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Frustrated I checked the weather forecast on Friday evening. Will the sun ever shine again during a weekend?
Checking the weather more closely, I realized that further down south the weather was actually rather promising.
With a glass of wine surrounded by maps and trip reports I started to look into Galloway. Driving south to climb mountains was rather alien to me and to be honest, I had never fancied it, but the pictures I saw intrigued me.
Half a bottle of wine later my plan was set for Sunday. I would climb a Corbett, throw in a Graham for good measures and go for a swim in the amazing looking Loch Enoch.
I felt that I had all the time in the world when I set off at 10 am on Sunday. Driving through Galloway I was amazed how lovely the area is. Why on earth had no one told me about this pretty place? I passed picturesque villages, green fields, small hills and endless sheep and cows- very much what Ayrshire is about, until it was topped with the single track road through the Galloway Forest Park. 2 hours later I arrived at the car park and in glorious weather I set off – what a difference to the drizzle and overcast sky I had set off in a couple of hours earlier.
Merrick in the distance
The path was great and I stopped often to take photos and enjoy the countryside. Within the first half an hour a lovely bothy came into view, which simply was picture perfect. Not so much when I looked inside and saw a pile of rubbish on one corner and otherwise bare stone walls. I stepped outside again and continued along the path, which lead me through a forest and one passed to open hill side.
The bothy
Not so pretty inside
Further up looking back
The big bulk of Merrick
The sun was incredibly hot and I was sweating buckets. I passed a few people and the higher I walked the better the views got. 2 hours after setting off I arrived at Merricks cairn. Two women who I had overtaken lower down appeared a while after and having my lunch we chatted for a while.
Summit cairn
Towards Mullwharchar
Towards the north
Keen to move on and said my good byes and moved to the east to find a route down towards Loch Enoch. The loch was even more stunning that the pictures I had seen Graham which rose up from its northern side, was rather cute looking. I started the decent and took lots of photos. I particular loved Craignaw, a fine granite mountain ,which reminded me so much about mountains in the far north.
I did not expect those views in the south
Loch Enoch, Craignaw to the right and Mullwharchar to the left
With too much time in hand
Better just sitting down
Zigzagging my way down Merrick , I was so glad that I had decided to do the round, as this was far more stunning than the climb up the tourist path had been. When I reached the bottom, I filled up my water bottle in the wee burn and started the climb up Mullwharchar.
Mullwharchar
Loch Enoch
Feral goats on Mullwharchar
It was easy and I did not took long at all to reach the summit. Looking around the views were amazing for such a small hill (if you consider nearly 700m small) , but what it lacked in height it made up in views. I lingered for a while to see if I could see the goats I had spotted before, but had to give up when I realized that I better get going , if I wanted to go for a swim. I reached one of the many sandy ‘beaches a short while after and unpacked my swimming gear. I love swimming outdoors and when I stepped in the water I was surprised how warm it felt.
At the top of Mullwharchar
Views north
Back towards Merrick
Summit Panorama
Time to go for a swim
Sandy beach
Enjoying the water
There is not much else what can top a swim on a hot day and I started swimming towards the tiny islands. Away from the shallow edge, I could feel the cold water rising from the bottom, which looked black and eerie below me. Once in a while I felt grass brush against my legs and I tried not to think what else might lurked in the depths.
I reached one of the wee islands and pulled myself out of the water and stood up, wondering how many, if any, had ever set foot on it. Sitting down I looked around me. Merrick to the west, Mullwharchar to the north and Dungeon Hill to the east. The sun was still very warm and I thought who needs a holiday when you can have all of this to yourself.
Mullwharchar in the distance
I continued my swim until at nearly 6 pm, I realized that I better get going. I packed my gear, got dressed and walked along the side of the loch. A very faith appeared once in a while and by the time I reached the fence and stone wall I was sure that I was on the right way. Which of course I wasn't
The path not to take
I continued along the hardly there path and was wondering how this could be the other official route.
I moved along until I reached the edge of the forest. Wasn’t there supposed to be another loch and where on earth was the path? I looked around vaguely remembering a path through a forest from the evening I had looked at the maps. I dug my GPS out and checked my location. The wee path was only a few minutes away, so I had been right so far. I continued and stepped over a fallen down gate and saw a rather unused path leading towards the forest.
The entrance into the forest
Yes there is some kind of path
Even pretty in places
Where was I again?
The path at first was not too bad and lead through the forest, but by the time I reached a burn I took a wrong turn. High grass and a path which appeared , only to disappear again was what I had to follow along a pretty burn. I stopped seeing the funny side of it when I had to crawl on hands and knees into the dense forest because of a landslide. I stood up but the forest was so thick that my arms and legs got scratched by branches When I passed the landslide I stepped into the opening again, I was clearly lost! Moving along the burn I stepped into deep bog hole and was not able to pull out my leg. It felt as someone was holding on to it and only by sitting down and pulling at my leg I was able to free myself.
Later on I realized that a far better path was close to me, but the map I had did not show it
I simply could only walk on and hope that this nightmare would end of at some point.
Finally after what felt like hours I saw the start (or end) of an official looking path. I crossed the wee burn one last time and stepped onto it. From that time it was easy going again and needless to say I was beyond happiness when I saw the wee bothy again and realized that I was close to the car. At 8:30pm I finally reached my car, scratched to bits, with dried blood and mud covering my legs and starving but what a day it had been . Galloway I will be back!
