Pivoting, riveting, flushing Kinglassie

Don't worry - all will become clear (about the title, I mean), but some of you may already have got it. Keep reading whichever category you  come into!

I agonise over a forecast before I set off on a gridsquare walk. When i'd first set aside today for my next one, the forecast had shown bright sunshine, but, by the day before, it had changed to up to 95 % rain. By that time, however, I was so looking forward to the walk that I was loathe to forego it. I checked three different forecasts and they all seemed to agree that it would clear up by 11 am.  I tried to wait that long before setting off, but it was too tough. I'm just not wired that way; if I don't get up and out by about 9 am I start losing motivation quickly.

I had cut today's walk by a third, from 12 miles to 8 miles and, after those 8 miles i wondered if I'd ever be up to walking 12 again, I was so tired and my feet hurt so much. (I haven't been able to figure out whether that's normal or not).

It was my second walk through the mining village of Kinglassie. My last one was in 2020 when I walked through it; this time I was beginning my walk there. I parked at the church.

Kinglassie Church - NT 2298

As per my last walk in Leuchars, I decided to leave the graveyard as a treat for my return to the car and set off north towards Redwells Farm. A footpath follows the Lochty Burn to Whinny Hall, but I continued northwards along a straight farm track uphill to Redwells Farm. The farmhouse stands in an elevated position and anyone looking out of the window could have watched my trudge all the way from Kinglassie to their house, and get ready to accost me upon my arrival there, for I didn't know which way I would take upon arrival.

Blythe's Tower was looming large. It was the second time I had seen it form afar, but I still had no reason to go right up to it as my first destination, East Auchmuir trigpoint was in the same gridsquare. There was not enough of interest there to tempt me to do a detour. Reading about it later, I learned it was a look out tower in WWII.

My trigpoint was west of Blythe's Tower so it would be better to continue walking west when I reached the farm, I decided. Obvious point, you may think, but this was a decision I arrived at after scouring the map and looking through my bins for any obvious access route up Redwells Hill. The track behind the farm led west so I followed thin onto the open hill and started climbing. The ground was muddy and slippy after recent rain, but I was keen to get out of sight of the farm so I plodded on as fast as I could, telling myself I would stop for a breather as soon as I reached the top of the hill.

The contours became more spaced out towards the summit and I paused at a ruin for a quick drink before continuing upwards to the trigpoint, which has its very own 'moat'. I leaned over precariously to touch the trig to officially 'bag' it!

Coffee break ruin, Redwells Hill - NT 2299

East Auchmuir trigpoint and moat with Blythe's Tower in the distance - NT 2299

Now, which way? I was heading south-west and this seemed easy enough and I started getting excited about my next two benchmarks, very close to each other, until my way was barred by a wall, an electric fence and two barbed wire fences. I walked the length of the wall to find a gate, but none could be found. I walked it again to find the easiest approach, hovering near a slightly raised lump of mud and the biggest gap between the electric fence and the barbed wire fence. It was now or never. Committing myself by flinging my rucksack over first, I placed my sitting mat on top of the barbed wire fence; it fell over to the other side. Remaining calm I gave the matter some thought. What had I got to use to cover the barbed wire? Aha, my scarf! My very long, tassly chenille scarf. bundling it up I placed it over the barbed wire and it immediately got caught in a dozen places, which I painstakingly liberated it from. I was going to have to do this the hard way.  It took some doing, but I finally got myself over that wall/fence combination, very glad that there was no-one nearby watching me.

I now had to walk back to the other wall, the one with the benchmarks. At first I could not see it and was just about to give up when a glinting piece of metal caught my eye. The rivet! I scraped some of the moss away (sorry, moss) to reveal the arrow and punched the air for joy. I had found my treasure and was likely the first person to set eyes on this little beauty for over 50 years.

East Auchmuir rivet on wall - NT 2199

My onward route looked obstacle free as far as I could see; no cattle, no fences or walls. Just straight down the edge of the field keeping my eye on the wall for the next rivet. Amazingly I found it. Wow! I was doing well today! I gave myself a mental pat on the back.

East Auchmuir rivet 2 - NO 2199

Location of second rivet - NO 2199

I wasn't so lucky with the third wall rivet, despite being determined to get three in a row! It simply evaded me and there's only so much moss clearing you can do without feeling guilty!

Reaching Kinninmonth Farm Cottages meant I had joined a tarmac road. No more barbed wire or electric fences from now on! The rain was just about holding off as I hovered round the end cottage here trying to be discreet looking for the next benchmark. This one was being guarded by a lucky horseshoe.  It was on a gatepost - another rivet. I was really enjoying myself!

The horseshoe guardian - rivet at Kinninmonth Farm Cottage gatepost - NT 2199

An auspicious moment was awaited: I was to cross the border from NT to NO (although I have to admit, I wasn't aware of the moment when I did so; I was too busy looking out for the next benchmark. I was only in the next gridsquare very briefly and there was not much nearby to photograph so I looked east and photographed Auchmuir Braes Plantation.

