9.9 miles 848m ascent 5h 41m
It was excellent walking weather; dry, cool, blue sky and occasional clouds. Indeed the sunshine was more than we expected judging by our red faces by the afternoon.
We set off along the tourist route, which started off as a gentle climb up a rocky path with the Buchan Burn to our right and then became more gentle still when it entered the forest and led us to the bothy at Culsharg. The valley here between Benyellary and Buchan Hill looks like something out of a western, but there were no herds of bison as far as I could see.
From Culsharg there was only a little more forest track and then the open hillside of Benyellary, the hill of the eagle, which looks like a gentle easy slope but is deceptive. I hadn’t seen Elaine sweat perspire glisten before, but given her transformation back to terminator form after a snack, I’m coming to believe that she is some form of popeye-like being but banana rather than spinach fuelled. The group certainly drifted apart as we climbed the slope.
Once we reached Benyellary’s summit the views were extensive with Ireland, Ailsa Craig and Arran to the west; the lochs of the Ice cauldron, the Dungeon hills and the Rhinns of Kells to the east and Clatteringshaws to the south. We could even see the aerial on Benniguinea and Cairnsmore of Dee, that David and I had fought our way up previously. I’m with Poe’s raven on that hill….Nevermore.
The ridge to Merrick, the Neive of the spit, has a dyke to follow leading to the top of the Rig of the Gloon and Merrick’s grassy summit with its scattered white boulders. From here we could see along the ridge of the Awful Hand with Shalloch on Minnoch at its far end. Standing here Cairnsmore of Carphairn, was visible beyond Corserine. So standing on one of Galloway’s Corbetts, we could see the other three.
I had wondered what route we should take on our challenge next Spring. I had thought we would go via Backhill of Bush but from Merrick it looks as though we should head by Mullwharchar and up Meikle Craigtarson.
As we rested and fed on Merrick, I don’t think we were aware that the downhill section of this walk was to be the harder part.
Redstone Rig is 300m of descent in a mile. Not too bad but we did have something to warn us if a steep part was coming. If Andy has his hands out of his pockets, beware…you need to take care. A hare ran across our path as we got closer to Loch Enoch and met the boggy/muddy ground characteristic of the area. The silver sand of Loch Enoch was only visible on the far side, that on our side being submerged.
It is here that I must admit that my desire to see the Grey Man of Merrick led us off course, though from memory the other path would have been similar terrain. The GPS tracking went pear shaped in this area but was working fine up to the point where I headed off to check the rock formations for faces. This shows that I led you up the wrong valley, it should have been along the fence that we climbed over. Ah well, next time.
So it was back to tussocks, tumbles, and hidden holes in the ground. How does David manage to move so quickly through that terrain? He lent me a walking pole to help me down a steep section but I found it hindered me in the tussocks. I think that the evil spirits of this area manifest as midges when the weather suits them but turn into tussocks at other times.
The tussocks gave way to boot-swallowing mud once we got to Loch Neldricken and a discernible path, leading past Loch Valley, the Rig of the Jarkness and down by the Gairland Burn. I took several tumbles of increasing embarrassment while walking this path. The first was a mere genuflection, the second a fall onto dry grass, the third a classic slapstick flat-on-back in the mud affair. Following this I developed greater, but misplaced, confidence and happily stepped into mud until a mud puddle swallowed my right boot and seeped over the top.
Eventually the path grew rocky again and then once we passed through a gate it became a good quality path. He can manage tussocks and mud but the good path was too much for David who bowled over here. Perhaps the spell that allowed him to speed upright through the difficult path had worn off.
Andy spotted a snake, and we wondered if it was a grass snake or slow worm. I’ve googled it and think the latter more likely from the appearance.
Then we were back on the Loch Trool road, for a brief walk across the Buchan bridge and up to the car. Luckily I had foreseen the eventuality of my mishap and had a change of clothes.
Overall a good walk up the hill, a character building, muscle strengthening and balance testing downhill section, good views of Galloway’s Ice Cauldron and the Galloway Corbetts, all in fine weather.
But something was missing. Pastries at the end.
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