The Ettrick Hills Part 2
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:27 pmMy previous visit to this group was in April last year when i walked the ridge from Herman Law to Bodesbeck Law and back having parked at Birkhill off the A708. I had originally planned to revisit the area later that year but several other hillwalking opportunities in the north took priority and i just put the remaining Ettricks on the back burner. This weeks clear blue skies made the long drive to Ettrick and up the single lane valley road to Potburn worth the effort. My target hills for the day were Ettrick Pen, Wind Fell, Loch Fell and Capel Fell. To add Croft Head would've meant a far longer and more grueling day in the sun and heat therefore i decided to keep it simple, besides i could always climb Croft Head from close to Moffat at a later date.
Parking near Potburn i noticed tree felling operations in progress on Pot Law complete with logging trucks which was an unwelcome sight for the long single lane drive out of the valley. Leaving the car just after 9am the morning temperatures were beginning to rise but a welcome breeze blowing down off the hills kept me cool and i set a good pace going past the Over Phawhope Bothy and up the forest track towards the open hillside. I reached the Ettrick Pen summit cairn in just under an hour and gazed along the ridge towards my next objective, Wind Fell.
On Ettrick Pen the breeze had turned into a light wind which was perfect to walk in and the journey to Wind Fell took less than an hour despite a large boggy section. The descent to the col at Loch Fell was the usual Southern Uplands experience, follow the fence down, cross a bog then follow the fence up the other side. The ascent of Loch Fell temporarily sheltered me from the wind and the very second that happened the local insect life came out to play with a vengeance, clouds of flies everywhere and over everything !
I reached the Loch Fell trig pillar about an hour after leaving Wind Fell and thankfully the wind returned to banish the flies allowing me to eat and take in the superb views of Galloway including Criffel and a hazy Solway Firth.
The walk down the hillside to Capel Fell was uneventful except for the flies and the bogs at the bottom of the hill which were extensive and still wet. The ascent was a bit of a slog due to the sun beating down and lack of wind but it was straightforward enough and the wind returned once i was near the summit which looked unmarked except for the remains of a rotting fence post lying a few meters from the main hill fence, i checked the app on my phone and i was definitely at the summit. The views from here were great as i got a better look at my ridge walk from last year as well as a few of the Moffat Hills, i also looked across at Croft Head with the steep ascent involved and was really glad i wasn't going there !
The return journey required joining the Southern Upland Way at Ettrick Head where the forestry gave a bit of respite from the sun but not the heat as it was stifling in there. All too soon i was back at my car after another fantastic day on these hills and not regretting the Croft Head omission at all !
P.S. No logging trucks encountered on the drive out.
Parking near Potburn i noticed tree felling operations in progress on Pot Law complete with logging trucks which was an unwelcome sight for the long single lane drive out of the valley. Leaving the car just after 9am the morning temperatures were beginning to rise but a welcome breeze blowing down off the hills kept me cool and i set a good pace going past the Over Phawhope Bothy and up the forest track towards the open hillside. I reached the Ettrick Pen summit cairn in just under an hour and gazed along the ridge towards my next objective, Wind Fell.
- Parking area
- The walk begins
- Over Phawhope Bothy
- Left track to Ettrick Pen
- Summit of Ettrick Pen
- Remainder of my target hills
On Ettrick Pen the breeze had turned into a light wind which was perfect to walk in and the journey to Wind Fell took less than an hour despite a large boggy section. The descent to the col at Loch Fell was the usual Southern Uplands experience, follow the fence down, cross a bog then follow the fence up the other side. The ascent of Loch Fell temporarily sheltered me from the wind and the very second that happened the local insect life came out to play with a vengeance, clouds of flies everywhere and over everything !
I reached the Loch Fell trig pillar about an hour after leaving Wind Fell and thankfully the wind returned to banish the flies allowing me to eat and take in the superb views of Galloway including Criffel and a hazy Solway Firth.
- Summit of Wind Fell
- Loch Fell from Wind Fell
- Back towards Ettrick Pen
- Summit of Loch Fell
The walk down the hillside to Capel Fell was uneventful except for the flies and the bogs at the bottom of the hill which were extensive and still wet. The ascent was a bit of a slog due to the sun beating down and lack of wind but it was straightforward enough and the wind returned once i was near the summit which looked unmarked except for the remains of a rotting fence post lying a few meters from the main hill fence, i checked the app on my phone and i was definitely at the summit. The views from here were great as i got a better look at my ridge walk from last year as well as a few of the Moffat Hills, i also looked across at Croft Head with the steep ascent involved and was really glad i wasn't going there !
- Towards Capel Fell
- Looking down Capel Fell
- Summit of Capel Fell
- View of Croft Head
- View of Saddle Yoke
- View of last years exploits
The return journey required joining the Southern Upland Way at Ettrick Head where the forestry gave a bit of respite from the sun but not the heat as it was stifling in there. All too soon i was back at my car after another fantastic day on these hills and not regretting the Croft Head omission at all !
- Towards Ettrick Head
- Track back to Over Phawhope
P.S. No logging trucks encountered on the drive out.