Drow 'n' Smirr

SUW15: The Old Drove Road

May 17, 2014

13.7 miles 6h 25m ascent 848m; max elevation 567m Minch Moor

Route: SUW Traquair to Gala with a diversion to Minch Moor’s summit

For much of this section the SUW followed an Old Drove Road and there were Cross Borders Drove Road signs on the SUW way marker posts. We parked at Traquair Community Centre and set off up the path to Minch Moor. For the first couple of miles, the path climbed steadily with 360m of ascent, so there is a warm-up session right at the outset. The added height though soon gave us good views back over Innerleithen, with Lee Pen behind it, and to the Glenrath/Peebles Hills.

Lee Pen from above Traquair

The Minch Moor Bothy comes a little too soon for a major rest stop but did give us an excuse to rehydrate and remove some layers. We met the first of several groups of mountain bikers near here, and there were prints in the ground of feet, hooves and wheels.

Just below the bothy the path passed through a stone wall with gate posts and a great many stones inscribed with (horse’s) names, as well as a few poems.

Two tracks cross the Drove Road as it climbs and the SUW leaves the Drove road briefly at the higher track. We headed along the footpath while the mountain bikers took the Drove Road.

After 280m of the 360m climb we rejoined the Old Drove Road. Here there was a bench occupied by recovering mountain bikers, and the viewpoint for the Point of Resolution sculpture. This is made up of several “circles” cut into the heather of the hillside. These are actually elongated ovals, the largest measuring 150m by 30m, which appear circular from the viewpoint. This natural artwork was completed in 2005 and I wonder if the circles have to be recut as time goes by.

Point of Resolution

The views from here are of Elibank Forest and in the distance Windlestraw Law in the Moorfoot Hills. The next thing to find is the Cheese Well. It would be hard to miss this since there is an information board, explaining about the Old Drove Road, just bedside it. The board informed us that this was once the main route across southern Scotland.

The Cheese Well is a natural open spring and traveller’s would leave offerings for fairies, usually food.

It is sometimes accounted unlucky to pass such places, without
performing some ceremony to avert the displeasure of the elves. There is, upon the top of Minchmuir, a mountain in Peebles-shire, a spring, called the Cheese Well, because, anciently, those who passed that way were wont to throw into it a piece of cheese, as an offering to the Fairies, to whom it was consecrated.

Sir Walter Scott, ‘Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border”

Stones by the Cheese Well

Today’s traveller’s seem to leave coins rather than cheese, though there was also a teaspoon. I left a coin for the wee folk, and hopefully they can make use of it. The stones at the well, inscribed “Cheese Well”, aren’t particularly ancient, apparently dating back only to 1965.

After the Well we had our first glimpse of the Eildon Hills, looking very far away and came to the highest point of this section at 520m. A path leaves the SUW/Old Drove Road here for the summit of Minch Moor, 570m away according to the sign. There is a bench here for the weary, or those who need time to decide which path to take. I had already decided it was time to walk the extra 1.14km and visit Minch Moor’s summit, so onwards and upwards it was.

Minch Moor summit cairn

Minch Moor has a summit cairn which I think has been built up again in the last few years, there is also a mountain biking emergency information post. The views were pretty extensive but the horizon was hazy. It was a little breezy at the top so we didn’t hang about too long.

We traced our path back to the SUW and set off for Hare Law. The path here took us through the forests of Little Minch Moor. Unfortunately the path here was a mudfest. There had clearly been a mountain bikathon coinciding with wet weather. This slowed us a little as we picked our way along, sometimes having to find a way through the trees beside the path.

Kist

This section includes the three-quarter point of our SUW and one of the hidden coin kists. The Ultreia posts are half a mile apart so you have to keep your eyes peeled.

Five years ago, walking from Tibbie Shiels to Yarrowford with some friends I slipped into silent-automaton mode not having enough energy to both walk and think. On this occasion as I climbed the slopes of Hare Law, I recalled that day. In particular I remembered that DW had assured me, when at Minch Moor, that it was all downhill from there. I remember thinking that we seemed to be going uphill though I was too tired to moan.

Moss covered signpost which DW fixed 5 years earlier

After Hare Law we left the forest for moorland, walking along the Drove Road up to the Brown Knowe. The path did look quite steep from a distance but strangely it seemed much more gentle once we got there. The path passes through Wallace’s Trench. The original purpose of this earthwork is unknown and it is not certain that Wallace had anything to do with its construction. Given how much remains even now I presume this must once have been a substantial construction that blocked the passage across Brown Knowe, there being marshy ground to the north and steep hillsides to the south. The type of construction suggests it was defence against a force from the west.

