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HILL : Craiglee, 531m.(Marilyn)
DATE : 16/17th October 2009.
WEATHER : Perfect.
The forecast was way too good to miss but I was at work till 3.30pm on Friday and it was my sons 1st birthday on the Saturday. The plan was to get to Galloway as fast as possible and catch the sunset then stay on the tops till dawn. I then had to make it home in time to cook a pastichio as my contribution to the party at 1pm.
The journey over was done as fast as possible and I arrived at the gate on the track to loch Dee where the van was parked and the mountain bike used to cycle the 6 km to Craiglee. The track was not as fast as I had hoped and undulated up and down all the way to White lagan bothy. A place I was last at several years ago and I noticed no smoke from chimney so guess no residents tonight.
Craigencalk carpark
The plan was to cycle to the col between Glen Trool and Dargall lane and head up Craiglee but this is a 2km detour from a direct ascent at the end of loch Dee. With time lost on the cycle and the sunset already started I ditched the bike and headed straight over Dargall lane. Now I am no novice to the joys of Galloways off path terrain but this was as bad as anything I have had to endure before. Tussucks, waist high! I stumbled, fell, sunk, wrecked Leckis to the far side swearing I would never come here again. A race up the hillside to Craiglees SW ridge and I was there to witness some of the sunset. Made it.
Craiglee across loch Dee
Dargall lane below.
A couple of pics and I made the way up the hill past sound clint crag, a crag that has rock routes on but was not impressed (about 5m high) The summit was reached just as the light was going and a look about didn’t give a good camp spot. The tent I had with me was my North face expedition tent and has a door at each end. This allows me to pitch it in a east/west direction therefore able to watch the sunset out one door and the sunrise out the other in the morning . It sits up without guylines so a platform of flat granite under the trigpoint gave a good spot.
On the ridge with the last of the sunset.
Trigpoint reached.
Tent up and unpacked I made a brew and sat back to enjoy the view. Now Craiglee was a hill I left especially for a night like this, it sits on a fantastic spot and the trig point is a fantastic viewpoint looking off a crag down Glen Trool. To the East its the edge of the hills so a sunrise should be fully in view early in the morning. I had the job of collecting booze for the adults at the party next day so I pinched a couple of miller bottles as a treat on the hill.
Brew on.
It was soon becoming apparent this was going to be some night the stars were fantastic (Galloway forrest is trying to be Britains first dark park) and every so often a shooting star zipped across the sky. So many times this happened that I can recall only once previous seeing so many in one evening. I watched planes over in the east travelling back and forward and overhead small dots of satilites passed over. Across on Curleywee I thought someone was flashing their torch before realising it was a lighthouse just visable over the ridge. Down below in the upper reaches of glen trool there were lights probably someone camping and everywhere else was in darkness. Not a breath of wind was felt and the silence was a bit odd given the position. I had planned to take a picture of one of my candles on the trigpoint but got side tracked and forgot to.
Plough above the trgpoint.
Now being out on your own at night in the middle of nowhere can make your mind run a bit it riot at times and here was one for me. I had just made another brew and sat back up at the trig admiring the view. Above I noticed Another satilite crossing but hello there was another just behind it. I hadn’t seen that before but hang on theres another the same distance on the opposite side. What the **** is that I said out loud. It formed a perfect triangle but was way big for its elevation. Now I would love to see a UFO but not here. Not on my tod in the middle of nowhere at night with only a tent on top of a hill. I actually got so concerned at its nearing that I went to the tent and put the light out! It then did a big wide turn before heading East to my relief but what the hell was it. Given a bit of thought it was probably 3 jets flying in formation at high altitude but at the time it did freak me out.
I had enough for one night and turned in as I would be up early for the sunrise. One thing I noticed was how bright the stars were that I could see them through the fabric in the tent once the lights went out.
The alarm went off at 5.30am and I opened the door to see the start of the sunrise and put a brew on. There was still no wind and it was surprisingly very mild considering such a clear night. There was no frost and it was a pleasant morning on top to hang about.
Breakfast on the go with a view.
Its nice up here.
Time stands still sometimes.
Soon time to get moving or maybe another cuppa.
It was time to head down the ridge and I noticed the mist in the glen would probably mean a big temperature difference down there. I was surprised how noticeable it was on hitting the cloud, like stepping into a walk in freezer. The ridge down to the col was by far more pleasant than the ascent route and soon I was on the bike back out to the van. What a night!
Nearing the temperature inversion.
Curlywee.
Leaving the glen fog.
Back up to the col.
Craiglee across loch Dee.