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A fine day on Lamachan Hill

A fine day on Lamachan Hill


Postby desmondo1 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:21 pm

Fionas included on this walk: Lamachan Hill

Donalds included on this walk: Lamachan Hill

Date walked: 24/02/2018

Time taken: 5.34 hours

Distance: 13.2 km

Ascent: 758m

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Back on home turf and out with ADRC today but ironically after my five D & G hills this week I was back in D & G for more fun. Another glorious blue sky day was forecast albeit with the possibility of high and very cold winds up top. Our target the Graham/Donald of Lamachan Hill 717m, from Glentrool.
Fence climbing.jpg

Fence walking
Parked at Caldons burn area and headed up the opening track. Quickly the old route had disappeared as the area has been deforested. We had to clamber along a narrow, boggy and tree debris littered route clinging to the fence at times, really not good enough for a national forest park looking to encourage visitors.
One for the raptor.jpg

Raptor tree
We then had to walk along a new forest track before veering off and started climbing a bracken rocky area, no more ‘easy’ walking. Within the ugly deforestation debris there is always that lone one left standing allegedly for the raptors but I rarely see one being used.
Getting steeper.jpg

Getting steeper
The gradient was more or less continuous until the summit of Lamachan.
As we climbed towards Mulldonoch the route twisted and turned so there were plenty of opportunities to look back and take in the great views of the Galloway hills, Merrick, Mullwharcher, Corserine etc. Looking down Loch Trool looked dark and imposing.
Gentle scrambling.jpg

Gentle scrambling
At one point when we looked down we could see an old remote and isolated farm building at Glenhead and one of the group mentioned that his grandmother was brought up there, also related some amusing anecdotes but what a hard life it must have been.
The big stone.jpg

The big stane
The winds were picking up, getting much colder but not as bad as feared. Loch Doon now in view on my left looking much larger than I remembered from a few years ago when I fished it.
Lamachan plateau up there.jpg

Just one more top to go
We had a quick lunch in the shelter of the rocks on top of Mulldonoch 562m.
From Mulldonoch the top of the patchwork snow clad Lamachan still looked a fair bit away. Most of the climbing had been done but from Mulldonoch we dropped about 50 metres before making the steeper ascent of Cambrick Hill then the plateau to Lamachan cairn.
Sunlit snow patches.jpg

Sunlit snow patches
However, overall the ascent was now straightforward. Walking at group pace it was slowish at times, I think the bigger hill was catching a few out, but there you go.
Snow on Merrick.jpg

Snow topped Merrick
When we reached the top and the small stone cairn the photo shoot was short and we were glad to head downwards with the biting wind now at our back.
The descent.jpg

Descending Craignaw on left
The descent was via the Caldons Burn, a mostly untracked descent although faint paths appeared and just as quickly disappeared. Craignaw was in our sights as we descended, If I had been on a solo trip I would probably have ticked this one off as well.
Crossing Caldons burn.jpg

Crossing Caldons burn
An interesting descent. There was a lot of criss crossing of the Caldons burn, the stone dyke, ice patches, many boggy sections and some good views, all combined kept the mind concentrated. The odd small but noisy waterfall to enjoy.
Eventually we all survived intact, well some muddy backsides, and reached base. A good walk in excellent company helped the day pass quickly and the weather was better than expected, a real bonus.
desmondo1
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 207
Munros:107   Corbetts:100
Fionas:95   Donalds:89+38
Sub 2000:161   Hewitts:1
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Joined: Nov 6, 2012

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