Gana & Hods............a couple of Hills

[PeteR]

I thought I might do a quick report on my day recently on these two hills.

Firstly there was Gana Hill. An easy hill in the southern Lowthers range. One that should offer no real problems, but one which had stubbornly remained a red balloon on my Donald map for too long

And then there was Hods Hill. A sub 2000 Marilyn accessible from the same minor road as Gana (well for the route I eventually took anyway)……..and only having one report on WH (and that done at night with photos I’ve not been able to access). So I thought I’d double the reports attached to it

But let’s start with Gana. I’d first set off to conquer this hill as part of a long day ticking off the 7 Donalds and a few additional Donald Tops of the Daer Reservoir circuit from Kirkhope Cleuch in October 2015. Not a bad day, but as memory serves it was a bit of a boggy affair and so I managed only the Donalds of Comb Law, Ballencleuch Law, Scaw’d Law and Wedder Law and the Donald Top of Roger Law, before ditching the last three Donalds on the Circuit.

P1230627 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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My second attempt was to be the three of Queensberry, Earncraig Hill and Gana Hill, but from Mitchellslacks this time. This ultimately doomed attempt took place in June 2016. MrsR was on her holidays with her sisters and I had had big plans. Oh yes, many hill were going to be climbed in the 2½ weeks they were away. In the end none did get climbed by me. I’d parked up at the start of the walk at Mitchellslacks and set off passing the Law. Then, at a sheep pen I left the track for open hillside and soon discovered the ground was boggy, clumpy and generally slow going. After a short moment of reflection I concluded my heart really wasn’t in it……..so I turned round and headed home defeated.

Third time lucky perhaps

This was to be from yet another starting position. A small parking area on the minor road out of Beattock just before Kinnelhead farm. This walk took place in August 2016. I managed Queensberry and Earncraig Hill ok, but by then the weather looked set to turn (for the worst) and so Gana got left behind……..again. It was probably a good call on my part, as by the time I returned to the car it looked like the four horsemen on the apocalypse were galloping over Queensberry. Had I gone for Gana I’d likely have felt their full force on my return back over Earncraig Hill.

P1300121 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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And so Gana remained…….a stubborn red balloon in a sea of blue. This was clearly a situation that needed sorting. Whether it was down to past failures or not I don’t know, but I lacked the gumption to return even though that red balloon jumped out at me every time I viewed my Donald map. But eventually I knew it would need to be done and for my fourth, and yes my final attempt, the date was 17 December 2016. I returned to Kirkhope Cleuch and the boggy wet parking area. With my focus solely on Gana Hill I simply could not fail this time.

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P1330204 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

My approach was a simple one. Follow the tarmac road alongside the Daer reservoir to the point it terminated at Kirkhope and became a landrover track. Then remain on this as it skirted Little Hill. I then remained on the track until it arrived at the foot of Haggy Hill, a small lump in front of Gana Hill. This was where I left the track, which itself continued on a fairly steep rise up Shiel Rig and on to Wedder Law.

P1330206 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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I though was to climb Haggy Hill on my way to conquer Gana Hill. A boggy, heathery affair that was thankfully aided by a wet ATV track. Made the going much easier.

P1330222 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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From Haggy Hill the route up on to Gana was straightforward. My arrival at the summit though was to be greeted by the arrival from the other side of the hill by………………..clag. So, after all this time and four ******* attempts my efforts were seemingly to be rewarded with precious little views. Typical

P1330228 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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Thankfully I did hang about for a while on the top and views did come and go, so it wasn’t all bad. I believe the cairn doesn’t mark the actual summit, which is unmarked somewhere over the other side of the ugly hill track which skirts nearby. I had a wander over and am satisfied I covered enough blades of grass in the general summit vicinity to be able to claim the summit

P1330249 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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Rather than return directly the route I had climbed the hill I decided to drop down toward Gana Shank, but quickly dropped down Crow Craig, following the ATV track down off this ridge to a gate the other side of Crow Burn and then over the Gana Burn and through a large sheepfold back onto the track to Kirkhope Cleuch. I got offered a lift on a quad bike by a local estate worker, but as with all such kind offers I refused

P1330265 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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Once back at the car it was then a matter of a short drive to the Daer dam and a quick jaunt up Hods Hill.

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

P1330279 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

I must admit that I was looking forward to this little hill. I’m not sure why and I can happily report it didn’t let me down. There is an issue with a wind farm right next to the hill spoiling the views somewhat toward the rest of the Lowthers, the Culter hills and some of the hills around Moffat way. But the views toward the Daer reservoir and the hills in that loop are superb. The other views are still super….just spoiled in my opinion.

The walk itself is very easy. It does though share a common theme with many a Scottish hill…..it’s boggy. From the dam I made my way through the very helpful “human door” through the gate – a bit like the sort of gate you find for dogs sometimes, just bigger. It was then across the dam to the more conventional gate at the far end. An immediate left turn back toward the waterworks and then almost immediately picking up the Southern Upland Way marker on my right. From now on it was an easy boggy walk to the summit following the waymarked boggy route.

P1330283 by Pete Riedel, on Flickr

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I actually almost missed the summit itself, which lies just away from the Southern Upland Way. At a three way junction of the fences/walls the summit is slightly off to the left. I only went there, as I wanted to get the full view of the awfulness of the wind turbines. It was only when I got home I discovered just how close I’d been to missing the summit itself on the day.

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The return was back the way I had come, so nice and easy again……and boggy.

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I was sure glad to have finally bagged Gana Hill at last and the added bonus of a sub 2000 quickie on the same day was not to be sniffed at either

[rockhopper]

Turned out nicely, Pete - glad to see you had a successful fourth attempt The bonus 2k didn't occur to me when down here though - maybe your days/routes are more efficient - cheers