Final Cairnsmore bagged

[iainR]

I'd read reports of construction work going on around the Green Well area west of Carsphairn village and driving down the road from Dalmellington i'd noticed a lot of windfarm traffic and plant near Benbrack but when i parked up at the concealed layby opposite Green Well all was quiet and construction free although a very recent looking gravel road led past the cottage and wound its way up the valley. Some older WH user reports had indicated cattle and a very muddy path here but there was no sign of either, in fact the farmland and barns had a deserted look about them.

Farm building near Green Well

Passing through several new looking steel gates i followed the road further up the valley looking for an opportunity to
leave it as the gravel was very uncomfortable to walk on. Skirting around the bottom of the small hill named Willieanna i spotted a faint path running parallel with a fence which divided the lower slopes of Willieanna from Dunool, this got me off the gravel and on to the hills but the downside was a very steep and unrelenting climb up the grassy slopes of Dunool following a path which ran alongside a drystane dyke.

Looking down Dunool towards Willieanna

Dunool is topped with a small cairn and from here the full bulk of the Cairnsmore comes into view with a very
straightforward ascent as the path over Dunool leads all the way to the summit.
Cairnsmore of Carsphairn offers some fantastic views especially to the south with the Rhinns of Kells being a highlight
for me but the skies were too overcast and hazy for any good landscape photos.

Summit of Dunool

Looking back down the ascent route

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn trig pillar and stone shelter

The return route can involve following another drystane dyke down the western slopes of the hill where it links up with
the far end of the gravel road but i chose to retrace my steps and limit my time walking on those stones.

Back towards Green Well

Bagging my final Cairnsmore was over 20 years in the making as i first climbed Cairnsmore of Fleet back in 2000 then
Cairnsmore of Dee over 10 years later so this ascent of Carsphairn felt like a completion of sorts albeit a small one !

[PeteR]

Things certainly have improved on this hill then, if the cow's toilet on approach is no more