Three Donalds From Grey Mare's Tail

[jgregor]

I parked once again at the National Trust car park for Grey Mare's Tail. Though already after 9am on a late Summer's day, the sun was only just managing to peek over the steep side of Andrewhinney Hill to the south-east.

The sun takes a bite out of Andrewhinney

I had planned to walk up the road north-east to the foot of Herman Law. However, on driving down there I was reminded how narrow that section of road is, with a number of blind corners and no room for pedestrians, and with the hill sloping down steeply on the west side, and up steeply on the east. Far safer and more satisfying - if slower - to follow the Moffat Burn upstream instead.

Following the road and the Moffat Water upstream

Raking Gill

Falls on Moffat Water, looking towards Herman Law

Once almost at the buildings of Birkhill, it was safe to join the road and follow it for a couple of hundred meters to the border between Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders.

Birkhill

Here a path led east up the edge of a plantation a short way to a mast. I had to squeeze between the trees and the fence around the mast. Then I climbed over the wall into the adjoining field and started up Herman Law. The first part was rather steep, and flies were out in force. Following what might have been an old stream bed, I got over to the fence beside Birkie Cleuch.

As I made my way back to the path and another fence it got less steep, and I was soon up at the junction of three fences marking the summit of Herman Law.

Glimpse of St Mary's Loch from the top of Herman Law

Looking southish over the valley of the Ettrick Water

From here it was south-west along the ridge towards Andrewhinney Hill.

The cairn on Trowgrain Middle

The cairn on Mid Rig

I'd been looking forward to Andrewhinney Hill - more or less opposite Grey Mare's Tail - hoping for a decent view of Loch Skene. Walking up there last year it was one of the more memorable views, appearing all of a sudden after walking up past the last of the falls. As I neared the summit I was afraid it wouldn't be visible this time. But as I reached Andrewhinney's summit cairn it came into view and I wasn't disappointed. This was easily the best view of the day so I stopped here for lunch.

Andrewhinney Hill cairn, with White Coomb and Loch Skene beyond

The third and last Donald of the day was Bell Craig. I followed the fence down from Andrewhinney until it took a right turn. Then I cut across the open grass on various sheep paths until I joined the fence again near the col between the two hills.

Bell Craig, and beyond it Bodesbeck Law

About half a kilometre later I was at (or very near) the summit of Bell Craig, next to a junction of fences and a couple of gates.

Bell Craig summit

The route back down to the road and car park was the part of the walk I was least sure about. It looked steep, and there wasn't much in the way of paths.

Looking down to the car park

It was hard and slow going. The hill was slick with the recent rain, and I spent more time on my backside than I cared to.

Crossing Broken Cleuch - not sure this is the best way down...

But through heather and bracken I finally made it down to the Moffat Water. I stopped to cool my feet in it, and wait for the cramp in my thighs to subside before following the river upstream once more and back to the car park.

Made it