Wallace’s Trench

A small cairn marks the summit of Brown Knowe and beyond it we could at last see the Three Brethren in the distance. A couple of walkers past us heading in the opposite direction. It was getting to be around lunch-time but the summit was too windy to stop for food. We carried on and eventually stopped in the dip at Four Lords Land.

Brown Knowe summit cairn

After lunch we had a pleasant walk over the slopes of Broomy Law and up to the Three Brethren. The felled forest below the three brethren has new trees sprouting so in a few years it will be forest again and the views will be lost.

The Three Brethren are tall cairns marking the boundary of the original estates of Yair, Selkirk and Buccleuch. The first was built by the Laird of Yair and Whytbank Tower in 1512 and the others added later. By now the Eildon hills were looking a great deal closer. The views were extensive and one of the fences even has a seat built unto it, the wind was up however so we started the long walk down to the Tweed. This took us down into the col before the next hill, where at some small lochans the path turns left and eventually took us down into the woods.

Three Brethren

My recollection of this section was that it had a short steep downhill section, and I warned Audrey about it. My memory had exaggerated the steepness but the descent left me with anterior knee pain and her with painful toes.

We then had a easy gradual downhill section through woodland with the sunshine glinting through. We passed a rusting derelict tractor in the grass and eventually reached the River Tweed which we crossed at Yair Bridge.

Yair Bridge

There is a gentle climb from the Tweed up Fairnilee Hill which seemed much steeper than it actually is. The woods here had fitted carpets of bluebells which gave us an excuse to stop and take photos. There was a well placed tree stump by the farm track, and it seemed ideal for a brief sit down while I had a sip of water. But no sooner had I got myself comfy then we realised there were ants all over it, so the rest was cut short.

Bluebells

Once over the brim of the hill we could see the Eildons again. The fields here have piles of stones which are apparently “clearance cairns”. A large cairn marks the point where Gala comes into view and the hillside nearby has “Focus Judo” spelled out in stones, Focus Judo being a local club.

As we came down to the woods of Gala, I had been lulled into a false sense of security and didn’t notice the bogginess in the lower field until I was deep in it. So much for mud free boots.

Cairn above Gala

The SUW takes a indirect route through Gala woods but there are SUW waymarkers to point the way.

Woods near Gala

Posted in Borders | Tagged Paths, SUW, Wee Hills | Comments Off

Darnaw’s Dragonfly Monument

April 26, 2014

5.8 miles 4h 30m ascent 340m

Route: Quarry SE of Clatteringshaws, Low Craignell, Craignell, Darnaw, Dragonfly Monument

Then we set off again over two very desolate hills that have for names, as Sammle told me, Craignell and Darnaw. We were high up on them and keeping the crown of the causeway, the brown moors and grey rocks running from horizon to horizon beneath us. S. R. Crocket, The Raiders 1894

This is a walk I had had in mind for some time, but I wanted to save it for a day with nice weather. Impatience got the better of me though so I set out in rubbish weather. The descriptions of walks for this hill tend to start to the NW at Craigencallie, but I fancied trying a different approach from the SE, climbing the steep southern slopes of the plateau.

There is a large quarry about a quarter of a mile from the SW tip of Clatteringshaws Loch with plenty of space to park a car nearby. The track up to it from the loch was a very stony and irregular so on the drive out I used the forestry track that joins the A712 near the 192m spot height.

I climbed out of the car into very light rain and considered waterproof trousers. I recalled the line from the film Ronin, “If there is any question, there is no question” and got fully togged up for the rain. Before I had my rucksack on, my decision was proved correct and I spent the next hour or so in drizzle.

Track below Low Craignell

From the quarry I headed west along the forestry track for about 250m where I reached the end of the trees. My plan fro here was to walk across the felled forest to wherever looked the best route up the slopes of Low Craignell. The visibility meant I couldn’t see the slopes clearly, but another tempting option presented itself. A gravel track led up the edge of the forest which spared me the unpleasantness of felled forest terrain. This turned right below Winter Hill so I left the gravel for the hillside and started my climb.

