Ballageich Hill

Easier going than the surrounding marsh.

There are three pipes discharging water and they can be seen from the Eaglesham Moor road. The water is probably from one or more of the reservoirs to the north.

A fearsome obstacle, but it is in poor repair and I could squeeze through. Set in marshland which was a much tougher opponent. Old maps show a track here, but there is nothing on the ground but pain. The track has made it onto the Naturescot core paths map but as is common in the East Renfrewshire council area all but impassible. A brutal struggle.

My struggle from Dunwan was over - waymarked paths, orienteering map, just spoiled on the Whitelees Wind Farm.

Looks like a bing, but is natural. Carries a hill fort and fine view.

At last I have Dunwan Hill. Off now to do twa. Dunwan Dam in the background.

Usual internet logos on a COP26 leftover at the entrance to the visitor centre.

This is the UK's biggest windfarm, and has been for years - if it was built today the 215 turbines would be bigger and better and produce nearly twice the electricity. (This is not a criticism - technology only improves once things get started!) Whilst wind power, to my mind, is obviously a good thing (though it seems a couple of people had to be sent packing with money in their pockets for this huge place to be built), the problem of storing the energy is highlighted by the recent construction of a lithium battery here. Apparently it covers half the area of a football pitch and took two or three years to build, but is only rated at 50MWh. The older turbines here generate power of around 2.5MW. This therefore means that for all that trouble and money, the battery is only able to store the energy made by 20 of those turbines spinning for an hour. The problem with electricity is that it is instant - your kettle is pretty much using the electricity generated by one of these wind turbines (if everything's connected in such a way of course) as its blades turn. So when the wind blows the turbines turn everywhere and there is too much electricity, so things either get turned off, or they just let the electricity escape in a mysterious manner. And when it doesn't blow, there is no electricity to be made. Energy storage, therefore, is by far the biggest hurdle to be crossed before renewables can properly take over electricity generation. (I have tripe-checked, and the reason the nearby reservoir is hidden on this picture is because the ground rises up slightly before the shore!)

You can get some idea of the height of the turbine from the size of the people standing at its base.