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Spoiler…. No summit on this trip….. but awesome views and a cracking walk in the Galloway forest none the less!!!
So…. Lockdown full in effect….. I thought that I would attempt a (‘legal’) route up Corserine, starting from Doon Castle, East Ayrshire. There is a route that runs from the east side of the loch, up onto the north side Rhinns of Kells, however after a bit of time on viewranger and google maps I planned a route from the Doon Castle (West side of the loch).
An absolutely stunning start to the day with some unreal views over Loch Doon across the Awful Hand & the Rhinns. Hard frost to start, and a sunrise that kept on giving, provided a great beginning to a crisp Monday morning in December. The route followed the logging roads along the side of the loch, before turning left towards the range of hills that I was targeting. On the OS map, there were no breaks showing in the trees whatsoever, however the planation works in this are is pretty constant and after a look on the satellite image from google maps, there were several opening that would provide access. Before I started this walk I already knew two things about this area; 1. Going off any established route can be incredibly boggy and hard going, & 2. There was no point even trying to go through an area of pine (they are so dense, they are pretty impassable). Knowing this, I didn’t plan to get too hung up on the exact point that I would look to access the hill range……. However after three attempts at different points I sacked the idea complete and opted to walk through the forest tacks and come back to fight another day! Deforested areas are the worst to try and cross in my opinion, as the ground has nearly always been churned over completely by large machinery, leaving the remanence of roots and stumps hidden in high grass and the water that once fed the trees, just lives stagnant (often hidden) deep pools.
I continued south-west along the tracks and worked out a 8.5 mile route that looped me back to my starting point.
I enjoy planning and exploring off the beaten track routes and have learned to not get too hung up “failure”. This part of Scotland is often forgotten about and is absolutely stunning in the right conditions. The lockdown has also forced me to explore new places that are, relatively speaking, on my doorstep- which has been awesome. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my day, despite the lack of a summit!
It is tough watching packed shops, cafes, and city centres that are full of people, whilst someone who enjoys the outdoors in remote and completely isolated ways are legally bound to confinement! None the less soon as this rubbish weather ends…. It’s onto to Corserine alternative -plan B (hopefully with similar weather and views!!!)