Low Craignell, gravel path

Once off the track I was into cloud and visibility was very limited so it may be that there are easier routes up that I couldn’t see. The steeper sections did sometimes amount to scrambling (using hands and feet) and the ground was friable, often slipping away despite holding on to heather. Less steep sections were covered in tussocks with blades of old growth that covered holes, held pools of water and got tangled around my feet. I have no idea why, but I checked the time (10.40am) when water first entered my boot as my foot first into a hidden pool.

I had thought there would be a defined ridge running from Low Craignell to Craignell, and looking back later in the day, there clearly is. In the poor visibility however, there was no obvious direction to the terrain. I found myself amongst rocky hillocks in all directions so the best I could do was to presume the high point I had reached was Low Craignell and follow a compass bearing. That was easier said than done.

The visibility was sometimes very poor and is was difficult to find anything identifiable to hard towards. I’d choose a rock but glance down to check where I was walking then look up and see several rocks that could have been my target. Some hillocks had steep drops so I had to find alternative routes and the ground between these higher points had pools of water or waterlogged tussocks that prevented me talking a direct line.

One of Craignell’s lochans

In the mist the wee hillocks looked like massive hills. I would find my way blocked by a massive hill and start the long slow climb up it, only to find it was much smaller than it seemed and I was at the top in no time. Unfortunately there are no easy targets to aim for. The lochans are too numerous to be sure which is which so all I could do was continue in the same general direction and follow the higher ground as it turned towards Craignell’s summit.

At this point I didn’t think it was likely I would have much fun finding Darnaw, so decided to review the route options once I got to Craignell, either retracing my steps or continuing off the SW slopes of Craignell. I was helped by a very brief improvement in visibility that showed me the silhouette of Craignell just to my left, and that allowed me to adjust my direction. Otherwise I would have continued until the hill started to fall away and then turn.

I made my way between three pairs of lochans and kept climbing. Eventually I spotted a cairn ahead and made for that. Beyound it the hill sloped away and I presumed, incorrectly, that this was Craignell’s summit. I relaxed having bagged another local Marilyn, found a flat stone on the cairn and sat down to consider the rest of the walk with the help of a coffee and chocolate bar.

Craignell summit. No it isn't you can see the higher ground behind me

Near Craignell summit.

Sitting in the mist, coffee in hand, the mist in front of me blew away showing a steep drop ahead of me and sun drenched valleys either side. By the time I had the camera out, the mist was back, but over the next five minutes it happened twice more and I was able to get some pictures. More important, the cairn was not the summit. I had actually walked over the highest ground to reach the cairn that marks the end of the top rather than the summit.

lillie’s Loch below Craignell, in a break in the cloud

I decided to head back the way I had come for 20 minutes (of slow terrain) and the turn north for Darnaw. I presumed that would be about the eastern end of the 450m contour. The visibility gradually improved. When I reached the fence posts of the dip that lead to Darnaw Burn, I could just see Clatteringshaws Loch and within the next few minutes the cloud had lifted altogether. So once out of the dip I could see Darnaw ahead and look back to Craignell, and even the hills beyond it.

Darnaw summit (with cairn) and Millfore in the background

A couple of sizeable lochans lie just before Darnaw, and rather than walk between them I skirted them staying in the rocky outcrops so I could have better views of the Loch. Darnaw has a small cairn at its summit and it had some flat stones to sit on for lunch. The clouds continued to rise, revealing Millfore’s summit, the Dungeon Hills and Meikle Millyea. I had wanted to leave this walk for good weather and I suppose I had it in the end.

Lochans on Darnaw

From Darnaw I could not see the Dragonfly monument so headed off on a bearing and soon came to it. This monument commemorates the four men who died when DH.90 Dragonfly G-AEHC crashed on Darnaw. The inscription reads:

In Memory
———–
Here fell the
Daily Express Airplane
Dragon Fly
On February 2nd 1937,
with the loss of
four brave men.

Harold Pemberton,
Leslie Jackson,
Reginald Wesley,
Archibald Philpott

I presume the inscription’s reference to “Dragon Fly” rather than Dragonfly (which was the aircraft type) is an error. Details of the crash can be found here. It is strange to reflect that my parents were alive when this airplane was lost the wreckage was only found by chance two days later. The shepherd who found it had to walk off the hill and then ride 16 miles on his bicycle to inform the police. I can’t help thinking of the Dragonfly as an ancient aircraft, but at the time of this crash it would have been a brand new state of the art craft. In fact it had only been registered on 9.1.37. The same goes for the Avro Anson dispatched to search for it (which also crashed). I think of the Anson as a museum piece but it too would have been a new reconnaissance craft. There is an rocky area without any vegetation just near the monument and I presume this is the crash site but no wreckage remains 77 years after the event.

