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Having had surgery to the back of my left hand on Tuesday I needed something with no "hands on" scrambling, somewhere not too far to drive to, in fact an easy weekend all round if I was going to get away into the hills. So why not choose Galloway - I could get the one Corbett remaining in the Borders area and some of these Donald hills too. Should be easy enough - well that was the plan anyway. Couldn't get away from work before 5 and set off for Glen Trool Campsite under heavy skies then rain. Never mind, I thought, the forecast told me it would stop by 6pm. Hmmm. Down through Girvan then the wee roads to Barrhill and beyond, managed to get the tent up before it was completely dark and before the heavens opened. Note - this campsite is really stony under the pitches, watch you don't damage your pegs. Otherwise it is really nice and welcoming. Rain thrummed down on the tent all night long.
Tent
P1040020 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Pretty campsite pond
P1040021 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Saturday morning and everything was wet. I was hoping we wouldn't have much in the way of river crossings today - ha! if only I'd known

Off quite late, waiting for the chance to get a hot shower without getting a rain shower. Arrived at the Bell Memorial carpark and got set off at around 10.30, conditions showery and the view to the hills suggesting clag might be the order of the day higher up. Good track to begin, reached the derelict Shalloch on Minnoch farmstead with curious cut outs in the bricked-up windows which looked like they might be used for shooting - we saw numerous bullet cases on the track up to the buildings. Started up along the Shalloch burn which was quite fast flowing - luckily didn't have to cross at the metal girders which would have tried my skills with one arm in a sling. kept on along the Shalloch burn a little too long and had to cross it and cut through the dense plantation of pines to the Shiel Rig burn. The path was boggy, moving in and out of the treeline and it was some relief when we got into open ground at about 450m and started up the grassy back of Shalloch itself. There was lots of weather around - bright sun to the north, a rainbow to our left and a chill breeze blowing us up the hill. As we made it to the cairn, hailstones started pelting against our waterproofs, stinging like a swarm of hornets. Hid in the shelter by the cairn for lunch and sanctuary.
View from carpark
P1040022 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1040024 by
23weasels, on Flickr
We didn't cross here
P1040025 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Following the Shalloch burn
P1040026 by
23weasels, on Flickr
We did cross here
P1040027 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Nice clear easy paths...
P1040028 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Eventually out of the treeline
P1040030 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Mixed weather
P1040031 by
23weasels, on Flickr
View to Tarfessock
P1040033 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Summit, Shalloch on Minnoch
P1040034 by
23weasels, on Flickr
After the hail I felt really cold, my injured hand in its poly bag to keep dry was seriously chilly and fortunately I managed to ease a Dachstein mitt over the bandage. Ahhh warmth

