Near the summit of the B934 Muckart-Dunning road (to the immediate north of where the road crosses the Corb Glen) is a memorial to one Tom Black. The monument (sadly subject to various attempts of grafitti by the moron element) reads:

To the memory of
TOM BLACK
A fine skier and staunch member
who died on the snow slopes above
28th February 1963
--------------------------------
The Cairn was erected as a mark of deep
respect by his fellow members of the
Dunfermline & district ski club
With the kind permission of
Gilbert Hepburn of Dunning

I believe that he was cross country skiing, presumably on the wonderful terrain of Little Law, Corb Law, Green Law, Sims Hill and Johns Hill. Does anyone have any knowledge or recollection of the incident?



Attachments: Tom black.jpg (25kB)  

Graham

Just noticed your post. I remember the first time I came across that memorial - my friend and I were camping near Path of Condie on an agate hunting trip - must have been 18 at the time - 1975!

I was born and brought up with the Ochils - great hills - I love getting back there. The very names are evocative.

To answer your query, the Ochils Mountaineering Club might have some information - try www.ochils.com - They've got a message board, might be worth a try.

Probably the top Ochils expert is Rennie McCowan of Stirling. He has written tons of stuff about the place. Very much in the Tom Weir school of outdoorsmanship.

You might also want to contact "Friends of the Ochils" [sites.ecosse.net]

Just noticed that their president is Rennie McCowan!

Hope this helps in your quest. I have skied the ochils several times - e g Ben Cleuch from Alva Glen, well worth doing!

Bye for now

Jim

Hi just discovered your post on this site.

Tom Black was my dad and died skiing on 28/02/68. I was only 2 months old at the time. He had an undiagnosed heart condition and was 29.

I have visited the cairn and am glad that walkers continue to show it respect and have an interest in it.

Barbra Black

Sorry to resurrect this thread but thought it was worth saying that I went past the memorial today — having ridden through the glen dozens of times and having not noticed it — and can happily report it is in good condition.

On another note, I had no idea agates were to be found in the Ochils. I will have to stop and have a dig in the burn next time I ride through Path of Condie.