Dragonfly Monument, Darnaw

From the monument I had planned to head eastwards to a wall or fence (if it still existed) and follow that towards Darnaw Burn. On the way down though I could see some paths/tracks near the burn so just headed directly towards them.

This descent was interesting, and slow. The initial descent off Darnaw was easy enough over heather but closer to the trees the ground was boggy with difficult tussocks hiding pools of water. After this there was a section of old felled forest with tree stumps, dark pools of standing water (depth unknown), boggy moss, twigs and branches that sometimes snapped swallowing a leg like a tiger trap, audible but unseen running water, and new growth bushes and trees. I did spot a mouse as well. I just took it easy and meandered about avoiding the worst of it.

Clatteringshaws while descending Darnaw

Soon enough I was at the Darnaw Burn which was easy enough to cross. All this time I had been heading for a grey path on the far side of the burn which led to a definite track. Once across the burn I couldn’t find the grey path and realised it wasn’t a path but a collection of old branches. I presume these were laid down by the forestry when harvesting to support tracked vehicles. Unfortunately they were not easy, or safe, to walk on. Instead I squelched through boggy tussocks that must once have been a forest break. This took me to a gravel path. This section of felled forest was only short, 500m perhaps, and the sun was by then shining, so it didn’t sap my good humour.

Not a path

The gravel path was welcome. I don’t know why it is there. It is not wide enough for vehicles and doesn’t look to have been much used, with grass doing its best to reclaim it. There were good views across Clatteringshaws to Cairnsmore of Dee, and back to Meikle Millyea, now with its summit cloud free.

The gravel path took me down to a forestry road and it was then just a mile or so back to the car.
[osmap gpx=”http://www.screel.co.uk/walks/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/RK_gpx-_2014-04-26_0955.gpx”]

Posted in Dumfries & Galloway | Tagged Spring, Wee Hills | Comments Off

SUW14: The Two Towers

April 21, 2014

12.4 miles 607m ascent 5h 34m; max elevation 487m on Middle Rig

Route: SUW Tibbie Shiels to Traquair

Sunshine at last. Though we started with a grey sky, the sun eventually showed its face and gave us a great day. Not quite hot enough for cooling one’s feet in running water, but that day might yet come.

We were only the second car parked by the Loch of the Lowes in the morning but when we returned in the afternoon the place was teeming. But as it was, the cold overcast morning gave us our usual SUW solitude.

Loch of the Lowes

The weather forecast stone at Tibbie Shiels indicated “windy” but the water was relatively still on St Mary’s Loch. We climbed our first stile of the day just after the boathouse and set off along the southern side of the loch, firm ground and short grass beneath our feet, and watched by sheep and their lambs. It was strange not to have our feet sinking into soft ground and mud.

There is a good track beside the loch, though it is single file in places. I have read that the original road, now on the northern side of the loch, once ran on this side. It must have been a narrow track back then and I can’t see how even a cart could have come this way.

Ribbons in the book, St Mary’s Loch

As we approached the mid part of the loch, opposite the Megget Water’s in-flow we passed two blue signs. One reading “Bloodline” and the other “Ribbons in the Book, Mark this place, Tie the Knot”. In the photo above and the one at the beginning of this post you can see the two Oak Land Anchors of the Shinglehook installation by artist Matt Baker. These stand on a small gravel spit and indicate where an alluvial land bridge will grow across the loch from the opposite shore. There were originally four floating bronze casts connected to these land anchors, but there is no sign of them now and their cables lie on the shore.

There were several more stiles to cross as we walked by the loch, the first few of a great many on this day. I wish I had counted them, but it is the most I can recall on any walk. At Bowerhope we came across more sheep, this time with some black sheep amongst them. Behind the farm buildings the forests on the slopes of Peat Law and Thorny Rig had been felled leaving the hills looking rather messy.

After Bowerhope we had a farm track for the last mile of the loch. We saw our only other fellow walkers here, a couple of German lads I think. We didn’t mention the….

Dryhope Tower

After the loch side walk we paused for some photos of Yarrow Water from the bridge and then made our way across Dryhope Haugh, following the SUW signs asking us to follow the new SUW route. I think this was the same three years ago, so perhaps it isn’t so new anymore. There are some ditches in the fields of the haugh but small footbridges over these kept us out of any mud, and we didn’t have to ford the burn.

