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I'd meant to drop in on Shalloch on Minnoch on one of my journeys back to the south coast when I was living there, but never quite got round to it. Now that my relocation means the hills of Dumfries and Galloway are more or less on the doorstep, I had my chance in June.
Shalloch on Minnoch is a modest Corbett, but it's where I was on my 21st, so it's a bit special to me.
On that occasion, two of us had walked from Loch Doon, spent the night in Tunskeen bothy (which was fairly remote at the time), and been picked up the next day at Stinchar Bridge. This time, we just sauntered up from the Stinchar Bridge-to-Glentrool road, where there's a layby large enough to stick a car without being in anyone's way.
So, no path to start with, but not so boggy that it's tough going in any way. As we rose (from our already elevated start point), the hills to the east - the Rhinns of Kells - started to appear.
001 Over the Shalloch moor to distant Carlins Cairn And then more of this lovely, distinctive, loch-studded moorland.
002a Lochs Riecawr and Girvan EyeBefore long we hit the path and turned right to follow it to the trig point, and then to the top (for, no, the trig point is
not at the top, which I don't think we'd even noticed 30 years ago in the snow and cold!)
For the time being the top of the Merrick was clear, and we were hoping the sun was going to come out as forecast.
003 Loch Enoch - Craignaw c above - Dungeon Hill l - Criffel distant 
004 Merrick and Kirriereoch above Loch Enoch It was kind of promising - Ailsa Craig was hazily visible...
005 One of many windfarms and Ailsa Craig... but it just never really got there. Meanwhile, we peered down on to Tunskeen bothy, now depressingly accessible via the forest roads I understand, and had our little reminisce [no roof in April '92 - chilly night etc etc].
009 Macaterick and Tunskeen below Rhinns of Kells And while we waited for the sun, instead we found ourselves watching rainclouds racing in. They headed for the Merrick, found it, sat on it, and I suppose at least had the decency not to drench us while they were at it.
011 Rainclouds heading for Merrick 
012 Blue sky over Lochs Doon and Macaterick
013 Loch Enoch and Hoodens Hill to Rhinns of KellsThe other thing down below us, to the north, was a rocking stone - at least that's what's marked on the map, and my reading had uncovered that South Ayrshire does a pretty good line in rocking stones.
016 S on M north to Loch Riecawr and rocking stoneI was forging a plan to devise a rocking stone route, starting with finding the one down here and giving it a little push... but that's another story...
(The Riecawr rocking stone - visited a few days later. Does it rock? Far be it from me to spoil the suspense!
)
Anyway, thwarted by the hope of breakfast in bright warm sunshine, we cut our losses and pootled back down.
017 Gentle descent to Stinchar Bridge 
018 Lochs and no trees of Carrick Forest A modest little leg-stretch, with a nip to the River Stinchar at the Bridge on our way home, and an old friend revisited - always a joy.
