This is becoming an annual event instead of a weekly one! I'm appalled that my last entry was a year ago, appalled and yet not surprised. For the year has been full of writing the bird report, sending off moth records, lichenising (lots more of that), rockpooling, taking dad out, holidays and, unfortunately more than anything else - work!

So, with the weight pouring on and the rain pouring down, I always had an excuse not to go out - until I finally wrestled with my apathy and emerged in Luthrie with Margaret on tow for a gridsquare extravaganza.  "There's loads of benchmarks," I enthused as we set off clockwise from NO3319. Waiting for Margaret, I had waved to two white cars at the village hall car park that looked like Margaret's and two bemused occupants who emerged with yoga mats smiled weakly back.

Now we set off with a stride in our step and found the first benchmark on the gatepost of Lower Luthrie Farm - a rivet, which was a bonus.

Rivet benchmark, Lower Luthrie Farm NO 3319

Road west from Lower Luthrie Farm. NO3319

Although this had been an easy benchmark to find, we had not managed to escape the gaze of a girl mucking out the horses. She came to enquire (in a very friendly manner) what it was we were photographing. We explained and pointed out the rivet to her. Needless to say, she had not noticed it before.

Congratulating ourselves on such an easy find, we set off westwards and they say pride comes before a fall - and so it did. I forgot to photograph the next gridsquare. This is forgiveable at a later stage in the walk, but not on only the second one! We also failed to find the next benchmark - a pattern which became very familiar as the day wore on; and one I am very familiar with from my many grid adventures thus far. So I shall have to return. I'd been waxing lyrical about Emily Wood as well (about which I have not been able to find out anything).

Oblivious for the time being to my gross negligence, we carried on to the next T-junction where we resisted going to Carphin Farm (no need, it's not a new gridsquare) and continued on to Wester Kinsleith, where another benchmark eluded us.

Path near Wester Kinsleith NO 3119

With eyes keenly on phone map to avoid missing the next gridsquare, I announced its arrival.  Wallace Wood," and click.

Wallace Wood NO3118

I had visited the next gridsquare on a previous walk with Tim in 2019, and was following our footsteps for the next kilometer or so, although we had been on the other side of the fence at that time.  I remembered that because of the rifle range we had explored. But I'm ahead of myself, we wandered into NO3018 and I snapped a photo of the junction at which we turned northwards towards Norman's Law.

Gate near Whirly Kips - NO 3018

Knowing I already had a good photo of NO3019, I resisted the temptation to take another, especially as there was little of interest on our route. I include here the photo I took in 2019 on the aforementioned walk.

WW1 rifle range, near Norman's Law (23/02/2019) - NO 3019

The next gridsquare is one of my favourites in Fife (yes, you are allowed to have favourite gridsquares before you ask!) NO3020. See how it rolls off the tongue. It has my favourite Fife hill in it - Norman's Law, which I have now ascended 3 times to date. It is much less visited than its two larger, more southerly counterparts - East and West Lomond - and the countryside here has a rolling, lumpy, interesting quality to it - even if they ran out of names for hills and came up with Whirly Kips twice!

Having said all that, I did not take any photographs of the gridsquare and the only ones I have are of the actual summit of Norman's Law. How this is possible, you ask. I'll tell you - because Norman's Law, like many hills and mountains is best viewed from a distance, ie from another gridsquare when you can see the whole massif.

We spent some time in this gridsquare at any rate because there were 4 benchmarks in it - 3 close together and one on the minor road at the north of the square. We found a total of zero, despite some quite extensive searching. I do hope we didn't miss anything obvious. It's doubtful though because the erstwhile wonderful wall has definitely seen better days. It is now in a ruinous state and the benchmarks have either disappeared or been displaced. Try as we might, we could not find a single one. Neither could we find a particular lichen that we had found on a previous trip when lichens had been our focus.

Admitting defeat, we walked on and Margaret wisely suggested we stop for lunch at the former quarry before we hit the road. A wise and welcome decision. someone walked past as we at there with our flasks and piece.  He was carrying two full shopping bags and we mused on where he was going and from whence he came.

