{"id":2380,"date":"2013-07-13T18:03:54","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T17:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.screel.co.uk\/walks\/?p=2380"},"modified":"2013-12-07T15:18:50","modified_gmt":"2013-12-07T15:18:50","slug":"birks-hill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.screel.co.uk\/walks\/borders\/birks-hill\/","title":{"rendered":"Birks Hill"},"content":{"rendered":"

7.9 miles \u00a03h 21m \u00a0ascent 557m<\/p>\n

\"Tweed<\/a>Birks Hill, Birkscairn Hill, Glensheil Banks<\/em><\/p>\n

\"And birks saw I three or four,\r\n      Wi' grey moss bearded owre,--\r\n    The last that are left o' the birken shaw,\r\n      Whar mony a simmer e'en\r\n      Fond lovers did convene,\r\n    Thae bonny, bonny gloamins that are lang awa'<\/pre>\n
This walk started on the road from Kirkhouse up towards Glen House. Parking wasn’t easy and I thought I might have to leave the car at the church in Kirkhouse but managed to squeeze it at the side of the road a little closer.<\/p>\n
At a Tweed Trails sign, I followed the track signed for “Peebles”. This leads up towards Birks and gives the first views of Birks Hill. The OS map shows a path turning left towards the house at Birks but the Tweed Trail turns right through woodland and then drops towards the Glass Burn.<\/p>\n
\"Tweed<\/a>
Tweed Trail by the Glass Burn<\/p><\/div>\n
From here I headed north, still on a definite path, but one obviously not much used. There had been some tree-felling and by a felled field, filled with foxgloves, some rustling in the ferns beside the track turned out to be a deer that stood watching me for a moment before bounding off. The next rustling was a sheep. I don’t usually expect to see them in the ferns.<\/p>\n
\"Deer<\/a>
Deer at Birks<\/p><\/div>\n
The path petered out and I set out across a field of ferns which then gave way to rushes. I expect this section could be wet but in the midst of the heatwave it was dry. At the boundary between fern and rush was a substantial stand of nettles, which made me regret wearing shorts. I hesitated briefly then pushed on through (a true adventurer?). Much to my surprise they didn’t sting.<\/p>\n
After the rushes I met a well worn track that led to the col below Birks Hill. The track continued around Birks Hill climbing slowly onto its northern slopes. I left the track at its highest point, where there was a Tweed Trail marker post, and headed directly up the slopes. There seemed to be a swathe of grass through the heather, which I presume must once have been burned a few seasons ago, and that made the going easier. \u00a0I met a track coming from the NE which made me wonder if I had missed a direct route up from the col.\u00a0There are a couple of small cairns on Birks Hill. One might be the summit though to my eye an un-cairned rise to the SW looked higher.<\/p>\n
\"Birks<\/a>
Birks Hill<\/p><\/div>\n
A faint track led across a dried-up bed of moss in the col and up to Birkscairn Hill where there was a cairn big enough to sit on for lunch.<\/p>\n
\"Birkscairn<\/a>
Birkscairn Hill<\/p><\/div>\n
\"Birkscairn<\/a>
Birkscairn Hill, on a different day.<\/p><\/div>\n
From Birkscairn Hill I walked down and joined the Old Drove Road which is now just a faint track. This took me over the shoulder of Stake Law and across two wee burns. Though it must be well over a century since the drovers used this pathway it still remains and must be kept in existence by occasional walkers. It is certainly a pretty glen to walk in though the ground looked as if it could muddy up with a little water. Once I could see Glenshiel Banks I headed directly down the slope towards it.<\/p>\n
\"Banks<\/a>
Banks Burn, Looking down to Glenshiel Banks from the Drove Road<\/p><\/div>\n
Glenshiel Banks is enclosed in a stone wall. A small cottage is obviously still used and a ruined building stands nearby. There is a bridge over Banks Burn which is a major tributory of Quair Water. From there it was a slightly monotonous farm track back to the start. But the hedgerows were brimming with plants and butterflies and there was a good view of Loch Eddy nestling in its deep glen. A future outing perhaps.<\/p>\n
\"Glenshiel<\/a>
Glenshiel Banks<\/p><\/div>\n
\"Loch<\/a>
Loch Eddy, Glendean Banks<\/p><\/div>\n
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