Feeding The Spout 1 Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A steep walk to a scenic glen and beautiful waterfall.
Ballagan Glen is a steep-sided, thickly-wooded gorge situated on the southern side of the Campsie Fells, which is managed as a nature reserve by The Scottish Wildlife Trust.
The reserve is a perfect habitat for many rare plants, invertebrates and native woodland.
As well as fine views from the reserve over the Blane Valley, Mugdock Moor and south towards Glasgow, there are two main scenic attractions.
The first, The Spout of Ballagan, is a 20 metre-high waterfall where the Ballagan Burn tumbles over a lip of rock high up in the reserve.
It is best seen during late autumn or winter when there are no leaves on the surrounding trees and the dense undergrowth has died back to provide safe access.
Summer access to The Spout is difficult as the undergrowth is dense. If in the reserve, please take great care as the rocks around the burn are very slippery, and the water can rise very rapidly after rain.
The second attraction is a spectacular sheer cliff rising for approximately 40 metres on the west side of the burn, exposing successive layers of distinctly coloured shales and cement stones.
To ensure year round caching, this cache is located at one of two smaller but very scenic feeder falls on the Ballagan Burn at the head of the reserve.
The reserve is off the A891 on the south side of the Campsie Fells, 0.6 miles east of Strathblane.
There is no right of access to the route to Ballagan Glen by vehicles as the access road is private.
Parking is available at Strathblane Parish Church at N 55 59.141 W 004 18.205 10 am – 1pm on Sundays excepted.
There is a right of pedestrian-only access from the A891 to the reserve, across the private grounds surrounding Ballagan House. Please respect the residents’ privacy.
After passing through the gate at N 55 59.185 W 004 17 406 signed “Ballagan” head immediately right, through an avenue of trees and over the burn. Keep to the left of Ballagan House and head for the lock-up garages and wood pile, turning right here to arrive at a sign and a stile into the glen.
Head up the path through an area of privately owned woodland past an interesting ruined cottage and through a gate at the end of the woods. Please close the gate.
Beyond this point is a working hill farm, so please keep dogs on a lead at all times.
Head up the field towards the glen where there is a stile into the reserve and a notice board giving information about the area.
The safe and easy access to the summit is not through the reserve however, because of the previously mentioned undergrowth, but outside in the field. Follow the line of the fence up and across reaching a stile at the head of the reserve which takes you onto open moorland.
Cross the burn and head back a bit for a view of the waterfall and GZ.
Proper boots and clothing recommended.
For anyone who fancies making a day of it, continue up the glen, via Feeding The Spout 2, after which you can make a gradual and gentle ascent of Earl’s Seat and then continue down via Dumgoyne to Glengoyne Distillery.
This cache has been placed with the kind permission of The Scottish Wildlife Trust, Reserves Manager, West Central Scotland. www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
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(Decrypt)
Gb evtug bs sbbgerfg ng angheny frng
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