Fortified and with a little bit of lichen scrutiny to justify our having brought hand lenses, we moved on, turning left when we reached the road, failing to find yet another benchmark (same problem of collapsed wall and further lamentations on the lamentable state of Fife's walls and hidden benchmarks) and finally into NO3021.  

Although this was my first new gridsquare for an hour or so, I waited till its westernmost border before taking its photo, partly because we missed another benchmark on the wall (ditto before) and partly because there was just nothing interesting to take.  All that was to change at Fliskmillan, however, where an beautiful, lichen-covered old sign caught my eye, dating from days of horse and cart.

Horse and cart sign, Fliskmillan NO3021

Fliskmillan house - NO3021

Benchmark on Fliskmillan House - NO3021

Brazenly, I lifted my binoculars to search for the benchmark on Fliskmillan House. There had been too many missed ones to let another slip us by. "I can see it!" I exclaimed and was glad that Margaret's excitement matched my own. I zoomed up to take a quick snap of what I assumed was a rivet on the foundation stone of the house and we quickly moved on.  The OS database, however, calls it a cut mark and I'm not going to argue, but I could not see the datum line.

We nipped briefly into NO2921 and ever closer to the Tay, but then turned right and eastwards, having reached the westernmost corner of our route.

The westernmost corner and the River Tay. NO2921

Moving into NO3021, we had a good look at and around the schoolhouse at Flisk for the benchmark, without success. I always feel quite conspicuous snooping round people's houses and am never brave enough to knock on the door and ask if they've noticed a benchmark anywhere on their property. Not that I'd mind if I was lucky enough to live in a house with a benchmark!

Sign at The Old Schoolhouse, Flisk - NO 3021

We did get two benchmarks in that square, however, which did quite a bit to raise our spirits.  They are always easier to find on houses than on tumbled down walls, but, for obvious reasons, more difficult to photograph - unless you don't mind risking being accosted for trespassing or invasion of privacy.

Cottage at Flisk - NO 3021

Benchmark on cottage at Flisk - NO3021

Balhelvie Cottage - NO3021

Balhelvie Cottage benchmark - NO3021

Simple pleasures! How many other people are heartened by the sight of a 1960s cut arrow on stonework, I wonder! Relatively few I imagine. Thus heartened, we continued to walk parallel to the Tay eastwards into NO3121 where I snapped another boring photo of the road.

Road east of Balhelevie - NO3121

It was around now that I began to feel a bit uncomfortable as I checked my map in the mid-afternoon light and realised we had better speed up if we wanted to get back before dark. I didn't realise it then, but my phone battery was fast dying so any thoughts of using it as a torch would have been pretty futile. (Although Margaret, as always, as much better prepared with her head torch).

We ventured into NO3122 and were surprised to see a sign for a churchyard. I had been anticipating visiting Flisk churchyard for the duration of the walk (another of my more unusual fascinations) and confirmed far too adamantly that that was not the one in question. "When we get to OUR one," I promised rather too confidently, "we will stop for the last dregs of our flasks."

"Hmmm, that does look inviting, though," I added, whilst frantically trying to find evidence of a former churchyard on my phone. Tempted though we were to go and investigate, we decided we had better stick to our original plan - well, mine - and find the churchyard at Flisk.  What I discovered with sinking heart upon my return home, was that this had been the original plan, that was the churchyard at Flisk and I had marked it in the wrong place on my map. What a confession from an avid map reader! It goes without saying that a return visit is not only desirable, but of high priority!

Depending on the outcome of our return visit to this gridsquare, it may well rise in the gridsquare charts for not only does it contain a ruined church and churchyard, but my favourite benchmark of the day at least and definitely one of my favourites in Fife.  It is situated on a disused well.

Former well at West Flisk - NO 3122

Benchmark on well at West Flisk - NO 3122

As can probably be seen by astute observers (I wonder how many of those there are reading this), we had to do a little bit of 'gardening' in order to reveal this beauty. I prefer to think of it as allowing the stonework to breathe, not to mention liberating the benchmark so it could be appreciated. Perhaps it would have preferred to be left underneath its warm mossy blanket fast asleep? Either way, I am sure we were the first people to cast eyes on this erstwhile important OS feature for many a year.