We climbed another stile over the wall and crossed the A708 to start the gentle climb up towards Dryhope Tower. The first field was entirely churned mud which would in other weather have been an utter quagmire. The mud was now dry though and the cows were grazing up on top of Ward Law. They must have been hillwalking cows, or perhaps they were tired of the mud. After another couple of fields we came to the final field and found a fence with no gate or stile. On the SUW that is usually a sign that one has strayed from the route and I wondered if we should have headed diagonally across the field but we had not strayed, the SUW actually heads along a narrow section between the fence and a wall.

The ruins of Dryhope Tower are by the SUW just across the steep gully of the Dryhope Burn. It is a 16th century pele tower built the Scott family which included Mary Scott, mentioned as the Flower of Yarrow in some traditional ballads. Her husband Wat is described in wikipedia as an infamous freebooter, rebel and outlaw. It sounds as though the Flower of Yarrow herself encouraged her husband in his crimes though, since there is a tale that when supplies were low she served up a set of spurs on a platter, instead of meat, for her husband’s dinner, implying that he should ride out with his men and restock the larder from their neighbours’ herds.

Hawkshaw Cleuch

By the time we reached Dryhope the sun was shining giving good visibility to the east but haziness when looking back to St Mary’s Loch. The SUW climbs gently around the southern slopes of Hawkshaw Rig, over a wee hummock with a 359m spot height. I remember walking up here on the Hearts and Heroes walk a few years ago and seeing a walker stop to have a cigarette “to get his breath back”. So to me this unnamed hump will always be Cigarette Hill.

From Cigarette Hill there were good, albeit hazy views back over St Mary’s Loch and its surrounding hills. Looking east and south there is grassy moorland with sheep. The lower ground after Cigarette Hill must be boggy at times since there are several short wooden walkways, but the ground was dry enough that we were able to walk beside these, except one over the wee burn.

We then passed a sheepfold and crossed Hawkshaw Cleuch on its substantial wooden footbridge. A little more easy walking on grassy slopes, with Audrey murmuring about needing haggis legs to cope with the slope, and we were walking down towards the Douglas Burn at Blackhouse.

Douglas Burn, Blackhouse

There is an old rickety bridge which I’m pretty sure I’ve used in the past, but would not choose to use now since there is a newer more robust footbridge over Douglas Burn. Looking along the Douglas Burn from the bridge we could see the Glenrath Hills.

James Hogg, the poet whose statue stands above St Mary’s Loch was a shepherd at Blackhouse between 1790-1800. The other historical feature here is a ruined tower. This is another 16th century tower but Blackhouse Tower has fared far worse than that at Dryhope with only the lower storey surviving.

The ballad “The Douglas Tragedy” is supposedly based at Blackhouse. The Black Douglas’s lived at Blackhouse, with seven sons and a daughter Lady Margaret who eloped with a Lord William. Her father and her seven brothers caught up with the pair and fought. Lord William killed all the Douglas’s but was mortally wounded and later died.

Blackhouse Tower

We reached Blackhouse a little early for lunch so we pressed on up the grassy slope taking it nice and slow. The track is just a little more steep than gentle, but we took our time. A young man came running down past us and we were to met him again later on his return towards Peebles!

For once fate smiled on us and as lunch time approached we found a wooden bench beside the track. This faced back towards St Mary’s Loch and the waters could just be seen between the tree tops. Walking up the hill in the sunshine had warmed us both up so the bench was just what we needed. I could have spent the afternoon there, relaxing in the sunshine, enjoying the views and cooled by the breeze, but there were still a few miles to go.

St Mary’s Loch, view from the bench

Just beyond the bench was a signpost telling us we were 5 miles from Traquair, so we were past half-way. The grassy track levelled a little and we soon reached the edge of the trees and walked out onto Blake Muir. My memory of this section was a flat moorland walk, but there were some ups and downs.

The path across the moor was good firm grass and as the path climbed onto the higher ground we had good views of the Glenrath Hills, Dun Rig and Birkscairn Hill. Eventually we could see Innerleithen and the Moorfoot Hills.

Ultreia stone, Blake Muir

There is a waymerker kist on the moorland, so we were keeping an eye out for “Ultreia” plaques on the SUW posts. I had an idea where the kist should be but there were no Ultreia signs. Luckily we spotted the kist and took a coin each from the hoard.

