Cold Moss and Hods Hill

[McMole]

It had been a couple of months since I'd ticked off a Donald Top or turned one of the red ballons on the WH hill maps blue: today I achieved both. Jaywizz hadn't managed out for a month and had also been longing to add to her collection of blue balloons. Could we find a walk that would satisfy both of us? We could. Jaywizz had the Marilyn of Well Hill in the Southern Lowthers in her sights. I'd climbed that last year so I encouraged her to park in a layby on the A702 that allowed me to head north to the Donald Top of Cold Moss as she tackled the steeper slopes to the south.

Cold Moss - 5.6km, 340m, 2hr

I crossed the valley and did a rising traverse to the northwest to head for the col below Comb Head. As I did so I turned and took a photo of Jaywizz part-way up her ascent.

Looking back at Jaywizz on her walk and her car in the layby on the A702, She's a cluster of half a dozen dark pixels approaching the patch of snow by the wall.

Zooming in on Jaywizz

Once at the col I crossed a fence to join the Southern Upland Way. There was a cold breeze blowing and 100% cloud cover. The higher summits were in it, but our objectives were just below that level. That meant that with my camera at maximum zoom I could see Jaywizz over 2km away and half-way to her summit.

Well Hill from the SUW part of the way up Comb Head

Zooming in on Jaywizz - near top left by the fence

Part of previous photo at full resolution showing Jaywizz approaching 550m

As I climbed above 600m I did enter the cloud, but it rose shortly after I reached the Cold Moss summit. I stopped there for a snack in the 'shelter' of the SUW marker post which, whether intentionally or not, either marks the summit (NS 89893 09442) or is within a few metres of it.

The Cold Moss summit and the SUW waymark post

There was a strong cold breeze blowing so I was glad I'd come well clad in full winter kit. The radar and various mobile phone and radio antennae on the main Lowther Hills ridge were partially visible in the cloud.

The radar station on Lowther Hill

I could see Well hIll in the distance with cloud-capped Ballencleuch Law and Scaw'd Law behind it.

Ballencleuch Law and Scaw'd Law in the clouds beyond Well Hill

As I descended from Comb Head I could see Jaywizz also returning and we arrived at the A702 almost simultaneously.

Jaywizz descending

Neither of us has seen any wild life either on the ground or in the air - just sheep.

Hods Hill - 6.6km, 240m, 2.1hr
The day was still young and the weather had been better than expected with zero rain. It was only a quarter to one - so we had plenty of time for a joint ascent of our secondary objective - Hods Hill.

This was only a short drive away, and shortly after half past one we had parked at the south-west end of the Daer Reservoir Dam and were walking along its 800m long top.

Starting to cross the dam

At the far end a left turn brought us to the waymarked Southern Upland Way ascent route. This follows a wall then fences all the way to the top through one gate and over four stiles. At the top the summit lies 150 metres to the north along another fence.

Summit is straining post at fence corner. McMole with Hart Fell in the distance - by Jaywizz

Jaywizz at the summit

After a short stop for summit photos we retraced our ascent route and headed home as the sun finally managed to break through and a few patches of blue sky appeared.

[Jaywizz]

Very impressed with the zoom on your camera! A successful day - delighted to have your company.