"Is that a seat?" I rather fancifully enquired, pointing to the plank of wood covering the well. 

"No, it's just a cover to stop things dropping into the well," Margaret said, just in time to stop me going to sit on it and finding out, no doubt, just how deep the well was! We mused on  how it would be lovely to record the sound of the well's running water and I think I shall do this when I return to visit the churchyard.  Humans may have stopped using the well's resources, but that doesn't mean the well's resources have stopped. We did not 'give nature a home' here - it already had a home and fortunately will continue to do so long after any of us are gone.

Conscious that the light was already fading and believing we still had a churchyard to visit, we did not spend long searching for another benchmark on another tumbled down wall in the next gridsquare. There was a busy farmyard in the gridsquare, which I photographed instead.

East Flisk Farm - NO3222

I found out later that East Flisk Farm is the home of Siblings Reunited (STAR), a charity, which: 

reunites Brothers and Sisters separated in the care system, through adoption or Kinship care by providing the opportunity for quality and regular Sibling contact.

Another interesting fact about East Flisk is that some silver coins of Edward III were turned up a few years before 1845. They were given to a Dr Fleming, and consisted of sixpences, shillings and half-crown pieces. (Info from Camore website)

Last but not least of interesting facts about East Flisk is that there is a dislodged benchmark which took some finding. A give away portion of datum line justified some more 'gardening' which revealed a benchmark at a 90 degree angle on a stone from an erstwhile wall.

Dislodged benchmark at East Flisk - NO3222

With fading light and growing realisation that we were going to have to do something to curtail our walk, we wandered into NO3322, which I had photographed before on a much sunnier day.

Crossroads at Hazelton NO3322 (taken 22/12/20)

When we turned southwards into NO3321, we found our last benchmark of the day. My phone had given up the ghost, so, even if we had had daylight sufficient to continue our benchmark quest, we did not have the mapped locations to hand.  

Location of benchmark on Forester's Cottage - NO3321

Forester's Cottage - NO3321

We trudged on, no knowing how many benchmarks we were missing (3) until we reached a T junction, where we decided a deviation from our original route would be wise. I had originally planned to turn right here to go through the village of Brunton and pick up another potential eight benchmarks.  By continuing directly southwards, we would curtail our walk by about a mile.  Reluctantly, we agreed on the shortcut, having already decided a return visit soon was called for.

Creich Castle's remains made a fitting subject for the last photo of the day.  I was looking forward to calculating how many gridsquares I had photographed, how many I'd missed and doing likewise for the benchmarks. It had been a very productive foray back into my closet hobbies of benchmarks and gridsquares!  Roll on visit number 2! Watch this space and let's hope it's not another year before I return to blogging!

Creich Castle at sunset - NO 3321

Number of new gird squares visited: 9

Number of potential new gridsquares: 12

Number of benchmarks/total number of historic benchmarks: 7/21 (and another 8 on the original route)

Highlights: Norman's Law, the well at East Flisk, the dislodged benchmark

Worth returning: on a revised route yes and definitely to visit Flisk churchyard.

A Rose With Any Other Name - a 'floral' walk round Dunino - 23rd January 2022

It has been ages since my last proper adventurous walk; I'm talking months, maybe even nearly a year. This has largely been due to the lockdown, but more due to the longer lasting effects of the lockdown. The long lasting effects on me, I mean. For nearly two years I have strolled round my local patch, contenting myself with monitoring all the wildlife I see, acquainting myself with every nook and cranny and learning which birds to expect at exactly which location. I'd become accustomed to my regular walks and, dare I say it, I was in danger of getting myself into a rut.

Every time I convinced myself I was going to break out and go somewhere different, I found excuses not to go - the weather was not good enough, I wouldn't have any other opportunity to 'do' my local patch, I'd used the car enough that week etc etc.

