A Son of the Rock

Just east of Loch Leven, which is in Kinross-shire as was, is a hill known as Bishophill.

This is supposed to be the best place in Britain for the presence of updrafts and consequently is a haven for gliders and hang gliders. They make their ascent from nearby Portmoak airfield. (It’s a glorified name for a strip of grass, really.)

A couple of weeks ago the good lady and myself set off from Scotlandwell to scramble up the hillside.

This is a panorama of Loch Leven from not very far up.

A bit further on the path took us past the tip of Bishopshire golf course which is built into the side of the hill. The picture doesn’t convey the steepness of the fairways.

Much higher up we got a good view of the gliders. They do make a noise as they cut through the air but it is quite strange not to hear engine sounds when something so big breezes past.

This one’s a microlight.

Here’s a hang-glider coming down for a landing on the farmland between the loch and the hill.

We needed more than several stops to catch our breaths before we made it to the ridge at the top.

At the lower summit this dome has been built in the past few years. It wasn’t there the last time we went up, as a family quite a few summers ago now. I suppose it’s a mobile phone booster or something.