Earncraig and Gana Hills from Daer Reservoir

[jgregor]

On the way driving past Dear Reservoir dam, I noticed the track across the dam was now completely
blocked with temporary fencing and there were construction vehicles along there. Last time I was here to climb Hods Hill a couple of weeks prior, there was just a sign saying it was closed, but I went along the dam anyway as there was nothing on it at the time. I guess they were just getting their closure in early

I parked at Kirkhope Cleuch, as previously when climbing Comb and Ballencleuch Laws. The road is paved for another mile or so to Kirkhope. I'm not sure if it's still a public road at that point though. And I didn't pass anywhere along that stretch I thought I could reasonably park in any case.

The road south past the head of the reservoir up to Kirkhope

A vintage "PASSING PLACE" sign - doesn't look there's been much passing in this place for a good while

Approaching Crookburn

I followed the road up to Kirkhope, where the road ends at a yard and emerges out the other side as a track, continuing south.

The road becomes a track past Kirkhope

After a couple of miles or so I took the short track east down to Daerhead, which appeared unoccupied.

The track down to the house at Dearhead

From there I crossed the Daer Water and headed south-east up Whiteside Hill, which is essentially a shoulder of Earncraig Hill.

The convergence of Rowantree Grain (left) and Dear Water

Looking back at Daerhead and the reservoir in the distance, from Whiteside Hill

The last stretch up Earncraig Hill

At Earncraig Hill summit, the view is dominated by the larger Queensberry, close by to the south-east.

View of Queensberry from Earncraig Hill summit

I headed west down Earncraig and on towards Gana Hill, meeting the track that goes over the top just below the summit.

Descending the steep western slope of Earncraig Hill, heading for Gana Hill

Looking back up Earncraig Hill from Daer Hass

On the track leading up to Gana Hill summit

I had lunch by the small summit cairn, enjoying the view over Nithsdale.

The modest cairn at the very top of Gana Hill - looking west

Queensberry from Gana summit

Looking north towards the Coulter Hills

View of the reservoir from the bigger cairn

I headed down the north side of Gana Hill, making for a line of grouse butts I could see to the west of Haggy Hill, assuming there would be a path from there back to the track. There wasn't much of a path, but I was able to follow Ree Grain downstream through Thick Cleuch, and then onto the track again at the foot of Shiel Dod.

Ree Grain (I think) - looking up Thick Cleuch

Back on track - heading back towards Dearhead

I followed the track north, passing where I had left it previously at Dearhead and then retracing my steps back through Kirkhope and onto the road.

Following the Dear Water back downstream

On the road, I came across a fair number of sheep, with one young one in the field on the other side of the fence. Worried I was going to drive the flock down the road and away from the lone one that was clearly tracking them in the field, I went into the field myself and made a detour around and back to the road further along, so that they would stay where they were. After that it was back along the road to the car.

Looking across the reservoir to Hods Hill

View of Comb Hill from Kirkhope Cleuch