Dumyat

‘He who holds Stirling, holds Scotland,’ so the archaic and somewhat misogynistic saying goes. Hikes to Dumyat’s unique perch, where you can gaze out across the glorious lay of the land, make sense of this statement. This is where the Central Belt is squeezed by higher ground, the very threshold of the Scottish Highlands. Strategic, as well as scenic, gold.

And whilst it is lower than its Ochil neighbours, Dumyat is full of charm and character, far outstripping many of its less vertically challenged contemporaries. Best of all, you can hike up from Stirling itself in an afternoon, easily making it back for dinner in the pub.

Magnificent views from a richly adorned summit

Dumyat’s steep south face is emblematic of the Stirling region and easily recognisable from miles around. A prominent gully rises up through the crags, a popular adventure to the summit. Be warned, the first branch off the main channel, Raeburn’s Gully, is far too technical for all but equipped rock climbers.

There are plenty of easier walking routes to Dumyat. They mostly tackle both its principal high points: the main summit and Castle Law, which is dramatically perched above the valley and is the site of an ancient hillfort.

The main summit is adorned with an array of features. The obligatory trig point is in evidence, as well as a circular painted crest of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and a sizable, metallic, stone-filled beacon.

A coterie of Bens and a solitary Stuc dominate the north, an image of Highland splendour. Ben Lomond, Ben Ledi, Stuc a’Chroin, Ben Vorlich and Ben Lawers are draped across the horizon and look especially magnificent in winter. Closer by are the graceful Ochils and the ever-widening River Forth snaking its way seaward. Magnificent.