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White Coombe, Broad Law et alii

White Coombe, Broad Law et alii


Postby rockhopper » Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:52 pm

Route description: White Coomb by the Grey Mare's Tail

Corbetts included on this walk: Broad Law, White Coomb

Donalds included on this walk: Broad Law, Cramalt Craig, Dollar Law, Greenside Law, Lochcraig Head , Molls Cleuch Dod, Talla Cleuch Head, White Coomb

Date walked: 11/10/2014

Time taken: 11.5 hours

Distance: 42 km

Ascent: 1950m

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Date: Saturday 11 October 2014
Time taken: 11hrs 30mins (incl stops 1hr 25mins)
Distance: 42km approx
Ascent: 1,950m approx
Attendees: me

Plan for the day was to head down to Moffat then up to the Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfalls car park for the loop with White Coomb – then on to the Megget Reservoir for Broad Law plus others depending on how things went.

Arrived at the Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfalls car park and set off without needing a head torch. Very misty but the Met office said it would be sunny most of the day (didn’t quite turn out that way).

Morning
C/D/ND : White Coombe
D/ND : Lochcraig Head, Molls Cleuch Dod

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Stayed fairly misty most of the way up to Loch Skeen so couldn’t see the waterfalls.

Loch Skeen

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Lost the track at this point but managed to find it again – on towards Lochcraig Head

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Could see what looked like a sheep in the distance. Closer up turned out to be a wild goat – very friendly and hung around to let me get his photo

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A little boggy in places – not unexpected given the amount of recent rain

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A little detour to get to the top of Lochcraig Head – in the clag now and not much to see. Turned round and headed SW.

Slightly clearer view towards Loch Skeen

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At Firthybrig Head, turn to the NW and follow the dry stone dyke up to Molls Cleuch Dod

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Wandered over to another wee cairn

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Then back to Firthybrig Head and SW towards Firthhope Rig – mist reappeared and saw little for some time.

Turn left over the style and follow the fence

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ESE to White Coomb with a little detour away from the fence to find the cairn

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Then back down past Loch Skeen in the distance

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One of the locals

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Mist looked like smoke

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A bit of a problem on meeting the Tail Burn above the waterfalls. Couldn’t find a way across so had to head quite a bit upstream to find a suitable point.

Then back down the ascent path

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Back to the car and drove up to the Megget Reservoir. Had hoped to get parked beside the Megget Stone but it was too busy so drove on a bit further to a wee car park at NT143201. Had some lunch before setting off.

Afternoon
C/D/ND : Broad Law
D/ND : Talla Cleuch Head, Cramalt Craig, Dollar Law, Greenside Law

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Straight up northwards from the car park to the west of Fans Law and skirted to the south of Cairn Law.

Looking back

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On towards Talla Cleuch Head (not named on OS 1:50,000)

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Down to Tall Linnfoots (Garelet Hill to the right)

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Talla Reservoir

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Didn’t take long to get to the top of Talla Cleuch Head – then turned back to head towards Cairn Law

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Skirted to the west of Cairn Law then northwards to Broad Law

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Weather was still holding up but not as sunny as it was supposed to be

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Broad Law summit trig

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Air traffic beacon (VOR)

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Surrounding hills

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On my own at the summit so no-one around to hear me – took out my hip flask to toast the memory of a work colleague

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Then off towards the radio mast

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And NE towards Cramalt Craig

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Now about 1445hrs – decision time, ie whether to return SW to the car or via the New Donald, (Clockmore), or push on towards Dollar Law (which would mean a lengthy walk back on the road). Opted for the latter and headed towards Dollar Law.

Fifescar Knowe in the distance with Dollar Law beyond

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Down to the reservoir

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Plenty of fences to follow

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Looking back to Broad Law – weather starting to close in

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Up towards the summit

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The rain started then got a lot heavier just after I arrived at the summit. Put the camera away and put on the waterproofs. Little visibility as the clag rolled in along with the wind and rain so followed the fence back down to Fifescar Knowe.

Further down the weather cleared up and the rain stopped

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Decided to detour via Greenside Law rather than more directly down to the Cramalt Burn

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Didn’t take long to get to the top – couldn’t find a cairn. Then back down to the south of Water Head and south towards Rig Head. This part was hard going as the heather and grass were long and springy with the undulating ground underneath – past some grouse butts.

Then down towards Cramalt Burn (looking back up to Dun Law)

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Got to the road beside the burn and walked back down to the main road at Cramalt. Then had the long walk back beside the reservoir to the car. Normally I’d have left a bike at Cramalt but didn’t this time as I wasn’t sure where I’d end up. Very quiet road with no traffic whatsoever all the way back to the car so no chance of a lift.

Nice evening for a walk

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Back to the car as darkness descended – got changed for the drive back home and dinner.


Moffat 11oct2014 activelog WhiteCoomb.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



Moffat 11oct2014 activelog BroadLaw.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

User avatar
rockhopper
 
Posts: 7445
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:136   Donalds:89+20
Sub 2000:16   Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:3   Islands:20
Joined: May 31, 2009
Location: Glasgow

Re: White Coombe, Broad Law et alii

Postby Silverhill » Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:18 pm

You’re getting through those Corbetts at quite a pace, rockhopper! Compleation in a year or so?! :wink:
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Silverhill
 
Posts: 1360
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Re: White Coombe, Broad Law et alii

Postby weaselmaster » Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:02 pm

That's excellent efficiency, RH - good to see that you haven't lost your trademark big circuits now your on the lesser hills... when i set out to do hart fell i wasn't bothered about doing donalds, so missed out on cape law, for example, which is just a wee bit off from the route we took...need to be better prepared
weaselmaster
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 2429
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Joined: Aug 22, 2012
Location: Greenock

Re: White Coombe, Broad Law et alii

Postby dooterbang » Wed Oct 15, 2014 2:07 pm

2 walks for the price of one - bargain hunter :)

Couldn't imagine you taking the shorter option and not moving on to Dollar Law. Nice area this, and appears to be very quiet most of the time. It's actually great for cycling too.

So the Corbetts and Donalds are new goals :wink:
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dooterbang
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1828
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Location: Isle of Skye from Feb 2019 (Originally Glasgow)

Re: White Coombe, Broad Law et alii

Postby kev_russ » Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:52 pm

Braw report and pics as per usual Rocks :wink:
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kev_russ
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 395
Munros:198   Corbetts:77
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Joined: Mar 17, 2009
Location: Edinburgh

Re: White Coombe, Broad Law et alii

Postby Johnny Corbett » Fri Oct 17, 2014 9:52 am

Some cracking photos there Rockhopper and imaging bumping into Mountain Thyme :crazy: She looks different though since she turned 50 :shock:
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Johnny Corbett
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 2983
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Location: Livingston

Re: White Coombe, Broad Law et alii

Postby rockhopper » Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:27 pm

cheers all :D

Silverhill, dooters - original plan after the munros was not to complete any more lists but just to pick 'n mix - will need to wait and see, the corbetts and grahams seem harder than the munros and can't be linked up so easily

Johnny Corbett wrote:....imagine bumping into Mountain Thyme :crazy: She looks different though since she turned 50 :shock:
at first I was :? :? then :idea: :idea: which turned to :shock: :shock: ...and I suspect if MT ever sees your comment her reaction to you may be :evil: :twisted: :-P :wtf: :wave: ....... :wink:
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rockhopper
 
Posts: 7445
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Location: Glasgow

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