Today was the day, however, no excuses. I'd got my flask and lunch made, the route on my phone, my camera fully charged, plenty of layers and just enough enthusiasm to take me to the car and, once in, there would be no looking back.

Hurray! I'd made it. I parked today at Dunino Parish Church, forgetting of course that it was a Sunday and that it was one of the few church buildings in the area that actually still are proper churches, holding regular services, and judging from the number of cars in the car park, there were quite a few in the congregation that morning.

For that reason, I decided to delay my investigation of the churchyard until the end of my walk; I didn't want to give anyone a nasty shock by poking round the graveyard with my camera, hand lens and binoculars. So I headed back to the road, took a quick photo of the church and turned left towards Balkaithly.

This way to Dunino Church - NO5410

I always get a little anxious when heading towards people's houses, especially farms. I've had a few nasty encounters with unwelcoming farmers, so I was glad when I'd got past my appointed 'danger zone' (brow of the hill). Now I could relax and look at my map and think about my next photo. It was a featureless day, which made the 300 foot high Dunino Law look even more uninspiring than it must do on days full of white puffy clouds and lots of sunshine and blue sky. Still it had to be done . . .

The uninspiring Dunino Law - NO5411

I was following a very obvious track and continued to follow it towards the Dunino Burn before I realised I wasn't heading in the right direction. I had blindly followed the track instead of the map. fortunately I hadn't gone too far, so turned around and headed into the next gridsquare where I had a fruitless search for a benchmark on a wall.

Looking back to a slightly more interesting Dunino Law - NO 5511

It had been quite a boring walk thus far with little bird life or features of interest to break the monotony of the monoculturous landscape. I had high hopes for Primrose, however. I do love a ruin and one with a name like Primrose is particularly enticing. In this case, however, it was an inversion of Shakespeare's 'A [Prim]rose by any other name would smell as sweet' as the ruin neither smelt nor looked 'sweet'. Still, I like to imagine the lives of those who have lived here before and this one became more real to me later when I looked round Dunino Churchyard and found a grave to someone from 'Primrose, Dunino'. I did a quick Google Search to see if I could find any more information, but, sadly, I couldn't.

A [Prim]rose by any other name - NO5512

Anne Reedie and Charles Finlay's grave (of Primrose), Dunino Churchyard - NO5410

I'd hoped to find somewhere to sit for a drink at Primrose, but it really didn't look inviting and, as Charlie and Anne were no longer at home (at least not visibly so), I moved on, back into NO5511 and towards  Law Drum, which, mysteriously is shaped like a cross on the map. I could only imagine this piece of land had something to do with the erstwhile airfield here and later found out this was indeed the case.

Apparently the concrete bases of three underground aircraft hangars are still extant here in the cross, which were used for fighter planes operating during WWII. Not it is just a dump and one I found somewhere to sit and look over the distant Forth whilst drinking my cup of tea and listening to the wind playing noisy havoc with broken pieces of machinery and empty, holy containers. An interesting, if eerie place to be.

I was actually sitting in NO 5611 and not looking forward to approaching Upper Kenly, which looked quite extensive on the map.

Upper Kenly - NO5611

I needn't have worried. The farm is now all in ruins and apparently there were also some more aircraft hangars here, but they're not very obvious - not like the ones at nearby Kilduncan Poultry Farm to the east.

Ruins at Upper Kenly - NO5611

I was now very near the aforementioned Poultry Farm and close to where I had had to devise an alternative route to the one originally planned when I did that walk in March 2020 (Wow! That was obviously days before the lockdown!) At that time I hadn't been able to see an obvious route from the Poultry Farm to Upper Kenly as the path marked on the map was no longer extant. 

This time my path was extant and I was heading north towards Kenly Farm Cottages, another gridsquare  and another benchmark. This area is totally fascinating with all its industrial archaeology and ruins. It lends itself well to atmospheric photography, given the right lighting and warmer weather.

The farm cottages were also abandoned, like everything else around here it seems, and I took the opportunity to have a wee nosey round, as is my want.