The moorland gradually changed into farmland with sheep, lambs and an avenue of hawthorns. There were more stiles to climb, both stone ones in walls and wooden stiles over fences.

Once down on the road it was mile of road walking back to the car in Traquair.

Traquair Kirk

Weather Vane, Traquair

A very enjoyable section with some of the best weather we have had. A good combination of loch-side, moorland, and farmland walking, with fields full of young lambs, ancient towers, good views, another SUW coin hoard and a good place for lunch.

Posted in Borders | Tagged Ruins, Spring, SUW | Comments Off

SUW13: the footsteps of poets

April 12, 2014

11 miles 523m ascent 4h 57m; max elevation 466m on Pikestone Rig

Route: SUW Potburn to St Mary’s Loch

Springtime on the Southern Upland Way. I took a T-shirt along in case it was warm and sunny when we got to the start, but I needed neither it nor the sunglasses I’d packed. The morning was wet and windy, the sun not showing its face until the afternoon. As we drove up the Ettrick valley I was still optimistic, the windscreen had an occasional raindrop but not enough to need windscreen wipers. When we parked up, the rain became a little heavier but still light enough to leave some question as to the need for waterproofs. We paused awhile in the car to see if the rain would pass, but as it was we were to have a couple of hours of rain that was heavy at times with sheets of rain driven into our backs.

So we set off in wet weather gear, the right choice as it turned out, along the single track road beside Ettrick Water, which grew gradually from a narrow stream into a wide river passing through several rocky sections that would have been good places to cool one’s feet if the day had been hot.

22 miles from Selkirk

There wasn’t much opportunity for photographs, what with the rain, which was a shame since there were some good views back along the valley. At Over Kirkhope we found an old mile marker informing us we were 22 miles from Selkirk and some sawn tree trunks that I thought looked like a goat.

The SUW leaves the road at Scabcleuch and starts its climb over Scabcleuch Moss. Before facing the climb we had a break amongst some trees that offered shelter from the elements as well as stumps we could sit on.

Poem at Scabcleuch

Where the SUW leaves the road there are steps in the wall and a stone with the first stanza from the poem Ettrick by Lady John Scott:

When we first rade down Ettrick,
Our bridles were ringing, our hearts were dancing,
The waters were singing, the sun was glancing,
An’ blithely our hearts rang out thegither,
As we brushed the dew frae the blooming heather,
When we first rade down Ettrick.

It is a steep walk up from the road and had the field been any muddier it could have been tricky. This section had the best views back up the Ettrick Valley but the rain was blowing directly in our faces when looking that way.

Scabcleuch

As we climbed onto Scabcleuch Moss, Audrey spotted a small section of blue sky and over the next few minutes the rain cleared and the sun came out. Ettrick Pen was still topped with cloud but the higher tops of Lochcraig Head, Broad Law (with its aerials) and Cramalt Craig were cloud free.

On the slopes of Peniestone Knowe there is a Scottish Rights of Way signpost, pointing along the track we were using (back to Scabcleuch, on to Riskinhope) and also over the moorland to Ettrick Kirk. The OS has a path marked but I could not see it.

The Wiss from Pikestone Rig

The path continues to climb until it reaches the top of Pikestone Rig from where we got our first glimpse of the Loch of the Lowes and then St Mary’s Loch. The wind on the top was strong enough to push us aside and I don’t think we could have walked in that for very long. Luckily we were sheltered once we started to descend into Riskinhope.

There are extensive ruins at Riskinhope which we put to use as seats for lunch. This turned out to be a teeming thoroughfare compared with our other SUW walks, since we saw two mountain bikers (cycling in very low gear) and two walkers. Four other people on a walk!

On a windy Pikestone Rig

The climb out from Riskinhope wasn’t as bad as it looked and it was all downhill once we had walked round Earl’s Hill. A wooden sign pointed towards the Captain’s Road but this just pointed off into nowhere as well.

The last half hour or so was a gradual descent to St Mary’s Loch in the sunshine. We walked past Tibbie Shiels Inn and down to the loch shore which marked the two thirds point of our SUW walk.

Finally we visited the James Hogg monument which has a statue of the poet looking down towards the lochs. The inscriptions read:

JAMES HOGG
THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD
BORN 1770 DIED 1835

HE TAUGHT THE WANDERING WINDS TO SING

INSTEAD OF ARMS OR GOLDEN CREST.
HIS HARP WITH MIMIC FLOWERS WAS DREST:
AROUND. IN GRACEFUL STREAMERS. FELL
THE BRIAR ROSE AND THE HEATHER BELL.

