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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way. Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land(*).
*For information about access rights in Scotland see the ScotWays website.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass. Please quote the hill number and hill name.
Logged Descriptions (logged by 164 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all) | By | Date of Ascent |
Easy walk on forest roads from Cairnhead car park. Solo. | Dangerous Dave | 08/06/2023 |
Good parking at Cairnhead after a section of gravel road. Decided on the direct approach, straight up Conrick Hill. Initially steep and rough with some forestry detritus, but a quick way of getting to the excellent forestry track at the 450m contour, where there is a small quarry not marked on the 1:25,000. Track to 520m where there is an easy and short fire break to the open moorland, straightforward from there to the summit trig and arch. Retraced steps. | Owen B | 08/04/2023 |
See https://scotlandhills.net/north-west-of-monavie/ | hill walker | 04/03/2023 |
From Cairnhead NW of Moniaive started at the Byre Arch. Followed track all the way until the right turn at the signpost for Colt Hill, also with a striding arch. Returned to track to visit Black Hill then returned the same way | Wayne Mac | 05/02/2023 |
From Dalwhat glen. Drove to Striding Arches car park at Cairnhead then cycled up to 510m bealach on forestry roads. Sunny day with a chill light breeze. Good visibility. Enjoyed freewheeling back to van. | Rounsfell | 06/12/2022 |
Stayed overnight at the byre, in our van. Glad we had the lift-kit, 4wd and big tyres to get up the access road! Not suitable for an average car! Very steady climb up the forestry roads, then a short steeper push at the top, to the arch. Great views across to the other arch on Benbrack. | Toby-and-Dion | 15/10/2022 |
Horror public road from Dalwhat onwards. When FLS sign appears, depsite the road cocnditions, you can indeed drive further. The potholes made me anxious and i parked my car further away from end of road. 
Gated track into FLS land, this track is in better condition than D and G public road……anyway 
A v long drive….and lots of holding breath….. 
Walk itself is v easy 
Lovely migrant spring birds 
Will hopefully come back and do the other arches anothe rtime…..stay locally (?) | VerySlowPlodder | 07/05/2022 |
From Blairoch easily out track and up Colt Hill. Going tougher in pathless long grass to Lamgarroch. That's when I went wrong doubling back to go through felled area (it was horrid). Made worse when I saw track coming off on east ridge from below. Up track to col between Mulwhanny (out and back) and Green Hill which was again pathless long wet grass. Decided to use forestry track back (much longer) as I was fed up of the tough going. | SS | 31/07/2021 |
Trackside parking opposite electrical sub-stn (NX 7160 9481). Bail Hill arch first then Green Hill -> Mullwhanny -> Lamgarroch. nice easy walk across to here for the second arch. On to Black Hill -> Benbrack for a 11 mile round of the 3 arches. | jonglew | 17/04/2021 |
Gate padlocked at Blairoch on a weekday in August - no notice or explanation. Possible to park about 200m back towards Benbuie at start of a forest track, but only room for 2-3 cars. Short walk from there to Cairnhead, which had a neglected feel. Walks on information board no longer exist post forestry work. Will it re-open again? | 49pp | 10/08/2020 |
Drove up glen from Moniave to Cairnhead, although there was a closed gate at Blairoch so parked here. You can drive past this as there is signage and parking at Cairnhead. From here, I cycled the new forestry track all the way to the ridge leaving only 500m to the top. Very fast descent on an excellent road. 
1 hour 5 mins | Simon Winton | 08/03/2020 |
Walked from Cairnhead Striding Arch Barn (Andy Goldsworthy)to Striding Arch on summit. Operated ham radio for SOTA on VHF, another cold wet foul day. | G4OBK (Phil) | 05/01/2020 |
With Jon. First hill after hip op | tallblond | 10/06/2019 |
Solo trip, after Wether Hill. Quite an adventurous drive up to Cairnhead. Lovely clear day. | Invicta14 | 23/05/2019 |
From Black hill. Beyond me why you would an arch of sandstone up here. Back to the car at 695972.Solo walk of just over 2 hours. | bolton | 06/05/2019 |
From Cairnhead car park. Track to bealach then path to summit. | Lionel Bidwell | 09/04/2019 |
From Cairnhead car park, past Benbuie in the Dalwhat valley. Watch the craters in the road after Glenjaan and in the forestry road. An easy, quick and slightly dull plod up the track, made more pleasant by snow, to the track junction at the col between Colt Hill and Black Hill. Final climb on snow, mashed by the passage of many feet. Not sure I like the arch, a great lumpen thing, useful only to frame the view of the multiple wind farms. That said, better to bag this hill now, before the planning application for the wind farm is granted. | Gill | 02/02/2019 |
In search of Goldsworthy...from Benbuie, but need not to have worried about the gate possible to drive to Cairngead small car park.. explored the Byre before the tack to summit and back. Must collect the other rings on a nice day... light rain but clear summit. | N.Morters | 08/12/2018 |