We pressed on to Tarfessock enjoying the views to the lochs over to the east. Onwards to Kirriereoch Hill, which looked steep in its final approach but was easy enough even with only 1 working hand. Allison was struggling by this point, not feeling great. We looked over to the Merrick - which I'd done but she hadn't - and she was for giving it a bye and heading back to the car. Looking to the west I noted that the weather was about to improve and reckoned that we should just go for it - we could be there and back in an hour and I knew she'd thank me when it came to ticking her hills off on Sunday night. To her credit she didn't moan that much as we set off down to Red Glen, past Fang of the Merrick and toward Little Spear. We spotted an orange apparition - well it would be hard to miss this one - coming towards us. "Some nutter in shorts" I commented - who does it turn out to be but Mr Kiltedbiggles in person. Had a good blether - he was down with some other WH's and planned to be at our campsite later that night, having sampled the hospitality of Newton Stewart first. As it happened we didn't see them at the campsite, so I'm assuming the pull of Newton Stewart proved too strong. We bundled up Little Spear and onto the Merrick itself - still in clag but beginning to clear as we descended and headed back up to Kirriereoch, with blue skies and sunshine now the order of the day.
View back to Shalloch
P1040036 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Lochs to the East
P1040037 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Top, Tarfessock
P1040039 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Kirriereoch
P1040040 by
23weasels, on Flickr
View back to Tarfessock & Shalloch
P1040042 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Kirriereoch
P1040043 by
23weasels, on Flickr
weather
P1040045 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Leaving summit Kirriereoch
P1040047 by
23weasels, on Flickr
View to the Merrick
P1040048 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Solway Firth
P1040050 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Orange dot and Little Spear
P1040051 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Imagine meeting this out on the hills!
P1040052 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Loch Enoch
P1040055 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Top, Merrick
P1040056 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Protective arm bag
P1040059 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Kirriereoch and descent route
P1040060 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Little Spear/Merrick
P1040061 by
23weasels, on Flickr
A pleasant walk down the back of Kirriereoch followed, keeping to the line of an old wall. We came to Cross Burn, which we had to cross, naturally - fortunately only knee height and with a line of fence wire to hold onto. Squelching on across more boggy terrain, it seemed we still had a fair way to go and it was now after 6pm. Glorious sunset and the rising of a waxing moon helped keep us from wearying and a good track underfoot made progress quicker. Even if it got dark we had headtorches and the moonlight would see us home anyway. That was until we came to the Water of Minnoch which we were going to have to cross. The map says "ford" and although there's evidence of the foundation of an old bridge on one side, there ain't no ford. I crossed the deep, swift flowing water, which came up to my groin. Allison was uneasy about following me and searched up and down the bank for an easier place. There wasn't one- anywhere the river was narrower the current was substantially stronger. I crossed over to half way and bullied her a bit to get on with it, which she finally did. Did leave me a little shaken however, as if crossing hadn't been possible we were stuck out in the wilds in what was going to be darkness very shortly, though I guess we could have headed north to the derelict farmstead and crossed over somewhere there. After the river we were onto proper road and it was a mere 3km back to the car park. Bats flitted round our heads in the twilight and it was some relief to get inside the Yeti, put on the heated seats and fire up the headlights to drive back down the 10 miles or so to the campsite. A warming curry was most welcome in the tent as we slowly dried out and warmed up. Not the easy day I'd been expecting!
Merrick
P1040064 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Descent
P1040066 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1040067 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Cross burn
P1040068 by
23weasels, on Flickr
View back to descent route
P1040071 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Baby trees
P1040073 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Evening sky
P1040074 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Moonrise
P1040075 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Our last obstacle - the Minnoch Water
P1040076 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Lowlying mist
P1040077 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Stats
P1040078 by
23weasels, on Flickr
As for Sunday, I'd no real idea what we'd do. Planned to drive up to Bruce's Stone and do some hills near there - maybe a circuit from Curleywee to Larg Hill, or perhaps Milfore. We gathered up the tent and set off up into Glentrool park with an open mind. At the carpark I decided we'd make for Curleywee and see how it went. Weather looked changeable, but better than forecast (heavy rain promised all day) so we set off through pleasant oak woods down to Buchan Bridge and the cycleway past Glenhead, heading for Loch Dee. Rushing, cascading waterfalls plunged down the hillsides. Met a couple of guys from Stranraer, one of whom had climbed every hill in Galloway, and who were able to give some helpful suggestions about our route. Onto newly made track up into the Knowe of White Laggan then off the path and into tussocky grass to begin the climb up White Hill. Seemed to take ages to get any elevation - we both felt tired today. As we gained height the wind picked up in strength, flattening the grass stems and blowing little birds out of the sky. We could see the ridge taking in Curleywee, then onto Bennanbrack and Lamachan Hill. Looking back we could see the Merrick rising from dun coloured surrounds, finally shedding its cap of cloud.
Setting out
P1040079 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1040082 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1040083 by
23weasels, on Flickr
White Hill
P1040084 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Loch Dee
P1040086 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Up White Hill
P1040088 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Curleywee to Bennanbrack
P1040090 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Curleywee
P1040095 by
23weasels, on Flickr
View to the Merrick
P1040096 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Up the north side of Curleywee was easy enough and we looked over to the Solway Firth from the top. I'd decided tht we'd go on to Lamachan Hill but forgo Larg Hill to enable us to get home at a reasonable time. Coming down the other side of Curleywee we encountered Galloway's own version of the Great Stone Shoot

Then onwards to Bennanbrack before the flat expanse leading to the top of Lamachan - this was more suitable terrain for me and my injured limb. Plodded to the top, then set about descending to the north, down over the Brishies to reach the track we'd ascended from. The last section of this was very steep and involved plunging through shoulder high ferns with little idea if one's feet were on solid ground underneath - not what I wanted in case I fell and burst my stitches. Managed to be careful enough to get back to the cycletrack without mishap and trotted back to the car before the heavens opened once again. So much for an easy weekend, thinks me on return from a rather more exciting time than envisaged.
Summit Curleywee - Solway Firth
P1040097 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Looking to Bennanbrack & Lamachan Hill
P1040098 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Scree run off Curleywee
P1040100 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Summit Lamachan
P1040105 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Another view to the Merrick
P1040107 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Descent route
P1040108 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1040109 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Steep descent through ferns
P1040111 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Bruce's Stone
P1040112 by
23weasels, on Flickr
P1040114 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Stats
P1040115 by
23weasels, on Flickr