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Cairnsgarroch (Rhinns of Kells) by a seldom walked route.

Cairnsgarroch (Rhinns of Kells) by a seldom walked route.


Postby Robertgee » Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:19 pm

Donalds included on this walk: Cairnsgarroch

Date walked: 21/01/2017

Time taken: 8 hours

Distance: 21.7 km

Ascent: 570m

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Back in May 2006 I walked the Rhinns of Kells as part of the Newton Stewart walking festival. We started at Garryhorn & followed the main ridge to Meikle Millyea, then descended to Forrest Lodge to get our transport back to Newton Stewart. A fabulous day out on the hills, & a great way to walk this entire hill range. :clap:

There were a couple of problems though, the walk didn't include the outlying hill of Cairnsgarroch, which is one of the Donalds. As I'm now hoping to climb all of these hills, it meant a return to the area to climb this hill. The other small issue for me was missing the highest point of Meikle Millyea. Though this was only a short walk from the main cairn & trig point, I never went there. So that's another reason for me to return sometime in the future. Not that I'm complaining, the Galloway Hills are remote, wild & some great walking, if you don't mind the very rugged & tough terrain over much of the area. With few paths, & often never meeting anyone else, it's a real wilderness experience, a great place to escape to. :D

For this walk I decided to climb Cairnsgarroch, but I didn't really want to climb up from Garryhorn repeating part of the walk already done previously. The return route, back to Garryhorn, also sounded pretty hard going, if some of the other walk reports are anything to go by. So for my trip I was looking for an easy, not too strenuous way to get to the top. I decided to start at Polmaddy in Castlemaddy Forest, & approach the hill from the east. I knew it was going to be a long day, having a four mile walk to reach the foot of the hill, before beginning the climb proper.

I set off at 8 am, which was just starting to get light. The forecast was for a beautiful calm sunny day, with a touch of frost, & temperatures not getting much above zero. Soon the sun came up & it remained so for most of the day. Perfect for a good walk. :clap:

09-Sunrise over Castlemaddy Forest.jpg
Sunrise

22-Valley of the Polmaddy Burn and Cairnsgarroch.jpg
Valley of the Polmaddy Burn...Cairnsgarroch on the right

24-View back over Castlemaddy Forest from near Shiel of Castlemaddy.jpg
View back over the misty Castlemaddy Forest

27-Cairnsgarroch.jpg
Cairnsgarroch near Shiel of Castlemaddy


Two hours later I reached the foot of the hill near Shiel of Castlemaddy. From here I'd to find a way off track through the trees & onto the open hill. From the map I found three possible forest rides, which I hoped would be walkable. I'd looked at Google maps when planning this, & from the satellite imaging, I could see that the second of these rides appeared to have a temporary timber extraction track running along it. The area here was all newly planted after clear felling. This track ran alongside the hill, then turned left up onto the open hillside. This looked to be clearly the best route, but I decided to take a short cut along the first forest ride. Again it started by going along the hillside, turning left to join up with the second of these forest rides. This started off pretty boggy, but improved after turning uphill.

28-Cairnsmore of Carsphairn.jpg
The boggy forest ride, with a nice view of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn to keep my spirits up

29-Start of climb up to the top of the forest.jpg
Start of the climb proper, for me, begins here


Soon I joined the old extraction track, which is no more than a path now, but made for very easy walking up to the top of the tree line.

33-Cairnsmore of Carsphairn.jpg
The old track, with a view of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

34-On the climb to the top of the forest.jpg
Top of the tree line


After this, the paths all disappeared, as I made my way up to the edge of more trees at the very top of the forest.

35-Carlin's Cairn.jpg
View to Carlin's Cairn

37-The very top of Castlemaddy Forest.jpg
Top of the forest. This is where the third of the forest rides joins my route


I next reached a fence running along the hill, leading slightly uphill. I followed this for a bit as there was a good path beside it. Eventually I'd to cross the fence & make my way over rough ground to reach the summit.

38-Cairnsgarroch.jpg
Cairnsgarroch from below the fence I followed

43-Over Craigchessie to Corserine and Carlin's Cairn.jpg
Almost at top. View to Corserine and Carlin's Cairn


The views from the summit were outstanding, seeing as far as the hills of Arran. :D

47-Merrick, Kirriereoch Hill and Meaul from Cairnsgarroch.jpg
Merrick, Kirriereoch Hill and Meaul

48-Corserine and Carlin's Cairn from Cairnsgarroch.jpg
Corserine and Carlin's Cairn

51-Bow and Coran of Portmark from Cairnsgarroch.jpg
Bow and Coran of Portmark

53-Over The Glenkens toward Nithsdale from Cairnsgarroch.jpg
View over the Glenkens

55-Cairnsmore of Carsphairn from Shepherds' Cairn.jpg
Cairnsmore of Carsphairn from Shepherds' Cairn


Had lunch here before starting the descent. To vary my return I headed south past Craigchessie, before re-entering the forest once more.

59-On the way down to Craigchessie.jpg
Starting Descent to Craigchessie

62-Craigchessie.jpg
Craigchessie

64-Castlemaddy Forest from Craigchessie.jpg
Castlemaddy Forest from Craigchessie

67-Goat Craigs from Craigchessie.jpg
Goat Craigs from Craigchessie

68-Looking back up alongside Castlemaddy Forest.jpg
Looking back up alongside the forest


I went through a break between trees on one side, & a clear felled area on the other. The felled area was fenced off, behind which there was a nice new path. A gate part way down alongside the fence, gave me access to this path, which took me to a forest road.

After another break for refreshments, the forest road took me all the way back to Polmaddy, by which time the sun was setting. I reached the car shortly after 4 pm, a long day, & a long walk...but it had been a brilliant day...so worthwhile & enjoyable. :D :clap:
77-Polmaddy Gairy with Corserine and Carlin's Cairn behind.jpg
Polmaddy Gairy with Corserine behind...a fine view for my break

84-Castlemaddy.jpg
The abandoned farm of Castlemaddy...I past this on way back to the car park


2017-01-21 @ 08-04-18.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Robertgee
Walker
 
Posts: 81
Munros:104   Corbetts:39
Fionas:32   Donalds:89
Sub 2000:147   Hewitts:36
Wainwrights:38   Islands:60
Joined: Dec 5, 2015

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