Parked on S. side of Corlae Bridge at 658976 and up Benbrack & Black Hill. From Black Hill, along well used path alongside fence to the sandstone arch, trig point & unmarked summit. Continued to Lamgarroch. (S) | gerrybowes | 31/10/2018 |
Parked up the never ending road 400m short of Polskeoch where the farmer's wife gave me a cheery wave. Used Andrew's new forest road then a short pull up through felled area to summit. Down to col and up Cairn Hill then SUW back to car. | NormanW | 19/04/2018 |
Minor road to Polskeoch takes forever! Best parking at marked parking area then follow SUW past bothy (diversion to Allan's Cairn still not necessary) and across to the summit on easy ground. If ground very wet, alternative route via new forest road from 701999. | AndrewFinnimore | 25/04/2017 |
From Polskeoch via SUW and Black Hill, there were two timber lorries parked on the col. | Chris Peart | 15/12/2016 |
All the way up the forest track from the south to the col to the west then up the final90m to the trig and Andy Goldsworthy arch, with Jimmy McPaul. There 6.30-7.00pm. Trig th S5985 is the start of Lucy Feltham trig walk of life. | vegibagger | 06/06/2016 |
Previously done 16/01/08 solo, today with Liz. Met Mike (Halpin) and his wife (Liz), only the 3rd marilynista met during all these hill walks. Cold, sunny and good views. | iangalbraith | 15/02/2016 |
From car park east of Polkeogh, after heavy rain no safe parking any nearer. SUW to Black Hill then E to summit. Return by new track from Black Hill col to Allen's Cairn. | Topographer57 | 20/11/2015 |
From the north along S uplands way. Route finding easy. 2.5 hrs return. | jenx | 02/11/2015 |
W Jenx, down minor road to Polskeoch. Notices now say to park 1km short of road end, however by continuing past the house at road end 100m parking at side of track is possible, even for non 4x4 vehicles. Continued of SUW right to Black Hill. The diversion to Allan's Cairn not necessary. Watch for a big new track between Black Hill and Colts Hill, head straight across. Arch is nice feature on top. | nordicstar | 02/11/2015 |
round of green hill,mullwhanny, colt hill, black hill, benbrack, wether hill anti clockwise from craigenbeast. | robertphillips | 05/07/2015 |
Continuation of walk from Black Hill. Returned to stile on Southern Upland Way, then boggy path down to a gate onto new forest road over the col. Then boggy track up to summit. Fine monumental arch near trig point. Walk continued to Lamgarroch. With AT and JT. | Man of Kernow1 | 09/05/2015 |
A pleasant detour whilst walking the Southern Upland Way. | Gayle | 18/04/2015 |
Round of arches | cjo | 04/04/2015 |
ERB, RIB | HFB | 24/08/2014 |
From the yellow road to the SE at NX 72637 93571. I'm not one for sculpture but I really liked the Striding Arches. | Alan Moore | 15/04/2014 |
At Cairnhead (the Byre Arch) there is a grassy forest path leading off towards the summit, it seems. However it disappears or is easily lost, better with road. | neimcv | 12/03/2014 |
Part of traverse.See TR for Green Hill(Bail Hill) | Thearlaichdubh | 22/02/2014 |
Start: Near Polskeoch. Notes: Ascended via Southern Upland Way and Black Hill approaching summit from West with no difficulty. Descended to North encountering dense forestry plantation including wind blown trees - AVOID this in order to retain sense of humour. | raffemeister | 18/08/2013 |
MC and O. 95 mins via forest track from Moniaive. Beautifully sunny, no wind. Very cold - -3 through day. | Martin66 | 11/12/2012 |
From end of minor road at Polskeoch. Rather devious route, forest trails emerging at High Countam on W edge of wood. Up this to Black Hill. Descended E down fence line to new road and signpost to three Striding Arches! Followed forest edge to trig and Striding Arch on top. Google Earth may show a more direct way. | Aye Jimmy | 23/07/2011 |
Revisit. My final Galloway and LR77 trig. From SE, Craigenbeast, network of forest rides to Martour Hill (Donald Dewey), then Benbrack. One of Andy Goldsworthys Striding Arches is a few m away. Continued via other DD tops to Green Hill (3rd arch of the 3h 30 circuit). | RHW | 17/04/2010 |
Nice easy walk up to the arch | borderterrier | 27/06/2009 |
Walked up Southern Upland Way over Benbrack to ascend - returned the same way. | JohnW | 11/09/2003 |
Up the SUW from Polskeoch. | agentmancuso | 28/06/2003 |
From Polskeoch. SUW on forest roads into forest to monument. Down and up to forest corner and final 3/4m by fence to cross wire fence to column. 12.45. No view - mist. | arranc | 15/10/2001 |
From Polskeoch, along tracks and paths. Met RHW and Eddie coming down as I was going up. | Minto | 23/10/1999 |
Date is first visit. Notes from later...ordinary hill, heavy approach from S, easier from N, tough to link with Wether; met JonathanW who climbed from N on easy tk. craigenbeast 714950, Fingland Burn to Colt then via Benbrack to Wether | RHW | 23/10/1999 |
Keeping up with Rob after his 1,000th. | Eddie | 23/10/1999 |
Werewolf | matthewgibbs | blank |
andy macp | 15/10/2023 | |
Stickman | 13/07/2023 | |
Rod M | 27/08/2022 |