Shattered on Shalloch

[old danensian]

Some days things simply don’t “click.” You can trawl through recollections looking for the odd positive, but in the final reckoning Shalloch on Minnoch was just a duff trip.

I should have read the runes and the early messages. Kevsbald’s report of a couple of years ago was hardly complimentary despite the shrieking wild wifie he experienced and the prospect of a view to Mexico. MWIS was promising 90% and good visibility, but the early morning weather forecast on the radio was talking about snow and rain.

“Were you expecting that?” came a sleepy voice from under the covers. I still got up, scraped the ice off the car and was at the Bell Memorial car park just after 9.00am.

The Merrick and Kirriereoch Hill from Bell Memorial

To the east the rounded hump of Shalloch on Minnoch rose above the forests, while further to the south The Merrick was submerged by cloud. Leaden would be the word that best described the outlook: no pastel pink or orange hue lit the underside of the clouds to herald the advancing sun.

Shalloch on Minnoch

With the temperature well below zero there was no hanging around so I was soon striding out. The “curiously modern white garage” at Laglanny mentioned in the guides and reports is now accompanied by an even more modern cottage – well it will be when it’s finished. I managed to miss the burn-side path just past the bridge: the Forestry Commission vehicle parked across it didn’t help. With that Freudian error of a slip soon corrected I quickly reached the abandoned buildings of Shalloch on Minnoch farm and began to head up the Shalloch Burn.

Soon after the confluence with the Knochlach Burn I came across the sleeper bridge, where I found that discretion was the better part of valour. The combination of snow and ice packed in the treads of my boots and a sheen of ice on the sleepers themselves meant I backed out of the challenge. The drier lower level safety of boulder hopping across was sought.

Sleeper bridge becomes even more decrepit

The track into the forest alongside the Shiel Rig Burn was just evident and heralded half an hour of ducking, diving and meandering. At one point a herd of deer were spooked by my approach, leaving their warmth and scent heavy in the air.

While the track was hemmed in by trees the chill had yet to make the ground firm, but once it widened out the snow and cold made the ground firmer and the potentially boggy patches could easily be passed.

Emerging from the trees, and faced with the snowy convex slope leading up to Shalloch on Minnoch, I was disappointed to discover that the previous half hour’s efforts had only taken me up to a little over 400m: there was at least another 350m to go. In addition, I was now conscious of a stiffening breeze cutting across the hillside.

Emerging from the forest beside the Shiel Rig Burn

The next hour can only be described as a debilitating trudge. The boggier patches were at least firm, if not yet totally frozen. Unfortunately the snow was insufficient to smooth out the tussocks and still not strong enough to prevent that strength-sapping soft snow plugging.

Now I don’t mind putting in the effort if a spectacular ridge or challenging pinnacles are to be reached, but with each step the skyline simply kept its distance. The only reward seemed to be yet another straight line, none of which could even masquerade as a false summit. When the angle did finally relent I just aimed for the highest point ahead and kept on trudging. The breeze had by now strengthened and the hiss of spindrift and ice particles scuttling across the featureless surface was an eerie soundtrack to the summit. It wasn’t until I turned round that I spotted the trig point, shelter and cairn dotted around the plateau a few hundred metres behind me.

Trig point and shelter on Shalloch on Minnoch

I’d originally planned to go over Tarfessock and on to Kirriereoch Hill but my motivation was significantly dented by the previous hour’s efforts. To put it simply, I was knackered. The Merrick had stayed under its blanket all morning and, like a teenager reluctant to emerge from its pit, Kirriereoch kept on pulling its own blanket over its head. After two successive Galloway trips ending in cloud-shrouded tops I wasn’t minded to make it three out of three.

Weather advancing from The Merrick towards Shalloch on Minnoch

Psychologically I was already halfway down: in no time at all I was plugging away in my own footprints on the way back to the forest.

Suffice to say Shalloch on Minnoch won’t feature high up my list of enjoyable days out, but next time I might try it from the hill road south of Stinchar Bridge. It’s always good to have an excuse to go back.

[The Rodmiester]

Hi 'old d' sounds like something similar to my last Graham in Glen Isla on the same day, HARD GOING in the tussocky snow etc . Another Blue Balloon on the map

[kevsbald]

That's a pity - it did look a bit grey. I enjoyed my walk of sorts but it's an odd hill.

[rockhopper]

ah well - at least you got out and about which is more than some of us - didn't look that bad in the photos either - cheers

[gedme]

Sounded like a hard day and that bridge did look dodgy good photos though and hope next time you do this it will be more rewarding.

[juhso]

In slightly different weather conditions to old danesian I got myself up Shalloch on Minnoch yesterday.
I think its just one of those hills that doesn't give itself away lightly!
Burns very high after recent rain and the bridge just has the iron beams - it looked very boggy up that route anyway so took the west side of the burn and found myself waist high in fern, knee deep in bog or getting attacked by clegs. Things didn't improve on the hill with giant tussocks to deal with and the odd hole cunningly disguised.
A cold wind sprung up and a bit of low cloud but great views. Returned via the high route using Ailsa Craig has my guide which took me to the road about two miles from the car. Never so glad to be on tarmac. I reckon the best way is from Stinchar bridge