Cairnsmore of Fleet - First time Galloway

[Milo12]

I kept passing Galloway on the way north and south from the motorway. Time for a stopover along the way. Cairnsmore looked like a quick and easy Graham to fit in after the drive. The clouds looked a bit menacing, but I hoped a bit of finger crossing would do the trick.

There is a nice little parking option just at the foot of Cairnsmore. A singletrack road leeds onto what looks like an estate and a side road has a number of laybys that conveniently function as parking. The first part of the way follows a small estate road with a river and gorgeous rhododendron bushed which happened to be in full bloom. After that, the trail crosses some meadows and disappears into woodlands for most of the way. The trail is rocky, but very solid and I make quick progress. If i thought that I'd be the only one out on this one, I couldn't have been more wrong. I came across a number of walkers quickly and altogether there ware a good 15 that I met along the way.

Once I leave the woodlands, the rest of the way to the top is open grassland. The trail is rocky though and turns a bit boggy towards the top. About one kilometre from the top a series of cairns starts to emerge. You keep seeing them in the distance, but realise that there is another one you need to get to. The actual top is rather flat and comes with a monument for fallen soldiers, a trig point, a very big carn and a low shelter.

I walk towards the end of the ridge to get more of the views and then decide to walk to the other end of the ridge. It is a good 1.5km through bogs with a small downhill and a climb to get to the other end. It seems worth it though as it adds a bit more distance to the walk and the views are quite different from the other end. A very big cairn offers direction in the distance along the way.

I retrace my steps to get back to the trail and follow the same way down. Some feral goats are roaming the hillside now that most people have disappeared. Beautiful creatures with long hair and horns, playful too. The way back to the woodlands is very quick and with the views ahead now, the trail is very enjoyable. Upon entering the woodlands, the trail is again quick to walk on, but seems to be dragging a bit, while the last part through the meadows and the fields is really something to enjoy.

Cairnsmore is probably one of the easier Grahams to do, and definitely worth it if you are in the area and want to stretch your legs.