Upper Kenly Cottage door - NO5612

Upper Kenly benchmark - NO5612

Upper Kenly Farm Cottages - NO5612

Looking back I could see the extensive ruins of Upper Kenly - there were more buildings than I'd realised when I'd walked past and, looking through my binoculars, I could see they were all in ruins. I'd have to return to have another nosey at the big building.

I was looking forward to seeing the Peekie Bridge, which I had hoped to see on my previous visit, but missed out when I had to change the route. Surely this time I would see it. As I approached Lower Kenly, a man was going back into his house and I wish I'd asked him how to get to the bridge; I would have done had I known how difficult it would prove to get to it. In the end I saw it, but it was down a steep slope (which is obvious now, looking at the map). It looked like a lovely old bridge and I decided to try to find another route down to it through Lower Kenly Farm.

The sun was out now, providing a much warmer light for photographs, albeit only a photo of a benchmark!

Lower Kenly benchmark - NO5612

Lower Kenly - NO5612

Sadly, the only possible access I could see on the map was from the other side of the river at Peekie Mill. I would have to devise another route to finally get to visit this lovely old bridge and its benchmark.

Footpath signs, Lower Kenly - NO5612

I was relieved to see a footpath sign at Lower Kenly pointing in the direction I wanted, towards Kenly Water and soon I was crossing a footbridge across the River and looking hopefully for either Dipper or Kingfisher. I saw neither; it just wasn't going to be a bird day.

Footbridge over Kenly Water - NO5613

There was even a bench nearby to sit and watch the birdless river and eat  my lunch (admittedly rather early but why look a gift horse in the mouth?)

Bench on the Kenly Water - NO5613

I had drawn a rather vague line from Park Mill to the A917 - something I'm very good at when walking alone. I don't mind taking the odd risk or two. I'd have been agonising over this very moment since the beginning of the walk if I'd been leading a group of people on a walk, or even just one or two. As it was, I wandered up and down a bit, looking for an obvious way to get up to the road which didn't involve trespassing through someone's garden. In the end, I retraced my steps to the lunchspot and continued in the opposite direction to my desired one and made my way up the hill to a wall. Then I spied some of those delightful stone steps which go over a wall and suddenly I was in a stubble field flushing Pheasants. I'd hoped to have seen the remains of the old viaduct which crosses the Kenly Water at this point, but it has obviously all gone as I could see no sign of it whatsoever.

I was pleased to find a pavement leading north and then west out of Boarhills (well, the outskirts thereof!). I paused to look for another non-existent benchmark and then to photograph a very existing doocot and one I must have photographed at least once before, for this was not a new gridsquare.

Boarhills Doocot and sheep - NO5613

A few more non existent benchmarks later and I was walking past the converted Boarhills Church where Margaret and I had asked the owners if we could look round the graveyard last April.

Boarhills Church (now a private house) - NO5613

The pavement had now disappeared, but I was able to walk through a field or two to my next turn off. In doing so, however, I possibly missed another benchmark and milestone. Oh well! You can't win them all, or even half of them in today's case!

This was a much quieter road to walk along, although obviously used a shortcut between the A917 and the B9131 as a few cars passed me. The remains of an old railway bridge were not marked on my map. They're not even listed on the Canmore site, surprisingly.

Remains of railway bridge on Bonnytown road - NO 5513

The Peekie Standing Stone is, however, and I walked gratuitously up a farm track to get a closer view of this 9' high red sandstone Standing Stone,leaning against some iron railings.

Peekie Standing Stone - NO5513

If I'd wanted to, I could have made a detour in the next gridsquare to visit Peekie Bridge, so this will be the square I have to return to on another visit. As it was, I made do with a photo of what looks like a converted mill, although the Peekie Mill is depicted as being further east and more understandably, by the river.

'Mill' Cottage, Peekie - NO5512

Strictly speaking, I didn't need to photograph this gridsquare as it is the same gridsquare as my aforementioned Primrose. The cottage did, however, have a benchmark, which I quickly took a photograph of as it looked like the owner of the cottage was nearby as his or her car boot was wide open. Why I feel embarrassed about taking photographs like this, I don't know, or why should I sometimes be afraid to ask about it? People are probably, after all, rather proud of their 'castles' and their accompanying benchmarks - at least they should be!

