Traverse of Galloway Forest Park

[rorymch]

Hi all,
Myself and a group of mates are planning our next multiday trip to Scotland and are interested in Galloway Forest. It looks like it has everything we want; hills, lochs, rivers and forest and a good chance to get away from civilisation. At the moment I'm trying to research potential routes but there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of info out there as there like there is for other places...
We're thinking maybe 2/3 days hiking/wild camping and starting and finishing in different places rather than a round trip - Maybe south to north or something like that - has anyone done anything similar? Or can anyone recommend some areas to hit up or avoid?
Thanks!

[jmarkb]

Almost all the trees are commercial plantations and therefore pretty uninspiring. Better to stick to the high ground: a route based around the Merrick and Rhinns of Kells ridges would be good. Beware that there is some seriously rough terrain out there in places if you head off path.

[Caberfeidh]

If you head up from the Glen Trool car park beside Bruce's Stone, follow a chain of lochs (Loch Valley, Neldricken, Arron) up to Loch Enoch, camp there, next day go along the ridge from the Merrick to Shalloch on Minnoch then down to Loch Girvaneye, camp there and next day downhill to Stinchar Bridge. How you get back to Glen Trool is anybody's guess. Another way from Girvaneye would be to head through the lower lands to Loch Macaterick, follow the outlet water known as the Black Garpel, cross the Eglin Lane to Craigmawhannal then head up past the Wolf's Slochd to follow the Gala Lane up to the Dry Loch and the Dungeon Lochs by the Silver Flow. Camp there then head back up the hill to Loch Enoch again, and downhill back to Glen Trool. Or follow the glen down past the Silver Flow to Loch Dee and the Black Water o' Dee, meet the road and get over to Clatteringshaws. How you get out of there is up to you! Bothies at Backhill O'Bush near the Silver Flow, Tunskeen near Macaterick and one I can't remember the name of near Glen Trool, but it's a dump and only any good for getting out of the storm. As the previous poster has pointed out, it is very rough going indeed. Be careful of adders, there are a lot of them around there. Also be very careful not to start a moor fire, as these spread rapidly and get wildly out of control very quickly. Lives could be lost and squillions of pounds worth of forestry destroyed. Look out for wild goats, deer, otters, eagles, etc.

Round Loch O' The Dungeon

Long Loch O'The Dungeon

Craignaw (L) and Dungeon Hill (R) from near Backhill O'Bush

Silver Flow, looking down toward Loch Dee

[malky_c]

Try something like this:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=44319

Some parts of it are pretty rough though, but part of the fun is finding out which bits!

[iangpark]

I am too planning a Galloway trip this summer taking in the Awful Hand range plus 3 others. It is definitely, from an outsider's perspective, the best hilly section of the GFP - Rhinns of Kells is the better 'ridge' in my opinion but is quite far out the way. You could essentially do a huge loop of the centre of the park over 3 days from Glen Trool but that's a big undertaking. The trip done by malky_c is great if you want to do it all linearly (Dalmellington is your bet if going North through the park). Either way, Loch Enoch is a must and Tunskeen bothy could be useful. The other three have said it all really - stay high up for best experience, there's endless lochs at your disposal. The terrain to the E at Silver Flowe can be horrendous apparently so I'd stay well away unless planning a Rhinns trip. Falling into a waist deep bog with 2 days left would not be fun!

[Caberfeidh]

Oh yes, and you can supplement your food with fresh trout from the lochs. Just take a wee telescopic rod with bubble floats and flies.

Brown Trout - good eating, just bring white wine, brown bread and butter...

[Senja]

Try something like this:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=44319

Some parts of it are pretty rough though, but part of the fun is finding out which bits!

A clue is in the geology, the Rhinns and Awful Hand are made of rock which gives fertile soil and consequently well grazed easy ground. Then between the ridges is a granite area, acid soils, deep moorgrass and bogs. That’s where the monsters lurk. The granite however is often exposed and forms delightful slabs.

Another factor in there is the burn crossings, especially anything named “lane”.

[Caberfeidh]

Another factor in there is the burn crossings, especially anything named “lane”.

Too right; they're often more like canals. Ten feet across and ten feet deep. I find the wide open moorland and vast distances between geological features a bit intimidating; it is bleak, desolate, windswept and gloomy. I always find the Galloway Hills a bit spooky. Give me Glen Coe or Corrie Harta anytime.

Looking from near Loch Dee up over the Silver Flow towards Backhill O'Bush and Dungeon Hill.

[Sgurr]

Here are some of the infamous Galloway tussocks.....and some conifers thrown in for good measure. As previous people have said STAY UP HIGH. Have you been watching the Galloway Forest series on BBC2? We found it hilarious in that the "high point" in each programme seems to be something breaking down. When we got back to our hotel in Ken Bridge (massive recommendation) a few days ago and found two guys in deep discussion about their vehicle being knackered, it was all we could do to keep straight faces. Just finished the New/Donalds in that area and some days were serious struggles esp. Dungeon Hill.

[Mattheweb1]

Myself and a few friends were up that way in October last year, we had planned to hike over the hills South East of loch doon down to backhill of bush and then over to merrick before dropping down to tunskeen but the weather was awful so we ended up hiking low level between the bothies. It was bloody rough going and the forests were a bit of a bugger to navigate through but I thouroughlly enjoyed it. We didn't see anyone for three days.