Benarty Hill
Benarty Hill, Fife. Section 26.
Height – 356 metres. Map – OS Landranger 58.
Climbed - 15 October 2011. Time taken – 1.25 hours.
Distance – 3.5 kilometres. Ascent – 185 metres.
Trip Report Details:
The plan was to check out a northerly approach to this hill but ongoing excavation work on the south side of the B9097 put paid to that idea. I therefore drove round to the unclassified single track road to the west of the village of Ballingry, but here the limited number of parking spaces were already occupied. With difficulty I managed to locate a bit of verge parking, although I wasn’t particular happy with the position.
I walked back to the start and noticed signs stating that the path was closed. However a number of runners were doing hill reps up the steps and as it was a Saturday I presumed work was on hold for the weekend. The stepped path zigzagged uphill and the reason for the closure was obvious as some of the steps were being replaced and a new top surface laid. Fortunately, as I predicted, the workmen had the day off. Higher up the path joined a forestry vehicle track which I followed to its end. This was replaced by another path, or two, which wound its way through Benarty Wood to the open hillside.
A peaty path through heather led to the large boulder marking the top of the knoll, Seamark. Here there were views back to Loch Ore, Firth of Forth and in the distance, Edinburgh. It was then an easy stroll to the trig point which marked the summit of Benarty Hill. To the north I could see the Lomond Hills, which I had climbed the previous month, and Loch Leven.I took a short coffee break in a hollow sheltering from the strong wind before returning by the ascent route.