In the next gridsquare I finally found a benchmark, only my third of the day an, unusually, it was on a thick concrete post.

Benchmark on 'Mill' Cottage, Peekie - NO5512

This was my third benchmark of the day and I was very shortly going to get my fourth - unusually on a large concrete post at the corner of the road.

Benchmark, Peekie post - NO5412

Post on corner of road - NO5412

I continued round the corner to Bonnytown Cottages where I saw the most bird activity of the entire walk. Lots of Yellowhammers, Tree Sparrows and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were flitting round the bushes and hedges here. I didn't want to look too closely as it looked like the inhabitants were definitely inhabiting (always a problem when you want to look through binoculars), but I did manage a quick photo of a small flock of Yellowhammers.

Yellowhammers at Bonnytown Cottages - NO5412

Bonnytown Cottages - NO5412

The road turned sharply south-west here, past Bonnytown itself, enclosed behind a high wall. Post-walk research has revealed  a possible reason for the high wall (I assumed the present owners just wanted some privacy). Apparently there used to be a prisoner-of-war camp behind the wall. According to Canmore, "The buildings are all derelict, dilapidated and overgrown, and some have been demolished many years ago." The Camp was used to house Italian prisoners of war who were assigned to do agricultural work in the area.

If I'd known all that beforehand, I might have attempted a photograph! My attention had been drawn, however, to a more promising name on the map - Violet Latch. It's only when you explore the land in as close detail as my gridsquare walks that you come across such minute detail, which is why I love exploring in this way. I get mini adrenaline rushes just from such explorations and discoveries - no need for the likes of Alton Towers for me!

Violet Latch turned out to be a more attractive feature than poor old Primrose - it is merely a burn, maybe even a ditch! But it does have its own bridge ( albeit with no benchmark)

Violet Latch- NO 5412

Bridge over Violet Latch - NO 5412

My research revealed little about the origins of this name other than the possibility of it being a jocular reference to Primrose to the east  and the fact that there was/is a field called Violet on the farm of Strathvithie Mains, giving a grid reference slightly south of the bridge and in the next gridsquare.

I finally made it into NO 5312, my most westerly gridsquare where I photographed some more cottages before joining the B9131, heading south.

Cottages at Strathvithie - NO5312

I hadn't been looking forward to joining this road. B roads are invariably  busy without anything of a footpath, but I was able to walk alongside a multitude of roofless polytunnels until I reached Strathvithie Mill Bridge where I failed to find another benchmark. The road was too busy to linger, so I peered over the bridge at the Cameron Burn for another fruitless search for Kingfisher/Dipper and moved on.

Cameron Burn - NO5311

Just after Pathhead, I recognised a footpath sign I'd driven past this morning. It was signposted to Dunino Den and Church - just what I wanted. Hurray! I wouldn't have to walk any further along this busy road.

Footpath sign to Dunino Den and Church - NO5311

It was lovely to be by the water again, despite the lack of birds. I crossed another bridge and was soon back to the churchyard - and suddenly in amongst many people who had perhaps come to view the sculptured stone and sundial which I never managed to find (I didn't really spend a lot of time searching for it)

Footbridge over Dunino Burn - NO5311

Sign to Dunino Kirk - NO 5311

I had deliberately saved a cupful of tea in my flask to enjoy in the graveyard and sat and drank this before looking round the graves here. I found one of interest - which I'll save for another time! After that I was very glad to get in my car, turn the heating up full and get back to my cosy flat.

Number of miles walked: 8.5

Number of new gridsquares: 10

Number of times crossed a river/burn: 6

Number of hidden aircraft hangars: 6 (I think)

Highlights: the ruins at Kenly, the birds at Bonnytown, the industrial archaeology, Kenly Water

Walk worth repeating: Yes, although I'd like to see the Peekie bridge, but would like to revisit the hangar sites and the run at Upper Kenly