 Auchmuir Braes Plantation - NO 2100

Looking in vain for another rivet, I moved on quickly to the next stage of my walk - the busy road. I didn't k now it then, but the peaceful part of my walk, all two miles of it, had come to an end. There was to be brief respite for a further mile or so later, but for now I was flung onto a busy road. I have a new policy when encountering roads, busy or otherwise.  Look for an alternative route, preferably not too much of a detour. My determination to do this depends mainly on the busyness of the road in question. Is there a field or wood by which I can walk parallel to the road? The answer to this question on this occasion was a resound "No!" 

No escape - road at Craigend Hill - NO 2000

Not even bothering to look for the next benchmark I all but ran the next 50 yards or so until I reached the straight bit of road in above photo and felt slightly safer with even the option of the field on the right to walk through, which I did. In this way, hopping form one side of the road to the other, depending on which field was accessible. In this criss-crossing manner I had crossed once more back in the land of NT, having spent all of two gridsquares in NO. 

I spent ages looking for the next benchmark as it was safe to do. According to OS benchmarks it was on the west side of the road and the north side of the wall which meant I was safe in my search and hidden from oncoming traffic. To no avail! This one didn't want to be found either.

There was a nasty corner before Craigend and I took a slight detour into a patch of woodland which led down into Craigend Farm. A young man in his late teens was standing at the wall of the house, just where I needed to look for the benchmark! I wasn't missing out on another one for the sake of a bit of courage.

"Excuse me. Do you know if this property has a benchmark on it please?" I enquired. The young man looked at me as if I was speaking in a different language. He replied but I didn't understand him either. "This way?" I pointed to what i thought looked the most likely building and started wlaking towards it. "Ask my dad," he said again and pointed to the front door of the house.  Dutifully I knocked and awaited an answer from someone who looked vaguely familiar, although the feeling obviously wasn't mutual so I assume I didn't know him really.

I repeated my request to this middle aged man, father of aforementioned young man. In a friendly voice, he said he'd show me. "I'm sure I can find it," I urged but he was already putting on his boots and coat. "It's just the dog," he explained, pushing the collie into another room and shutting the door gently.

The benchmark was on the side of his house and finding it would have otherwise involved trespassing into his garden, so I was glad I'd asked.  This one is high up - over a metre above ground level, wihch is quite unusual for benchmarks.  After a short chat about the history and logic behind these marks, he wished me well on my walk and I wandered off, back onto the main road.

Benchmark, Craigend Farm/House - NT 2099

Craigend - NT 2099

Taking advantage of fields, I continued walking down this busy road.  Fortunately there were conveniently positioned exit and entrance points, so I could nip out of the field to look for the next two benchmarks, both of which were in the next gridsquare, and both of which were easy enough to spot.

One was on East Belbedie Farm and the other, a flush bracket, on Balbedie Farm.

Benchmark, East Balbedie Farm - NT 1999

East Balbedie Farm - the building with the benchmark - NT 1999

Balbedie Farm - NT 1999

Balbedie Farm flush bracket - NT 1999

For anyone who has not given up reading yet, are you beginning to see the reason for my post's title? I understand that probably it's been a bit tedious. All I've talked about is gridsquares and benchmarks, which are definitely a bit well, niche, but that's what this blog is all about. And, to be honest, there wasn't a lot else to say about today's walk.  But I had collected 2 flush brackets, 3 rivets and 2 cut marks. That was above average for one of these walks. Now can you see the reason for my excitement?

I was now about to cross Fife's boundary into Kinross-shire, another exciting moment.

Cheerio Fife and hello Kinross-shire - NT 1999

In the photo, you can see just opposite the car, a turning to the left. What you can't see is the car transporter and various cars that had been sitting there since I'd left Balbedie. It was making me a bit nervous. I had to turn down that road, just for the tiniest wee bit just to get another gridsquare. I would be in the same gridsquare later on, but I wouldn't be in Fife. I also had to take a photograph of the right road, the left one, when I did reach a certain point within the gridsquare. perhaps you can see why i often go alone on these walks!

I walked brazenly past a host of signs which looked very off putting. This was the road I had wanted to take all the way down to the B9097, but I had chickened out when curtailing my walk on the computer earlier this morning. Walking through Westfield Development Centre just didn't appeal and might not be allowed, so I had come up with a longer, circuitous route which detoured into two gratuitous, Kinross-shire gridsquares.

The road on the left follows the Fife/Kinross border, the road on the right leads to Manorleys and is just within Kinross-shire - NT 1998

I was getting fed up of road walking by now and, seeing a grassy track to the left, I darted into it and next to a disused quarry. I decided this was an ideal spot for my much needed lunch. There was even a lovely rusty piece of farm machinery lending several perches for me to sit down. Tempting though that was, I didn't fancy tipping the whole thing over on top of me so opted to sit on a raised piece of ground instead where I could admire said piece of rusty machinery.

Rusty quarry  machinery - a tempting perch for lunch - NT 1998

 

Lichen on old quarry machinery - NT 1998

I enjoyed being away form the road and realised I could continue through this disused quarry in the desired direction towards my next benchmark, the one I was very excited about.

