This annoyed me, as I had hoped to pitch somewhere that had facilities nearby for Allison if she wasn't walking - the centre of Moffat would have been fine. With no very clear idea where to go instead, I drove off to get the hill in - parked at a large layby with a tourist board and set off - Allison left behind to have a wee wander on her own. The route takes you along the norhten side of the Devil's Beef Tub, starting at almost 400m elevation. It's a pleasant walk, following the fence line, with one or two undulations. Fortunately the recent sunny weather has tamed the bogs along this route. Up ahead Hart Fell had its head in the clouds, but it was a fine sunny day, teeshirt weather. I made good time along to the somewhat boggy top of Whitehope Heights, crossed the large stile to the cairn and enjoyed the view before following my trail back to the car, some of it at a jog - well the downhill sections anyway.
Start of the walk

Beef Tub

Over to Great Hill

Whitehope Heights

Summit, looking to Hart Fell


View back along the ascent route

Wintercleuch Windfarm


We drove the few miles back to Moffat and contemplated our options. I wondered about wild camping somewhere along the Moffat Water and we stopped in the town to mull it over. Google provided an alternative - Moffat Manor Holiday Park in Beattock...a phone call confirmed they would take tents and we were off to Beattock. Not quite possessing the same facilities as Moffat for a wander about but it beats the side of the road. We received a friendly welcome, charged a modest £24 for 2 nights and set up tent. One disadvantage of this site was that the inhabitants seem to like making an undue amount of noise - much of it directed at their unruly small dogs (mostly Jack Russells).

Saturday arrived - again it was overcast rather than the glorious sunshine I'd been expecting. I drove off up to Capplegill where I'd decided to start the walk from - I couldn't see the point of driving all the way round to Ettrick and then on the smaller road to Potburn. I remembered setting off from here when we climber Hart Fell and White Coomb a couple of winters ago - parking beside Blackhope Cottage and having a hex put on me by the irate inhabitants that resulted in me losing 2 cameras and crashing my car in the next month and was only lifted with supplication and a £25 garden centre voucher

The route took me past the radio masts by Bodesbeck Farm and up a track by the Bodesbeck Burn (does "beck" not mean the same as "burn"?) . I left the track near the top and headed steeply up Fauldside Hill - from this point on the walk is a pleasant wander over grass/short heather following fences or sometimes walls. I passed White Shank then Smidhope and cold see 2 figures approaching - turned out to be Martin B and Karen. They'd started from the fishery at Selcoth and were going round the opposite direction from me - we would meet again near Ettrick Pen. I continued up to the summit of Capel Fell, which marked my 50th Graham - woohoo

Track up from Capplegill

Hart Fell/Saddle Yoke

Along to Capel Fell

50th Graham

Descent from capel Fell to SUW

I now got a bit confused about where I was going - I could probably have made this section a bit shorter by re-routing, but I stuck to the SE fence line until I met the Southern Upland Way then followed this SW along a narrow gully. I could see the steep nose of Croft Head ahead of me and walked towards this on a rocky, eroded path. Crossing a dinky wooden bridge of the sort that always harbours trolls beneath, Croft head was now directly in front of me - I could see a path zigzagging up. It did look steep however. I got to the base, where there's a large sheepfold, then set off up the beast. Reaching the top I stopped for an early lunch and contemplated the equally steep-if-not-steeper ascent to West Knowe. A pair of raven flew overhead chuntering away - when I looked up I saw they were mobbing a golden eagle which continued to soar and spiral upwards after the coal black ravens had flown off. A nice wee extra.

Along to Croft Head

Billy Goats Gruff Bridge


Croft Head

Capel Fell - its rough side

Croft Head summit

Steep ascent up the treeline awaits

I humphed down the steep heather on the side of Croft Head, aiming for the corner of the fence line. Then it was a lung-bustin' upwards travail which was at least relatively brief. Gaining flatter ground I headed between West Knowe and Loch Fell, pausing at the trig point to survey the route ahead. A gentle descent led to Wind Fell, then in the far distance the final hill - Ettrick Pen. Nearing the final stretch I met Martin and Karen descending - they'd done Bodesbeck too, which got me thinking - but more of that later. I continued up to the large cairn, enjoying fab views in beautiful sunshine now.
Looking back on Croft Head from West Knowe

Loch Fell Trig

Towards Ettrick Pen

Ettrick Pen from Hopeton Craig

Summit EP

From here it was a descent of some 300m off to the west of Ettrick Pen and down to the roads by Over Phawhope. Lots of new roads being built here - forestry presumably. I crossed the river and walked along to Potburn where renovation work was bring done to the cottage there. I turned to the left just before the cottage and headed upwards again to join the track I'd come in on. I started to think that if I did Bodesbeck today - for an extra 150m ascent - I could considerably foreshorten tomorrow's walk. Why not


Descent into the trees


Bodesbeck Law


View across to Ettrick Pen

Summit to Saddle Yoke


Sunday dawned bright and sunny. Allison was still in a lot of pain and wasn't doing any hills today either. Pleased with my decision to do Bodesbeck yesterday that meant I could do a shorter circuit today, I drove to the Grey Mare's Tail car park and set out, leaving Allison to enjoy her book

Grey Mare's Car Park


Raking Gill

Herman Law

Summit

Trowgrain to Mid Rig

Andrewhinney


Andrewhinney Summit

Loch Skene from AW summit


Mid Rig from Bell Craig

Descent to the valley


It's only about 1pm and a fine day still. I decide to sneak another singleton in - Talla Cleuch Head is not far away and I know it is less than 5km with a tiny amount of ascent thanks to starting from the Meggat Stone at 400m. It's a pleasant drive up along St Mary's Loch then the windy single track road to Meggat Reservoir. There's a bikers' meet on at the Glen Cafe and lots of them on the road. I park up at the cattle grid and wonder if Allison might try this one - but no, and sensibly so. I nip up the well trodden path that leads to Broad Law, turn off along a deer fence and follow this to the (unmarked) summit. Then back along the same way, trying the north side of the deer fence to see if it's less boggy (it wasn't) and back to the car in exactly one hour.
Up Fans Law

View back along the Meggat Water

Talla Cleuch Head

Talla Linnfoots


Talla Reservoir

Towards Mathieside cairn


So 11 Donalds done, reducing my remaining number to 19 - my hope had been to complete them by Easter - although that won't happen now, it might not be too long thereafter. Some brilliant weather this weekend - makes a big difference to the day out.