Windlestraw in the Snow

[jgregor]

A bit before 9am we headed out of Edinburgh, where the snowfall of the previous day hadn't lasted long. However, heading south down the A7 it became apparent that there was still plenty of snow about. We took the B7007 a couple of miles after Gorebridge and as it climbed through the Moorfoot Hills we found a fair bit of ice still lying at this time, making going slow and a bit hairy. This continued onto the B709 until the road started descending again a few miles north of Innerleithen. We parked at Blackhopebyre at a widened spot next to the gate that marked the start of the mapped track up Windlestraw.

We decided on approaching Windlestraw from the west, in spite of Walk Highlands describing it in unflattering terms as a "boggy plod". Mainly because we hadn't the time or inclination for a 12 mile walk which the favoured route would entail. I did intend to descend by a different route though, making it a circular.

This'll be the boggy plod then

The path takes a southerly direction initially as it climbs Glentress Rig, before turning east.

View back to the car, Blackhopebyre, Glentress Water and up it's valley

View down to Glentress farm

At a fork in the track the mapped route takes a left more directly up the hill. We took the right before realising and heading across the tussocky grass to meet the intended track. We needn't have worried though. On the way we'd see many tracks, all heading more or less in the same direction, as was the case with the one we'd chosen.

Near the top of Glentress Rig we got our first view of Windlestraw, still covered in snow.

White Windlestraw

As we continued we climbed to a height where the snow was still lying. It was still pretty boggy in parts though.

Is it a track or a stream bed?

View over to Whitehope Law and the forest beyond

A small bridge

Looking back towards Glentress and the hills beyond

As we climbed we passed a series of wooden grouse butts. The track became less distinct and the boggy parts less easy to spot under the deepening snow.

Reaching a fence, we followed it the last few hundred meters towards the summit.

Icicles

Near the top we found what I assume to be a solar powered weather station.

Looking south-east

The trig point is next to where several fences meet.

From here I had planned to continue south-west along the ridge and then east down Bareback Knowe back to the road at Glentress. However, the youngest member of the party was rather fed up with the whole enterprise, having stepped on solid-looking snow only to disappear up to his knee in boggy mud. So as a concession to his flagging spirits we just returned the way we'd come (more or less).

The lower track back along the side of Glentress Rig

An old disconnected bit of wall

Glentress in sight

Blackhopebyre again

Glentress Water winding around an old sheepfold

Thankfully most of the ice on the road had melted by this point, and we regained the A7 and Edinburgh without incident.