OFT HAD HE VIEWED. AS MORNING ROSE.
THE BOSOM OF THE LONELY LOWES:
OFT THRILLED HIS HEART AT CLOSE OF EVEN
TO SEE THE DAPPLED VALES OF HEAVEN.
WITH MANY A MOUNTAIN. MOOR. AND TREE.
ASLEEP UPON SAINT MARY

AT EVENING FALL. IN LONESOME DALE.
HE KEPT STRANGE CONVERSE WITH THE GALE;
HELD WORLDY POMP IN HIGH DERISION.
AND WANDERED IN A WORLD OF VISION.

James Hogg Monument

His most famous poem is Kilmeny.

Posted in Borders | Tagged Spring, SUW | Comments Off

The Loch Urr Marilyns

March 29, 2014

Fell Hill 4.2 miles 2h 1m 265m ascent; Bogrie Hill 2.5 miles 1h 29m 221m ascent

These are a couple of wee hills either side of Loch Urr. I imagine in better visibility the views would be better and I might have enjoyed the outing a little more if not for the previous evening’s Whisky tasting (Glengoyne and Tamdhu).

The first leg of the walk started from Fell Bridge, where there is just enough space to park a car by the road. A track from there led to the ruins at Fell but it has fallen into disuse. The first 400m or so has been layered with rocks presumably to keep the track useful for vehicles reaching a large aerial. Beyond that though the track has not been maintained.

The track to Fell (maintained)

Drainage ditches have been cut through the track in places and small streams have eroded into deep watercourses wider than a leap in three places. In addition to that the path was flooded in places requiring detours through the boggy ground either side of it. The mud tried hard to hold on to my boots, testing their fit and lacing, but I managed to stay shod.

Track to Fell (not maintained)

Fell Hill was visible in the distance with its tall summit cairn until the track passed into the trees at Craigmuie. Within the forest the ground was very friable, waterlogged in places and muddy in others. There were places that looked dry but allowed feet to sink in like quicksand.

Beyond the woods were the ruins at Fell. I made the mistake of having a close look at these and found myself in a major mudfest. I would advise skirting the buildings except after prolonged drought.

Ruins at Fell

After the ruins, and well muddied, I was at Fell Hill itself. There were no tracks to follow and the summit cairn was no longer visible. The terrain was heather, moss and some boggy sections and just to top it all, a little before I reached the summit it started to rain.

Lochs Skae and Howie from Fell Hill

From the summit, Loch Urr to the east and Lochs Howie and Skae to the west were just visible but mistiness spoiled the pictures. As well as a trig the summit has a ten foot cairn with steps, that give it the appearance of a Dalek, to help climb it but with the wind I wasn’t keen to climb beyond the lower part.

I took the same route back but avoided the ruins at Fell.
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Once back at the car I did a multi-point turn on the narrow road then drove to the other side of Loch Urr and parked near the sign for Shillingland. A farm road leads up to the farm buildings and I followed this until a cattle grid then struck off directly for Bogrie Hill. The ground at first was firm but soon deteriorated into heather interspersed with boggy areas.

Hungover on Bogrie Hill

I had read that there was an ATV track heading up the hill but I did not see it on the way up. I reached the summit ridge about 200m east of the trig and then found a faint ATV track. Visibility still wasn’t particularly good but the sun did seem now to be shining on Fell Hill and Loch Urr.

Loch Urr from Bogrie Moor

After a rather uncomfortable lunch I headed back the same way and this time did come across ATV tracks in some places.

Two easy hills, but a wee bit muddier than I would have liked.
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Posted in Dumfries & Galloway | Tagged Wee Hills | Comments Off

The Wiss

March 9, 2014

4.6 miles 2h 8m ascent 346m

Route: Tibbie Shiels-SUW-Wester Rig-Long Moor-The Wiss-Nether Hill

This was a simple walk. My plan was to start at Tibbie Shiel’s Inn, head south along the SUW for about a mile, over Wester Rig and Long Moor to the Wiss, then down Altrieve Rig and back along the bank of St Mary’s Loch. The forecast was rain until lunchtime then sunshine (shakes fist at meteorologists).

