Dumgoyne Hill | Summit camp, sunset and a hot chocolate!

An fresh adventure on Dumgoyne Hill

Eve has been asking for a while to do a summit camp to watch the sunset, so we planned to climb Dumgoyne Hill on the Campsie Fells to have a relaxing night together under the stars and watch the sun go down. We did have hopes for an inversion, but that didn’t happen. It didn’t matter, and Dumgoyne didn't disappoint. Dumgoyne gave us a spectacular show as the sun slowly dropped behind the horizon, covering the sky in reds and pinks!

We chose Dumgoyne Hill because it is relatively local to us and simple to climb. We have climbed Dumgoyne Hill several times and know what to expect, and we also know of a slight route diversion to avoid the steepest section. However, it didn't stop me from slipping and falling on my knees! My excuse is that I was carrying 5.5 litres of water. It was still early, and with no water source on the summit, we would have to take everything we needed!

We parked the car in the layby opposite the Dumgoyne Distillery. I have never been to the distillery, but Sarah has to buy Christmas presents. You will smell it before you see it, and it's mighty good!

We set off crossing the road, walking over a small patch of grass behind the bus shelter to cross a low stile and start the climb. The route up Dumgoyne Hill follows a narrow track through the grass of a livestock field. This is the relatively easy section. Eve led the way, and I followed up, desperately trying to keep up and feeling unfit.

Eventually, we would reach two stiles that cross a dried-up burn. Beyond is an area of boggy ground, and that is where the real work starts. From here, most walkers summiting Dumgoyne Hill go straight up a direct path to the summit. Eve and I, however, know of a small alternative route that avoids the worst of the climb!

However… Eve, being Eve, decided she wanted us to take the challenging route! So we went trudging up a steep, wet Dumgoyne hillside. It was here that I slipped, landing on my knees with a thud. It didn’t hurt, but Eve thought I had just stopped for a rest, so she started to shout back to me, “Stop being lazy”! When I told her I had slipped, she was apologetic and slowed her pace down… slightly!

After what felt like a very long time, the steepness ended, and we reached a trail that ran parallel to the hillside. Eve, clearly remembering, went off to the right, contouring around the side. This avoided another steep section that heads further up Dumgoyne. I was slightly relieved. We walked at a good pace but were careful. It’s not an incredibly steep hill, despite what it looks like from the approach. But a slip or trip could still prove very dangerous! 

The route slowly winds around (contouring) before a sharp left turn in the trail, which eventually brings us to the summit of Dumgoyne Hill and our camping spot for the night.

As we had expected, the weather had been cold and very windy so far. The higher up Dumgoyne we climbed, the more the wind picked up, and we were starting to think we would have a problem keeping the tent from collapsing. Before we reached the summit, Eve and I discussed plans if we couldn't get the tent pitched. These were as follows!

1. Plan A: Pitch the tent on the summit. This was our plan all along!
2. Plan B: Wait for the wind to die down (which was forecast to do later that evening)  and pitch on the exposed summit.
3. Plan C: Drop lower down the hill to find a sheltered spot to spend the night
4. Plan D: Retreat to the car (this was not an ‘option’… more like a failsafe)

We mentally noted some potential spots to pitch the tent as we rounded the sharp left turn onto the final approach. All were perfect locations except for the wind.

With Eve pressing ahead, she reached the summit in no time, and I followed up a few minutes later, trying to catch my breath.

The summit of Dumgoyne Hill is a grassy wee plateau with a small rock erected vertically in the centre, much like a trig point. In the past, this rock had a plaque of some sort that's now long gone. With short grass all around, there is no shortage of places to sit and rest to enjoy the spectacular 365-degree views. To the north, you can see Ard Forest, to the west, Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond, to the south, Glasgow, and to the west, the summit of Earls Seat, the highest point in the Campsie Fells. Dumgoyne is a magnificent wee hill that punches well above its weight with views and mountain terrain. It’s splendid.

On the summit of Dumgoyne, the wind was blowing hard with gusts that pushed us backwards, unbalancing us and forcing a retreat to a more sheltered spot. Eve and I sat on the grass and decided to try for plan B, to sit out the worst of the wind and pitch up later on. We got comfortable on the grass, wearing more clothes and using backpacks as a windbreak.

While we sat, we boiled some water for the first of many hot drinks. Using our bags and bodies as a windshield for the stove, within a few minutes, we had piping hot hot chcolate in our Nalgenes that we used to warm our fingers, wrapping them around the bottles. We were getting cold, but holding and sipping hot chocolate felt amazing and comforting! Eve, being Eve, however, was getting restless and wanted to ‘explore’, so, leaving the bags where they were, we headed off to circumnavigate the summit of Dumgoyne Hill.

Dumgoyne Hill is incredibly popular due to its magnificent views and accessibility. This does come at a price for the hill, however. The summit is scarred, with a maze of tracks and trails going in every direction. We always try to keep to these trails when we hike to avoid damaging more of the hill and to help minimise damage to the delicate flora and fauna—Eve walked along every one of these tracks multiple times in every direction. After about an hour and with our Nalgenes empty, we sat back down where we had left the bags.

