General October 2023 Activity: Cockleroy via Lime Kilns and Mines.

On 26/10/23 BR, ARod, IMcM, JI & JW participated in a low-level walk from the Union Canal to Cockleroy NS 98950 74400, (278m!), see; https://consumerplatform.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/19470514/231026--cockleroy-limekilns-and-mines?lat=55.960427&lon=-3.630225&zoom=13.6948&style=Leisure&type=2d.

On the way they had a tour of the Lime Kilns and Mines on the north side of Bowden Hill, a prehistoric fort.

They finished the ‘mountaineering’ aspect of the walk by attempting to ascend the children’s climbing pyramid at Balvormie Play Park but there is no photographic evidence of them reaching the top.

A pic of the Lime Kiln visited by the group, located on the north side of Bowden Hill Fort, complete with trees growing out of the walls! The fort is a scheduled monument comprising the remains of a hillfort of prehistoric date surviving as a series of earthworks, see; https://canmore.org.uk/site/47912/bowden-hill. There are extensive adits (from Latin aditus, entrance, a horizontal or nearly horizontal passage to an underground mine) that penetrate south into the side of the scheduled monument, see; https://canmore.org.uk/site/100158/bowdenhill-limeworks.

...and here is the entrance into one such adit from which the lime was mined.

BR entered a few metres and reached a spot with a crack in the roof, a place previously visited by JW few years earlier with JI.

Looking back to the entrance.

Out in the open and at the top pf Bowden Hill fort, looking NE over towards Linlithgow.

The remains of a single tower castle on the north side of Lochcote, subsequently used as a doocot, a place intended to house pigeons or doves.

The party then divided with BR & JW ‘going for the summit’ of Cockleroy whilst JI, IMcM & ARod went for a more technical climb at nearby Balvormie. Pic shows JW at trig point.

The Crag Rats hone their skills at Balvormie. Everybody’s efforts on the day were rewarded with coffee, tea and fruit scones at the Beecraigs Country Park Café; 10.6km and a massive 339m of ascent!