Duncanrig Rambling Club deviated from its routine of fortnightly Sunday walks to fit in an outing on the Tuesday between the major dates on the festive calendar. A short coach trip took them north of Glasgow to Blanefield on the edge of the Campsie Fells where 2 walks started at the memorial and finished at Glengoyne Distillery. The ramblers set off on the well-known wide track by Campsie Dene on tricky underfoot conditions created by the numerous booted feet, motor vehicles and snow-melt from the overhanging trees. The chilly clear air allowed excellent views of the surrounding scenery beneath the rugged outcrops of the Strathblane Hills which attracted many an appreciative comment over the first mile and a quarter and the noisy chatter drew an inquisitive stare from a small herd of our own russet highland coos as the party  approached Cantywheery where the two groups went their separate ways. The alternative walk continued on the track passing below Dumgoyne as they followed the pipeline track in the opposite direction from Glasgow’s water supply as far as Killearn where they turned and retraced their steps before leaving the track at Blairgar to descend to the distillery. The bulk of the party, meanwhile, left the level track to begin the climb on snow which, temporarily, was easier to walk on than the icy path. A few well-timed breathers afforded the opportunity for further scenic appreciation before the walkers reached a rough path requiring less strenuous effort took them along the shoulder of Dumfoyn, Dumgoyne’s neighbour, where an early lunch break in the lee of the hill proved fortuitous since no further protection from the elements was found. The tiring climb through the virgin snow on the route up to the bealach required a regular change of leader while the shorter-limbed experienced the challenge of thigh-high snow in the deeper drifts. Once at the foot of Dumgoyne, which although not a mountain gets the nickname of a “hill with attitude”, the hikers, not equipped with crampons or ice axes, abandoned the original intention of climbing to the top. The group enjoyed a brief photo-call with the Alpine-like background of the southern highlands before heading north into a chilly headwind over rough terrain towards a land-rover track which would take them down to High Lettre farm. Progress on the initially hard to identify track continued to be disappointingly demanding as the spindrift quickly filled in recent footprints as the wind nipped exposed cheeks. The walkers had to admire the hardiness of the small birds that survive in these exposed places and, in addition, a few sightings of buzzards and a possible male sparrow-hawk were made. Once back at the bus a short journey took them to the Kirkhouse Inn for a social hour to relish the warmth and the pleasant feeling of weary muscles at the end of a challenging hike.