No Buchan Way to Broughton Heights

[ngm1scot]

This was our first official walk of the new year. Broughton heights is a stunning range of hills when seen from the distance but we didnt get that chance today: as we arrived in Broughton from Biggar, the hills were topped with a thick cloudy stuff that was probably cloud.

Turning Left off the B7016 from Biggar, it was a very few short yards before the turn off to Broughton Place and the short drive up the estate road to the walkers' car park which was well signposted. We quickly got booted up and set off up the JBW (John Buchan Way). We were in no time down the other side of the slope and crossing the stream and back uphill again.

Once past the stream, heading up the JBW

Today the first part of the walk was good with firm ground underfoot but shortly after heading round the corner, encountered muddy, wet ground that was character building to say the least. Deeply rutted in places, for a long distance footpath, its condition was appalling. Yes, it is winter but the ground has not been (apparently) managed to prevent the erosion that was surely heading towards destruction. Anyway, rant over.

We headed on uphill, taking appropriate detours through the heather to avoid the worst bits of mud and had a brief rest where the JBW headed North East-ish and our little track headed uphill towards the fence.

At the junction where we turned left (west-ish) - our path straight ahead

I had begun to wonder which side of the fence would be the more sensible one but as we approached the fence and stile, it was too obvious for words - a clear path on the far side of the fence. Onwards and upwards. The slope is a bit more steep but nothing difficult.

Crossing the stile to the path up the heights

Broughton Heights under cloud

Soon after starting uphill, the cloud set in and such view as there was disappeared.

Walking through the clag by the endless fenceline

There is no danger of getting lost here as the fencline is solid and continuous for the whole route to the trig point. Its a pleasant and not in any way strenuous up and down walk across the top of the range of hills, and on a day without cloud would be amazing.

Happy Trig Pic

Beyond the trig and into the glaur

On the planner, the route comes out as just over 4km but on the ground my Endomondo tracker makes the route 4.86km from start to the trig.

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[snowgoose]

Nice photos, notwithstanding the cloud. I was thereabouts too today - and thanks to John for his directions to Trahenna Hill, which I think I reached - but who knows? - couldn't be sure due to low cloud, hence the absence of pics (there's nothing to see here, folks). I followed a vehicle track parallel to a fence as far as another fence on the other side of the first one, and set at right-angles to it and as far as I could make out from the map, the summit of Trahenna must have been on the other side of the fence I was following, but as I couldn't see anything for cloud, I just turned back rather than go further into more cloud. Can anyone put me on the right track here (so to speak ) - is the summit over the fence that runs along (I presume) the ridge?