Benarty Hill and Loch Ore, Fife
A few weeks ago, I stood in the darkness at the top of Benarty Hill in freezing winds gazing down at the clusters of lights in the surrounding landscape far below.
This night walk was part of a push to highlight the Show Your Glow campaign for Scottish Autism, which aims to encourage evening walks and raise vital funds for a worthwhile cause.
It was a short, sharp ascent on a solid path, and the view potential made me eager for a quick return to this fine little summit in daylight. But this time I would make a longer circuit, making sure that I could take in all that was on offer.
As you pass Loch Leven on the way down the M90, Benarty’s long profile starts to make its presence felt off to the left. Instead of starting from the south on the minor road to Ballingry – parking spots are scarce here – I travelled round into Lochore Meadows Country Park.
From the main car park, I went north past the impressive coal mine wheel and information board telling the story of Lochore’s Mary Colliery which operated from 1902 to 1966.
I exited the park by a gate and walked along the tarmac lane until reaching the Benarty Bay parking area and, just beyond this, turned right into Harran Hill woods.
The leafy path slanted uphill between stately giants, before twisting and turning on steeper lines and then dropping down the other side to exit on to another farm lane. Turning left, a short walk brought me to the starting point (signed) we used on the recent night excursion.
The views open up quickly after the initial steps and path through the trees; Loch Ore lay below to the south, its silver sheen a replacement for the twinkling lights last time out.
I passed the first high point topped by a large stone and then made my way across to the trig point which marks the main summit. A few steps to the north revealed the pale blue spread of Loch Leven and the aqua patches of the Vane Farm nature reserve with Bishop Hill prominent off to the right.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can step over the boundary wall and fence into Perth & Kinross but be careful – there are serious rock faces here.
I stayed in Fife a little longer watching a kestrel float on the thermals before heading west alongside the wall across another two tops, the first the site of a hill fort, the second marking the turning point for descent. The crags below the main summit look impressive from this angle.
The wall and fence took a sharp turn left, running above a shooting range (watch out for the red flags) and above a small wood to reach a meeting of gates and, beyond that, a grassy track down to the road.
A flash of orange caught my eye, a large fox dashing through the bracken at the sound of my approach.
A short road walk led back to the farm lane back over Harran Hill to reach the inward tarmac but instead of retracing my steps, I went right and then left soon after to follow the path anti-clockwise around Loch Ore.
The skies and the water changed from blue to grey as the weather began to shift on the way in, a dramatic flourish to end a fine circuit.
ROUTE
1. Follow path north from top left corner of car park passing old coal mine wheel on left and exit to join tarmac track.
2. Turn left along track to Benarty Bay parking area, turn right a little further on then right again for path into Harran Hill woods.
3. Follow path as it rises then twists up and over to eventually exit at gate and notice board on to farm lane, turn left and walk to minor road near Benarty Hill sign.
4. Head steeply up wooden steps then keep following obvious path through trees and on to open hillside, passing over minor top with huge boulder. The summit isn’t far ahead, marked by trig point.
5. Head west on grassy path alongside fence and wall to first top, site of ancient hill fort, then dip and rise again to next summit.
6. Stick with fence as it turns downhill to left, passing above small wood, until reaching junction of gates. Go through and take grassy track leading down to road (gate), then walk east back to Benarty Hill sign.
7. Retrace your steps down farm lane opposite and through Harran Hill woods to re-emerge on tarmac track (to miss out loch circuit, turn left here and head back to parking).
8. To add the loch circuit, turn right for short distance, then right again (signed) at bridge to join path round shores of Loch Ore.
INFORMATION
Distance: 14.5km/9miles
Ascent: 430m/1405ft
Time: 4-5 hours
Grading: Extended walk to fine summit on hill and woodland paths, farm lanes and minor roads with the optional addition of a level walk round Loch Ore. One steep but short climb plus gradual ascent through wood, suitable for most levels of fitness. Muddy in places, good footwear advised. You may encounter farm livestock – dogs under close control.
Start/finish: Lochore Meadows Country Park (Grid ref: NT 170961).
Map: Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger Map 58 (Perth & Alloa); Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer sheet 367.
Tourist Information: VisitScotland, St Andrews iCentre, 70 Market Street, St Andrews, KY16 9NU (Tel 01334 472021).
Public transport: Bus service to Lochore (Nos 19, 20A).
