It does not take long to leave Glasgow’s city confines and reach the peace and quiet of the countryside, which sits in stark contrast to multitude of buildings, busy streets and noisy traffic of Scotland’s biggest city. In fact you can leave the city centre and be on the summit of the volcanic plug of Dumgoyne in about an hour and a half.
Dumgoyne rises sharply from the western edge of the Campsie Fells near to the village of Strathblane. The Campsie Fells date from the Carboniferous period having been formed by erosion along the line of a geological faultline known as the Campsie Fault, where around 30 different lava flows left tiers of rock. The highest point pf the Campsies is Earl’s Seat, which rises to nearly 1900 feet in height.
Dumgoyne is only fifteen miles from the city centre. A well-worn path leaves from Glengoyne Distillery and wends its way to the 427-metre summit. It is a tough climb but any effort is rewarded with quite breathtaking views; Ben Lomond and the Southern Highlands dominate the northern aspect whilst the long, rolling ridge of the Campsie Fells extend east. But the finest view is possibly the one that extends south across Glasgow’s sprawling boundaries to reach the conspicuous whale-backed outline of Tinto Hill, sitting some fifty miles away on the horizon.
Wanderings - the ramblings of Outdoor Fergie. 