Photographs, route descriptions and map of an ascent of Dumyat in the Ochil Hills above Stirling in Central Scotland

Location: Stirlingshire
Map: 0S Landranger 57 and58 or the Harvey Maps Ochil Hills Superwalker
Distance: 5.5miles ( 9km )
Time: 3~4 hours
Terrain: hill climb, with road section

Dumyet, the splendidly craggy little hill at the western end of the Ochils, is full of character and offers excellent views. The hill is often climbed from Blairlogie on the A91, but the ascent from there is a lung-burster and the approach from the Sheriffmuir Road is preferable, which apart from providing good views from the outset, starts from nearly 200m up and offers a more gradual climb. The hill's name sometimes causes confusion
it is pronounced "Dum-eye-at" not “Dum-yet".
This circuit gives a satisfying walk. It does mean there is a mile and a bit of road walking, but it comes at the end and has the eompensation of a lovely view over Cocksburn Reservoir towards Ben Lomond.
As soon as you start to climb towards Dumyat you can see down to the right the distinctive shape of the Wallace Monument. The view steadily expands to include Gargunnock Crags, the Forth and the carse between Stirling University campus is below you.
Dumyat then appears, looking every inch a proper little mountain. ‘The vista of the Forth now stretches beyond Kincardine Bridge. There are several lovely little corners along here where you can take a break.
You can see the summit, but the last section always seem to take longer than it should.
At the top, there are various hits of hill "furniture" including a large brazier, two memorial plaques to the men of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and a representation of the regiments badge in a rather depressing grey colour. Ignore these and concentrate on the panorama. To the south is the carse, the Forth and Stirling. To the north are massed ranks of hills including Ben Ledi, Ben Vorlich, Stuc a’Chroin and many more. Eastward, the Ochils show as waves of green with Ben Cleuch just above the rest. The hillfoot towns nestle below.
Dumysat is a volcanic plug of igneous rock, as are Abbey Craig (site of the Wallace Monument ) and Castle Rock in Stirling. The steep scarp of the south face of the Ochils looks like a fault line, but in fact it is just a major geological uplift. The nature of the rock means that the ground is fertile, hence the wide range of wild flowers seen in spring and summer.
The second part of the walk, round the back of Dumyat, is a lovely meander, on generally unfrequented paths in beautiful surroundings Menstrie Glen ls below you. Grouse are found on these moors and you may well hear their distinctive rattling call. It is hard to believe that Stirling is so near. There is a great sense of space here. As the path swings left, you see ahead across the glen the former in-bye land of the long-abandoned hill farm of Jetah.

Location: Clackmannanshire
Map: OS Landranger 57 & 58 ( GR 831 969 )
Distance: 4 miles ( 6km )
Time: 2.5 hours
Terrain: paths and track

Within easy reach of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling, this short walk leads to an outstanding viewpoint at the western end of the Ochils.
Start from the signposted car park at Blairlogie, on the A91 West of Menstrie, beneath the imposing and craggy south face of Dumyat.
Walk towards the hill, cross a fence by a stile on to an old track and follow this to the left. Where the track goes through a gate, head uphill behind houses on a narrow path across the burn, then climb beside this through gorse and trees to emerge into the open.
A little further on, the path — perhaps better described as a sheep track — traverses rightwards across the burn.
From here, an easier but less interesting route heads directly uphill on a grassy path, crossing a fence at a gate, to gain the main path to Dumyats summit from the west. It's much better, though, to continue on the sheep track as it traverses up and around a spur into a gully.
Cross the burn here and follow the track up the other side across another burn, then continue up and right to the shoulder overlooking the road. Leave the sheep track where it traverses out on to the front face then traverse left beneath some small crags to climb the grassy gully to the left of them.
The summit of Castle Law ( 374m ), Dumyat’s satellite top, lies just above. The site of an ancient fort, it’s a splendid viewpoint over the Forth Valley.
Now walk north to ﬁnd the main path and thereafter easily gain the top of Dumyat ( 418m ), where the Ochil hills reveal themselves.
Drop steeply eastwards on a small path to reach a track and follow this as it swings past Dumyat Farm.
The track descends beneath the south face of Dumyat to gain the main road, where the pavement leads the short distance back to the car park.