Three Donalds from Fruid

[jgregor]

Having done the more travelled routes in the area - those involving the Corbetts White Coomb and Hart Fell - this felt like one of those odds-and-ends sort of walks, taking in some of the lesser visited Donalds in the shadow of those local giants. And being a route I'd planned myself rather than copied off WH, there was always the possibility we'd end up labouring through tracts of pathless heather or bog. And while there was a bit of that, it turned out a fairly enjoyable and varied hike.

We started near the end of the road which runs along the length of Fruid Reservoir, where there's space for a few cars to park.

Looking along Fruid Reservoir

We headed east along the top of the field on the north side of Fruid.

Erie Hill and Garelet Dod ahead

Looking up the course of the Fern Hope Burn

At the corner of the field we turned north east and began our ascent up Broad Toe, heading for Erie Hill.

View from Broad Toe back to Fruid

Erie Hill from Broad Toe

Approaching Erie Hill summit under a corrugated sky

After a steady pull up Broad Toe and east onto Erie Hill we soon reached the summit. This was the most well defined summit of the three, with an obvious highest area. The slopes to the south were steep and there were good views to the surrounding Corbetts and other Donalds.

The modest cairn marking the summit of Erie Hill

Looking up to Hart Fell

View across to the precipitous slopes of Carlavin Hill (left) and Mols Cleuch Dod (right)

After a brief stop we continued down the east side of Erie and down to the high deer fence and older ordinary fence. We followed the latter broadly south over Common Law and Speir Gairs and up close to the top of Garelet Dod.

Fruid Reservoir from some way up Garelet Dod

We turned west, away from the fence and up the final bit to the summit of Gerelet Dod. This was pretty flat and the actual highest point wasn't clear. So we employed the usual tactic of wondering about all the highest looking tussocks until we were fairly sure we'd hit it, or close enough. Then headed south-east diagonally back to the fence. We followed this south again between Gameshope Loch to the east and Ellers Cleuch to the west, and up onto Din Law.

Gameshope Loch

Looking up to Din Law - a Donald Top

Ellers Cleuch

We found a rocky outcrop on Din Law to stop for lunch. From here there were fine views over Fruid Reservoir to the north-west, and closer at hand the next hill, Cape Law under a darkening sky to the south-east.

On Din Law - a good spot to stop for lunch

Fruid Reservoir from Din Law

After lunch we decided to make the short detour the rest of the way up Din Law to bag the Donald Top, and then headed on to Cape Law. This worked out well, since coming down Din Law from the top rather than following the fence meant we avoided the worst of the peat hags in the col between the two hills.

Peat hags and Cape Law

We were glad to make it back to the fence further up Cape Law though, and the only decent path up we could see on that side. Another wonder about at the top trying to hit the summit - seems it was probably the corner of the fence. Still, going a bit further south on the fairly flat top did open up the views to the Hart Fell and White Coomb hills.

The Blackhope horseshoe from Cape Law

We headed back down from Cape Law, a bit west of the route up, aiming to skirt around the west side of Din Law and make our way down to the Fruid Water.

Cape Law and Dun Law seeming to split apart at the seem

The Fruid Water tumbling down the wonderfully named Craigy Middens

Fruid Water at the foot of the steep western slope of Din Law

The slope down to the Fruid Water was pretty steep at first, and the plan was to follow the contour further round until the slope lessened and we could join the water around Cow Linn. Following the rough sheep path at such an angle proved harder going that it looked. We looked down at the burn and got to talking as to how it would be much easier if only we were down there. So we decided to head straight down at that point, sliding on our back-sides much of the way.

The quickest way down was to slide, while avoiding the rocks!

We were soon down at the Fruid, and set off following it down-stream. The banks were fairly boggy in parts, but other than that the going was pretty good.

Fruid Water

As the Fruid Water neared the reservoir it spread out and meandered over the widening valley.

Fruid Water approaching the reservoir

We headed across to the corner of the field, through a gate and onto the track leading back to Fruid. We passed through the yard and past some houses and came out on the reservoir road a short distance from the car.

Fruid

Crossing the bridge over the Fern Hope Burn and back to the start

[thedonalds]

Memories! This walk is very similar to one of my old favourites that I used to do a lot - start from Fruid and go up the Fruid Water (as per your finish) but head up to the top of the main burn as it rises past Craigy Middens where there's a nice grassy plateau then through between Din Law and Cape Law to Gameshope then up to Garelet Dod, Erie Hill (or down via Strawberry Hill) and back to Fruid. I used to be on chatting terms with the shepherd who lived in the last house at Fruid but I guess he has gone now.......