free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Date: Saturday 11 October 2014
Time taken: 11hrs 30mins (incl stops 1hr 25mins)
Distance: 42km approx
Ascent: 1,950m approx
Attendees: me
Plan for the day was to head down to Moffat then up to the Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfalls car park for the loop with White Coomb – then on to the Megget Reservoir for Broad Law plus others depending on how things went.
Arrived at the Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfalls car park and set off without needing a head torch. Very misty but the Met office said it would be sunny most of the day (didn’t quite turn out that way).
MorningC/D/ND : White Coombe
D/ND : Lochcraig Head, Molls Cleuch Dod
Stayed fairly misty most of the way up to Loch Skeen so couldn’t see the waterfalls.
Loch Skeen
Lost the track at this point but managed to find it again – on towards Lochcraig Head
Could see what looked like a sheep in the distance. Closer up turned out to be a wild goat – very friendly and hung around to let me get his photo
A little boggy in places – not unexpected given the amount of recent rain
A little detour to get to the top of Lochcraig Head – in the clag now and not much to see. Turned round and headed SW.
Slightly clearer view towards Loch Skeen
At Firthybrig Head, turn to the NW and follow the dry stone dyke up to Molls Cleuch Dod
Wandered over to another wee cairn
Then back to Firthybrig Head and SW towards Firthhope Rig – mist reappeared and saw little for some time.
Turn left over the style and follow the fence
ESE to White Coomb with a little detour away from the fence to find the cairn
Then back down past Loch Skeen in the distance
One of the locals
Mist looked like smoke
A bit of a problem on meeting the Tail Burn above the waterfalls. Couldn’t find a way across so had to head quite a bit upstream to find a suitable point.
Then back down the ascent path
Back to the car and drove up to the Megget Reservoir. Had hoped to get parked beside the Megget Stone but it was too busy so drove on a bit further to a wee car park at NT143201. Had some lunch before setting off.
AfternoonC/D/ND : Broad Law
D/ND : Talla Cleuch Head, Cramalt Craig, Dollar Law, Greenside Law
Straight up northwards from the car park to the west of Fans Law and skirted to the south of Cairn Law.
Looking back
On towards Talla Cleuch Head (not named on OS 1:50,000)
Down to Tall Linnfoots (Garelet Hill to the right)
Talla Reservoir
Didn’t take long to get to the top of Talla Cleuch Head – then turned back to head towards Cairn Law
Skirted to the west of Cairn Law then northwards to Broad Law
Weather was still holding up but not as sunny as it was supposed to be
Broad Law summit trig
Air traffic beacon (VOR)
Surrounding hills
On my own at the summit so no-one around to hear me – took out my hip flask to toast the memory of a work colleague
Then off towards the radio mast
And NE towards Cramalt Craig
Now about 1445hrs – decision time, ie whether to return SW to the car or via the New Donald, (Clockmore), or push on towards Dollar Law (which would mean a lengthy walk back on the road). Opted for the latter and headed towards Dollar Law.
Fifescar Knowe in the distance with Dollar Law beyond
Down to the reservoir
Plenty of fences to follow
Looking back to Broad Law – weather starting to close in
Up towards the summit
The rain started then got a lot heavier just after I arrived at the summit. Put the camera away and put on the waterproofs. Little visibility as the clag rolled in along with the wind and rain so followed the fence back down to Fifescar Knowe.
Further down the weather cleared up and the rain stopped
Decided to detour via Greenside Law rather than more directly down to the Cramalt Burn
Didn’t take long to get to the top – couldn’t find a cairn. Then back down to the south of Water Head and south towards Rig Head. This part was hard going as the heather and grass were long and springy with the undulating ground underneath – past some grouse butts.
Then down towards Cramalt Burn (looking back up to Dun Law)
Got to the road beside the burn and walked back down to the main road at Cramalt. Then had the long walk back beside the reservoir to the car. Normally I’d have left a bike at Cramalt but didn’t this time as I wasn’t sure where I’d end up. Very quiet road with no traffic whatsoever all the way back to the car so no chance of a lift.
Nice evening for a walk
Back to the car as darkness descended – got changed for the drive back home and dinner.
