walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

A Pair of Donalds from Daer

A Pair of Donalds from Daer


Postby jgregor » Mon Dec 26, 2022 3:04 pm

Fionas included on this walk: Ballencleuch Law

Donalds included on this walk: Ballencleuch Law, Comb Law

Date walked: 27/11/2022

Time taken: 3.5 hours

Distance: 11 km

Ascent: 586m

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

At the end of a soggy week in late November I decided to head down to Daer Reservoir to walk Comb Law and Ballencleuch Law in the Lowther Hills. The weather was clear, but I was under no illusions as to how conditions would be underfoot. Especially given the amount of water on the road heading towards the reservoir.

I drove along the west side of the reservoir and parked at a nice wide section a couple of hundred meters before Kirkhope Cleuch.

IMG20221127090559.jpg


IMG20221127090603.jpg


IMG20221127090712.jpg


IMG20221127090745.jpg


I walked a bit further along the road until reaching the trees just before the cattle grid. Thinking the gap in the trees was a path, I headed in and quickly discovered it was actually a stream, and was already into rather boggy territory. Turning left to the edge of the trees a climbed over a wall into a field. It was scarcely less boggy here, but at least there was a bit of a path, and I could see where I was going.

IMG20221127091107.jpg
Heading towards Comb Law


I followed the wall at the edge of the wood until it turned to the north. I then struck roughly west, diagonally up Comb Law.

IMG20221127094848.jpg
Looking back to Daer Reservoir


Reaching the top, I stopped for a breather at a fence/wall T-junction. The tops of Green Lowther and other northern Lowthers were hidden in the cloud.

IMG20221127100747.jpg
Somewhere in the vicinity of Comb Law summit, with the northern Lowthers nearly lost in cloud


IMG20221127101017.jpg


Not being entirely certain where the true summit is, I wondered around the likely spots in the usual fashion, until satisfied I'd touched it, or close enough. Then continued south-west down Comb Law.

IMG20221127101607.jpg
Saw a few of these - protecting livestock from bogs?


IMG20221127101853.jpg
Heading south-west down Comb Law


IMG20221127102405.jpg
Another boggy bit


IMG20221127103033.jpg
Looking SW towards Durisdeer


At the bealach between Comb Law and Hirstane Rig I had to find places to leap over or otherwise cross a couple of deep peat hags.

IMG20221127105609.jpg
Crossing the rift between Comb Law and Hirstane Rig


From here it was up Hirstane Rig and on up to the top of Ballencleuch Law.

IMG20221127111049.jpg
Stones marking the summit of Ballencleuch Law, with a view of Rodger Law


From there it was a pretty easy march across to its twin - the Donald Top Rodger Law.

IMG20221127111520.jpg
Looking SW - more Lowthers


IMG20221127111949.jpg
The cracked visage of Rodger Law


Rodger Law seems to have been the busier of the two, with its own trig, and a lot of metal and wire remains of some kind of structures near the top.

IMG20221127113042.jpg
Remains of some metallic structure on Rodger Law


IMG20221127113138.jpg
Rodger Law trig point - complete with its own moat


From here it was straight down the other side of Rodger Law, and on down Watchman's Brae and back to the road.

IMG20221127114033.jpg
Looking SW from Rodger Law, down to the Daer Water


IMG20221127114238.jpg
Looking down to Daer Reservoir again, with Hitteril Hil to the left of it, Watchman's Brae to the right


IMG20221127120705.jpg


IMG20221127120919.jpg
View to Comb Law, over Kirkhope Cleuch


IMG20221127121823.jpg


IMG20221127122406.jpg


IMG20221127122811.jpg
Heading back to the car


IMG20221127122959.jpg
Water, water everywhere


IMG20221127123343.jpg
Attachments

Ballencleuch_Law_2022-11-27_09-06.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

jgregor
 
Posts: 145
Munros:21   Corbetts:8
Fionas:19   Donalds:68+44
Sub 2000:71   Hewitts:7
Islands:9
Joined: Apr 22, 2015

Re: A Pair of Donalds from Daer

Postby DavidMB » Mon Dec 26, 2022 5:52 pm

Beautiful photos, I like the swirls around the Trig point.
User avatar
DavidMB
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 13
Munros:25   
Joined: Oct 25, 2022
Walk wish-list

Re: A Pair of Donalds from Daer

Postby jgregor » Wed Dec 28, 2022 1:54 pm

DavidMB wrote:Beautiful photos, I like the swirls around the Trig point.


Thanks!
jgregor
 
Posts: 145
Munros:21   Corbetts:8
Fionas:19   Donalds:68+44
Sub 2000:71   Hewitts:7
Islands:9
Joined: Apr 22, 2015

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests