Routine walk adventurous descent

[Fife Flyer]

After the festivities we were all itching to get out - easier said than done. The weather forecast was less than favourable, unless you like rain, so the only weather window was Thursday morning. Tommy was keen to join us and pick off another 3 hills and keep up his fitness.
I suggested we utilise the 2 cars by not retracing our steps and descending off Bell Craig. Looking at various different maps the obvious problem is how to get across Moffat Water which runs between the hills and the main road. The only bridge is near Polmoodie Farm so that was to be our crossing point.
I arranged to meet Tommy at the car park at Grey Mares Tail, we then left his car near Polmoodie and then headed NE along the A708 to park near in a small layby near Birkhill.
The weather as you can see from the first photo was pretty grotty, not a problem really.

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Full wet weather gear required = grotty


Here we go up into the higher cloud


Looking back - you can just about make out the couple of buildings near the road


Is Parminder enjoying himself?


Tommy calling in the blur that is his dog Max


I wish I could go that fast uphill


The way ahead, follow the fence


Cracking views, bit of a slog initially, long wet grass - welcome to the Borders


Don't get too excited, the first summit, Herman Law


Closer shot, views no better


Follow the leader


Almost a view


Look at that, views


The rest of the Ettrick Hills


Interesting couple of peat hags


First of 2 large cairns on Trowgrain Middle before we reach our next summit Andrewhinney Hill


Cloud was whizzing through


You can see where the stones for the cairn came from


Looking back


The next cairn on Mid Rig


Looking west across towards White Coomb and co


Similar photo half of it engulfed with cloud


Andrewhinney Hill cairn not as impressive as the previous ones


The way ahead to Bell Craig


Parminder being king of his castle


The way ahead


Max knows the way so follow him


The summit of Bell Craig - impressive?


Max sitting for his usual summit pose


Following an ATV track SW towards another Mid Rig

Our plan was to head SW and pick up a zig zag track that we spotted from the road, it had been created by the "lumberjacks". We should have known better than to venture into a de-forested area, having said that for me it made a routine day a bit more exciting.


We were kind of traversing across the hillside hoping to intercept the track. It was a good plan - that failed miserably


Just to prove we were traversing, great view SW towards Moffat


We still have over 300m of height to lose


Looking NE up towards Grey Mares Tail


Concentrating, descending slightly


SW again after losing a bit of height


Tommy leading the way and now the fun begins


Looks inviting


The easier bit


Now it gets interesting, rubber soled boots and wet wood = not a good safe descent


Trying to stick to the green stuff as much as possible, I think you can see the steepness


The bridge is way down there, look closely


Hands up if anyone finds the scarring of the hillsides attractive, I thought so. What a mess


Tommy still heading down


George and Parminder taking their time


A lowish level shot SW


Time to regroup, almost on level ground


George posing in front of a nice muddy puddle


Looking uphill, you can see the zig zag we saw from the road, a shame we never found it


Moffat Water, you can see why we wanted to utilise the bridge


Looking NE


The bridge

What should and could have been an easy day turned out to be a bit more challenging because of the descent. Admittedly wherever we had opted to descend it would have been steep and possibly easier and certainly quicker. Walking over flat deforested area is difficult, add in a steep slope and soggy underfoot conditions and that makes for very slow careful going.
It was great to catch up and hopefully we will be out this week again.

[Robertgee]

Good write up for your walk. It's good to see some of these Hills I climbed many years ago, probably the late 90's. I remember having a great and very enjoyable walk along here. I did a long circuit from the Ettrick side using the Southern Upland Way for the return. The thing I remember best, is the superb views directly over the valley to the Grey Mare's Tail and Loch Skeen, it was truly unforgettable.

[Robertgee]

Turns out it was only 16 years ago I did this walk. I did in fact start at Birkhill, same as you, but continued along ridge to Bodesbeck Law. down to Potburn on the Ettrick side, then back up onto the ridge via Bught Hill, following this back to Birkhill. A long but enjoyable day out.

View to Grey Mare's Tail and Loch Skeen from Andrewhinney Hill...the unforgettable view