The wind was still strong, and we were again getting cold, so we decided to change our plan slightly. We decided to try pitching the tent on the small step just below the summit on the east face of Dumgoyne. We could still see the summit from here, but the wind was less than on the other side. I just hoped it wouldn’t change direction overnight.

Pitching the tent was a struggle, but together, we had it up in no time and used some additional guylines and a few other tricks to help secure it and prevent it from collapsing. We use a Big Agnes Copper Spur that, in all honesty, isn't really designed for this type of weather. But in the worst case of a total failure, such as a broken pole, we would just pack up and retreat to the car.

It was good to get the tent pitched and escape the wind. It’s amazing how much of an effect this can have. Escaping the wind can make you feel instantly warmer and safer. We both sat in the tent, enjoying the still air and letting our bodies warm up.

Having carried up five and a half litres of water and Eve two litres, we had no shortage of water with us. I can't remember how many hot chocolates, tea, and coffees we had whilst we were up there, but I do know that the following morning, we had only enough water to fill our ‘normal’ drinks bottles, with a bit of leftover that Eve threw into the wind!

Eve was much more settled now. As the evening rolled on and the light faded, giving way to darkness, it felt comforting knowing we were alone and watching the world drift by below us. We sat talking about plans and ideas for other nights out; from Munros, we wanted to climb, to some Scottish islands we wanted to circumnavigate!

One of the best things about this evening, climbing and sitting on Dumgoyne Hill, was the lack of agenda or goals. We had no need to worry about conserving energy for the next day, drying wet shoes, or all the other issues we have dealt with over the last few years of near-constant hiking! It was a refreshing change, and we both enjoyed—no, we both loved being in the moment—being with each other and watching the sun slowly descend below the horizon.

Sitting outside, the wind, as forecast, slowly settled down. It never went completely, but it got calmer, allowing us to sit outside warmly in our puffy jackets. We ate dinner and shared a whole pack of chocolate biscuits between us. It was as perfect a time as I could ever hope for, with no disturbance from other walkers who were now tucked up in their homes, leaving Dumgoyne Hill just for us! This is one of the best things about wild camping… having these places all to yourself and feeling that sense of solitude. I love it, and I believe Eve does too!

I sometimes feel that when I write these journals, I fail to capture the essence of the moments we experience or portray our feelings—the beauty of our surroundings, not to mention what we talk about. Sometimes, like our night on Dumgoyne, there isn’t much to say; we sit lost in our thoughts and do not need to communicate. I believe these are some of the best moments we share as father and daughter!

The sky was now covered in reds and pinks; the sparkling light of Glasgow and the light being cast onto hills left us speechless for most of it. I can't say any more that this is our happy place and where we feel we belong. For Eve, this might change as she grows and matures, but for me… no. I can't think of anywhere I would rather be. The only thing missing, of course, is Sarah!

Once the sun had dropped below the horizon and the crescent moon was out, it was 11 p.m., and we were tired. We retreated to our tent. Eve fell asleep almost immediately while I lay listening to the wind, deep in thought about the past and, more importantly, the future!

I fell asleep about 1 am, waking at 6.30 am with Eve stirring a few minutes afterwards.

Morning on Dumgoyne Hill

The sun had risen behind us, keeping us in the shade of the summit of Dumgoyne Hill. We got dressed and escaped the tent, which was now starting to feel stuffy and claustrophobic. It’s always a great feeling to get out of the tent on a fresh morning in a wild place, knowing we had the best start to the day you could possibly ask for!

We had agreed not to hang about in the morning because of the cold but, more importantly, to avoid other hikers and fell runners to leave us with a sense of solitude.

We had breakfast and a cup of tea, and Eve left an ‘Autism Awareness’ rock on the summit for somebody to find. I know we didn’t often hear from people who found them, but Eve seems to really enjoy leaving them, hoping they bring a brief moment of joy to somebody!

Packing the tent, we headed down Dumgoyne Hill, following a slightly different path than we had come up. We followed an alternative route as Eve wanted to “have a mini adventure” and I wanted to avoid the steep section we climbed up the day before! It was a good choice. As we descended, we could see several groups of walkers coming up the more obvious trail that we had climbed. We got down much quicker than we had gotten up the night before, but we were still taking care. Most injuries happen on the way down, not when walking up a hill!

On the way down… Eve surprised me, but it really shouldn’t have with a request!

Eve asked if we could go up another hill TODAY! “Um, yes, of course,” I said… “but we will have to see what time we have when we get back to the car.” I thought about Conic Hill on the West Highland Way, but in hindsight, we should have gone up Earl's Seat behind us! I wasn’t thinking quick enough.

In the end, we went home via the Coop in Aberfoyle, grabbing the first mince pies of Christmas! The problem with this, however, is that once I start, I can't stop!

Our night on Dumgoyne Hill was simply amazing, overdue, and has left us both yearning for more. The next one can't come soon enough!

I hope you enjoyed this little journal.

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