Dumyat

Dumyat or Dunmyat (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Mhèad) is a hill at the western extremity of the Ochil Hills in central Scotland. The name is thought to originate from Dun (hill fort) of the Maeatae. Although relatively small (its height is 418 metres), the characteristic shape of the hill forms an important part of the distinctive scenery of the Stirling area, and it is often depicted (particularly in postcards and calendars) in combination with the nearby Abbey Craig. The hill is a popular climb with tourists and visitors to the Stirling and Trossachs area, due to the historical nature of Stirling and the proximity of the Wallace Monument. Dumyat has two principal summits: Castle Law on the west, and Dumyat proper on the east. On the summit of Castle Law the remains of an ancient hill fort, originally occupied by the Maeatae, are still clearly discernible. The fort is a scheduled monument. The fort has been subject to excavation by Dr Murray Cook and Professor Gordon Noble of Aberdeen University. Radiocarbon dates from the site indicate at least two periods of use: c. 500 BC and 5th to 5th to 7th century AD. At one time the favourite route to the summit of either Dumyat or Castle Law was via the prominent gulley which runs almost straight up the southern scarp face, and continues down the gently sloping north face. This gulley was formed by the erosion of a fault, resulting from the juxtaposition of soft pyroclastic rocks on one side against harder andesite and basalt on the other. This has resulted in an area where hard andesite slightly overhangs, and is the darkest and least exposed part of the climb, which is not particularly difficult. Further gullies, formed by secondary tearing around the main fault (itself a product of the major disturbance which resulted from the Ochil Fault) extend to the right into Dumyat, and form potential shortcuts to the summit. The first of these, Raeburn's Gulley, is particularly dangerous and should only be attempted by experienced and…