Clatteringshaw
9.5 miles 5 hours 30 mins 484m
Surely these nine miles are worth 15? Was it a walk from hell? Not really, it could have been worse, but enjoyment was sadly lacking in the ascent. I found myself thinking “If I just keep putting one foot in front of the other I’ll eventually get there.” A step upwards without sinking was a special bonus. Even my walking pole wilted. Clearly some people don’t share my views. See this link of a grandad doing the walk. I do wonder if we somehow missed a slightly easier way up but don’t intend going to find the lost pathway to the Dee. I agree with David that future walks should be pathway or no way. Cairnsmore? Nevermore.
Retrospective:
I was keen to “do the three Cairnsmores” so this walk attracted my attention. Elaine was lucky enough to have a cold so was spared this trial. I don’t think we did miss a path, there isn’t one. The terrain was Gallovidian tussocks and waterlogged land but compounded by us climbing through felled forest with the added problems of branches covering holes etc. David seemed to sail through this hell on earth whereas I floundered. As I mentioned in the original post one of my walking poles was bent as I fell in a muddy patch, leaving it shaped like an olympic downhill ski-pole.
After the difficult trek up the Rig of Craig Gilbert there are a great many granite slabs that make the going easier. We stopped for lunch at the summit overlooking the lochans up there. The walk from Cairnsmore of Dee to Benniguinea was still difficult but substantially easier than the Rig of Craig Gilbert.
Clambering up the steep NW face of Benniguinea, David spotted the Radio Mast and called back that he could see it. I think this was supposed to make me feel better along the lines of “almost there”. Unfortunately, knowing how tall the mast was, this just reinforced that there was still quite a way to go.
Once on Benniguinea there are good views of the Galloway hills behind Clatteringshaws Loch. More important, there is a road all the way down. In retrospect this walk would be much easier done clockwise so that the most difficult terrain is done downhill.
I recall during this walk developing an antipathy towards the author of one of my walking books that describes this walk. He had not in my opinion fully expounded the difficulties involved. I even contemplated writing to him to complain.