The first ruin I came to was benchmarkless. Not named on the map, I later discovered it is called Skellyheads Farm and it consisted of at least two ruined buildings. There was not much to see here, but I did notice the overhanging window ledge and read later it was thought this indicated the existence of a pigeon loft.

Skellyheads ruin - the overhanging window ledge is on the right hand gable (but not really visible in the photo) - NT 1898

Gaining access to the next ruin was oigng to be problematic. I could see that form some distance. I could also see that it was a substantial ruin.  This was Kirkness House. And this was where I was going to find my first ever pivot. I couldn't possibly let this one get away from me, electric fence or no electric fence! What is it with electric fences? There was no stock in the field, yet both barbed wire and electric fences surrounded these old ruins preventing me from entering.

As it happened I didn't need to; this glorious pivot benchmark was situated on the north facing turret-like windowsill. Proud as punch. Woohoo! I was ecstatic, yet ever so slightly dampened by the fact that I couldn't get to actually touch it and determine what made it a pivot and not a rivet!

Kirkness House ruins, Kinross-shire - the windowsill with the pivot on it is the bottom right - NT 1898

Pivot on windowsill, Kirkness House - NT 1988

I spent quite a lot of time searching for the next benchmark in the wall just before Middleburn. I could see someone watching me and avoided their gaze. Trouble was I had to nip underneath a barbed wire fence to get back on track and then look non-chalant as if nothing had happened.

Ken to get back into Fife, I took a left turn at Middleburn Crossroads onto another very busy road, the B9097 on which I would remain for at least two miles. My tactic at moments like this is not to dwell on the misery. It doesn't do you any good when there's no way round it. I go through various alphabets to keep myself amused when I'm not birdwatching (nothing in sight) or benchmark watching. Often times of course I get myself into various mini scrapes just by being stubborn.

"I don't want to walk on the road," I announced and stubbornly dived off into the undergrowth out of sight of the road by a ditch on a steep incline full of brambles litter and yes, another barbed wire fence. At least I'm not on the road, I told myself a dozen times as I untangled one accoutrement after another caught on various overhanging branches. At last I admitted defeat and emerged back onto the road, none the worse for wear and appearing non-chalant once again.

Glad to be back in Fife I took a photo of the sign for Westfield Development Centre (as it was on my map, but now Westfield Energy Re-generation.

Westfield Energy Regeneration - NT 1897

This was where I would have turned up if I'd taken the aforementioned shortcut. Oh well, I'd never have to do this walk again so wouldn't need to remember it. (I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to wander into this place anyway.)

My feet had been complaining for some time now, but again I tried to focus on anything but my feet, like the lovely scenery! The next gridsquare. There were no benchmarks to worry about for ages yet. I snapped the electricity sub station for square NT1997 and soon came across, believe it or not, a pavement for cyclists and pedestrians. Why, was a mystery to me!

Electricity sub station - NT 1997

Pedestrian and cycle crossing on B9097 - NT 2097

All the way along the north side of this road were signs saying Keep Out. This was Opencast Workings. In fact I had basically circumnavigated the workings, complete with four reservoirs.  In fact, there is one square I can foresee having trouble getting into, but that will be a worry for another day.

For now I had to take my weary feet onwards for another two miles or so, to another gate where I was tempted to take a shortcut, but feared it might not work out.

Gate near Strathruddie - NT 2197

I realised then that I was going to bag a bonus square at the T-junction, as long as I went as close to the road as was safe to do, which meant walking a tiny bit further than I needed to (naturally!)

T-junction - NT 2196

I was on the homeward stretch now with just two gridsquares left and not as many miles.  I was getting tired and annoyingly photographed Strathruddie House (NT 2197) instead of its featureless entrance (NT 2297). I'll have to go back now!

Strathruddie - NT 2197 (oh no, I took the wrong square!)

I told myself I'd stop at the cemetery where I could see I'd plotted another benchmark.  This proved to be too dangerous to  look for, however, but I did take refuge in the cemetery where I sat on a bench and drank some more tea.

Relieved, I stumbled  into Kinglassie and photographed my final gridsquare of the day.

Welcome to Kinglassie - NT 2298

I was not done yet, however.  There were still two benchmarks to get and I did this before ending up at the small churchyard with the final dregs of my flask. Weary footed but delighted with my cache today in pivoting, riveting, flushing Kinglassie!

Benchmark on bridge over Lochty Burn - NT 2298

Lochty Burn, Kinglassie - NT 2298

Benchmark on school, Kinglassie - NT 2298

Kinglassie Church - NT 2298

Total miles walked: 8

Total number of Fife gridsquares gained: 13

Total number of Fife gridsquares possible: 14

Total number of gridsquares walked: 15 (1 in Kinross)

Total number of benchmarks: 10 (1 pivot, 1 flush bracket, 1 trigpoint, 3 rivets, 4 cut marks)

Total number of electric fences: about a million

Highlights: Finding the pivot benchmark and the rivets

Walk worth repeating: to get the missing gridquare only and possibly a closer look at Kirkness House