literature. I can see their point. We passed a couple of curious sculpture installations and I liked the quirky aspect of the design. Onward we pressed, with the terrain levelling out then climbing again. There were a couple of viewpoints (with bench seating) along the way before the final assault on the peak. We did overshoot the sign and had to slightly backtrack after it became obvious we were dipping down again. Moncreiffe Hill has two Iron Age forts designated as scheduled ancient monuments. The larger encircles the summit of the hill and a line of ramparts can be traced.
The tree cover vanished as we approached the 731-foot pinnacle and the view across Perth was indeed stunning. The silvery Tay threaded its way around the Fair City and prominent landmarks were St Matthew's Church spire and the viaducts across the tidal river. Perth Harbour is around 20 miles inland from Dundee but remains open for coastal and dry bulk ships up to 100 metres in length, carrying up to 2500 tonnes. Cargoes range from traditional loads such as animal feedstuffs and fertilisers to timber, chemicals and baryte ore. I've always meant to book a trip on one of the seasonal boat trips along this stretch of Scotland's longest river. To the north we could look down upon Bridge of Earn - the smaller river flowing into the Tay a few miles further downstream. The hills of Fife also poked up in the distance and there was also a fine perspective of the valley to the west - a patchwork of arable fields. We found a relatively sheltered spot for lunch and the long grass was thankfully bone dry. Hillwalking doesn't need to involve driving for miles into remote countryside and heading out at the crack of dawn. The people of Perth could easily access this one by public transport or even on foot. The way down was essentially the reverse of the ascent and we took our time. No need to put unnecessary pressure on the knee joints. Mine are holding up well and as I approach 50 I feel in perfectly good shape. A minor creak here and there but overall in fine fettle. How long can it last? Only God can determine that one. The original plan for the day was to continue through Perth and explore the banks of the Tay near the village of Errol, perhaps sighting a few birds in the extensive reed beds. That however would have involved driving a good few miles and more walking. We felt we had done enough to shake off a few lockdown cobwebs and decided to leave the Errol expedition for another time.
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