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It was misty and cold as I drove alongside St Mary's Loch.
And it was wet.
But then this is the Southern Uplands and if it's not actually raining, there's usually cloud and fog or the wet invades from below, peat, moss, heather and tussocky grass seeping the moisture into even the trustiest of well-waxed boots.
Still, I parked at the layby at forestry near Birkhill, got my boots on, had a quick word with myself and set off. This walk is tricky to turn in to a circuit (unless starting from the Ettrick side) and, not for the first or last time on this trip south, I was unsure I had made the best route choices. More on that later.
I crossed the border, went through a gate into an empty field and crossed diagonally to join the wall by the forestry and started the steep climb up Herman Law. Having struggled on the way up Wisp Hill two days earlier, I was happy to find I felt very much better and really enjoyed the walk up the hill, getting to the top of the Donald in just under an hour. (28 done, 61 to go).
Clouds and mist were blowing in and out, but there were some clear spells. The way ahead to Trowgrain Middle was clear and there were even some views back to St Mary's Loch and across towards Ettrick Pen.
- Second outing on the trot I've crossed this Border border
- Starting to climb Herman Law
- Looking back at Birkhill. Car parking spot is to the right, out of shot
- Not much to this one other than steeply uphill
- The top of Herman Law
- A glimpse of St Mary's Loch from Herman Law
There's a clear path from Herman Law along to the next summit and progress over to the Donald Top Trowgrain Middle (14 done, 38 to go) was quick. The cairn here is the most impressive on the walk, possibly in the area and it made a good spot to shelter from an increasingly keen wind and have the first tea break of the day.
- Following the fence from Herman Law to Trowgrain Middle
- The imposing cairn at Donald Top Trowgrain Middle.
- Yours truly at Trowgrain Middle. I look like I might actually be enjoying myself
- On to Mid Rig and Andrewhinney Hill, just follow the fence
Mid Rig was the next (short) stop. This feels like it should be a Donald Top, but it isn't - that's the other Mid Rig near Bodesbeck Law. Anyway, I just followed the fence, skirted some slightly boggy ground and headed off towards Andrewhinney Hill, getting to the top of the Donald/Graham/Fiona about two hours after starting. (29 done, 60 to go. 15 done, 204 to go)
From here there are normally great views over to White Coomb and the Grey Mare's Tail, but not today, although there were tantalising hints as clouds swirled in and out.
- Brief stop at the top of Mid Rig (not the Donald Top)
- Andrewhinney Hill ahead.
- Andrewhinney Hill summit
- Looking back to Mid Rig and Trowgrain Middle
- Looking ahead from Andrewhinney Hill.
I reattached myself to the fence and set off for Bell Craig. The path along here is less clear, even vague in places, but it's obvious where to go. There was a drop down and then a final climb up to the junction of fences which I'm pretty sure marks the top of Bell Craig. (30 done, 59 to go)
In keeping with Donald traditions (along with fences, atv tracks and surprise bogs) other spots looked higher so there was ten minutes of wandering about before I decided I was right in the first place.
I had some lunch and admired the view to Mid Rig and Bodesbeck Law. I decided not to include those two, especially as I wasn't 100 per cent certain of my way down and reckoned it might take a while.
I was right.
- Following the fence again
- Not much in the way of peat hags on this route, but here's one
- Lochan on the way over to Bell Craig
- Walking in the Southern Uplands
- The mist coming down again before the last climb to Bell Craig.
- This seems to be the top of Bell Craig. Other spots look higher, so there was much wandering about.
- Donald Top Mid Rig and Bodesbeck Law
Probably the easiest way back to Birkhill is to retrace the route back over the hills, but I fancied my chances of dropping down towards the car park at the Grey Mare's Tail so followed another fence to a stile and then picked up a nearby atv track which was heading back at around the 550m level. I had hoped it would drop down, but it didn't.
Instead it turned into a path (possibly a well-developed sheep track). I stuck with it, especially as it gave the best views of the day over to the Grey Mare's Tail.
- A stile a couple of hundred metres from the top of Bell Craig. Time to find a way downhill.
- Rough atv track heading back
- Forestry roads carving their way up Carrifran Gans
- Looking over to the Grey Mare's Tail
Eventually I got to the top of Strang Cleuch. Here I followed the burn a good way down the hill until the going got too tough. I moved a hundred metres or so to the west, took a rest, then decided to just zig-zag down the steep slope to the road.
It was hard on the knees and ankles, and progress was slow, but I made it to solid tarmac with a mile and a bit to walk along the road to the car.
- Strang Cleuch
- My knees and ankles are going to hate me for this.
- Down to the road and a mile or so back to the car.
