• Welcome to The Bushcraft Forum

    You are currently viewing the site as a guest and some content may not be available to you.

    Registration is quick and easy and will give you full access to the site and allow you to ask questions or make comments and join in on the conversation. If you would like to join then please Register

Local Castle hike

G1ZmO

Site Manager
Staff member
Messages
2,473
Points
1,640
Age
58
Noticed on the OS map of our local glen that there was a marking for a second castle which I was unaware of so decided to take a hike around the area to investigate.

The map showed it as only 300m from the country road.
I printed the OS map and a route and oriented my map to the ground so that I could get a proper bearing. This was quite successful though I had to take a detour due to the vegetation.

The 'castle' was basically the remains of one small building with 2 remaining partial walls.
I found some stoneworks around the area also which may possibly have been part of the castle also.

I'll need to do a bit of research into it.....

Aparently Craigneith castle on this side of the river was built to improve the view from the larger Calderwood castle on the other side which was more of a stately home than a castle. Craigneith castle was used to house servants for Calderwood.

While researching I've found that there is a man who lives in the woods there and has been doing so for at least 25 years and has various shelters hidden away in the area.

After looking around the building I made my way down towards the river and followed it south for a bit past a few 40/50 ft cliffs and used my map and compass to successfully find one of the the waterfalls indicated on the OS map. Noted that the contour lines on the map were a bit vague and didn't indicate the cliffs adequately. Good job I didn't walk that way!

The gully with the waterfall was a bit gloomy and damp for a day camp so I crossed over and came out the other side to where the sun was occassionally coming through the trees.

I found a small stonework mound with a hollow in the middle and set up a campfire there.

I found starting the fire troublesome again as it's been very wet recently. I think the birchbark I had taken on the way was too damp and ended up using a fire biscuit I had pre-made.
One the fire was established it was easy to keep going with the dead wood around.

I cooked my sausages, had coffee, read my book and enjoyed the quiet.

Took a different route back which took me through an area of 6 foot high ferns which was interesting.

Lessons:
1. Should have taken a secondary water container as I had to boil the water in my steel flask so had no cold water left.
2. Really need to remember not to leave my glasses in the car. (and/or bring binoculars)
3. Need more practice at wet weather fire starting.

Video to follow once I've chopped the 40 mins of video down to around 10 mins.
 
Look forward to the vid mate, find loads of hidden ruins, when out an about :thumbsup:
 
Nice vid Paul, your becoming a natural in front of the camera :thumbsup:

My vid took a while to upload mate, it's still much better and faster than windows movie maker :D
 
Back
Top