I got off to a bad start when on the A708 I found a man in a high visibility jacket putting barriers across the road. He told me it had been closed ten minutes earlier, for five weeks. What was I to do? I had only brought maps for the area I was planning to walk. I could cancel and go somewhere else the next day but it seemed a shame to have driven this far already so I did a 360 and headed back through Moffat for the Megget Road.

So after several miles of twisting and steep roads I reached St Mary’s Loch and parked at Tibbie Shiel’s Inn, somewhat later than planned. It was chilly and a little breezy but on the plus side, it wasn’t raining and visibility was good.

The SUW here is on a farm track so the walking was easy except in a few places where the track was covered in mud/slurry. The climbs gently across the hillside giving views back to St Mary’s Loch. At a turn in the track at about the 339m spot height I left the track and climbed on to the moorland of Wester Rig over short grass and moss watched by sheep. Wester Rig has several undulations, which I only really appreciated visually once I was looking back towards it. With the extra height there were better views of St Mary’s Loch and The Wiss was visible though the cloud soon settled onto it.

St Mary’s Loch from Wester Rig

The ground here was boggy in places but with enough firm ground to find a way. Wester Rig meets Long Moor at a tree line and here I turned up towards The Wiss. This ridge has a more gentle gradient but rougher terrain with sunken boggy sections to avoid. As I continued to climb the cloud came down to meet me.

I had hoped to have a bite to eat at the summit, enjoy the views and then head down over Peat Law and Altrieve Rig then back along the south bank of St Mary’s Loch. Unfortunately at the summit the view was thick mist and the wind was strong enough to make walking difficult. One gust caught me unawares and had me step into a mud-trap I was trying to step around. It had obviously been sheltered earlier in the walk but walking down Altrieve Rig exposed to the wind didn’t seem a good idea. So lunch was delayed, the map consulted, and the walk curtailed.

The Wiss summit

I decided that following the fence west down to the Loch was the best bet given the poor visibility. As I walked down I kept the fence in sight while making detours around boggy sections. This was much wetter underfoot than the ascent route. It hadn’t been raining but my jacket was as wet as it would have been if I had been hosed down with a garden hose. Either the rain was so fine I didn’t notice it or the water was precipitating directly on to me.

This route took me across two tributaries of March Sike, both were narrow enough to step across but the second lay in a 3m wide watery area and I had to go upstream a little to cross it. The fence then followed the south side of March Sike cleuch and onto the grassy slopes above the Loch.

Tibbie Shiels Inn

I began to wonder if I had been a little too fast to cut the walk short but the wind returned soon enough. Getting out of my wet clothes at the car one of my boots was blown away.

Heading back the waters of St Mary’s, Megget and Talla had tall spouts of spray blown up from the waves, and in places these looked like whirlwinds. I stopped to get a photo and found it very difficult to close the car door because of the wind.

Spray on Talla Water

The photo at the start of the report is from Tibbie Shiel’s Inn. The stone was swinging and swirling.

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Posted in Borders | Tagged SUW, Wee Hills | Comments Off

Broughton Heights

March 1, 2014

6.9 miles 3h 45m ascent 669m

Route: Broughton Place-Broomy Side-Pyked Stane-Broomy Heights-Hammer Head-Trahenna Hill

A first outing to this group of wee hills. I was considering taking in all three Marilyns but opted for two instead. There was sunshine with a chilly wind, but the rain held off until I was driving home.

View of Culter Hills from near the start of the walk

I started by Broughton Place, after following signs to a “walker’s carpark”. The route starts along the John Buchan Way, a grassy track with way marker posts very similar to those of the SUW. The track was muddy in places but nothing dreadful. The view up the valley was hidden at first by a stand of Scots Pine, but once past these got a look at Hammer Head and later Broomy Side.

The track climbs gently towards the col between Clover Law and Broomy Side. Here the John Buchan Way turns right to pass around Hammer Head but I took a fainter track up to the col and then followed a fence up onto Broomy Side. It is worth pausing on Broomy side to have a look at the surrounding hills. Tinto was hiding its summit in cloud but cleared later in the day. The Pentland hills were clearly seen to the north and strangely, at the end of the walk, several miles further away from them, they looked larger. The Culter Hills were less well seen here since the sun was behind them.

Ridge to Broughton Heights

Looking from Broomy Side to Broughton Heights (Pyked Stane) there was an undulating grassy ridge to cross, which passed relatively quickly. I thought I could see a cross on Green Law and was going to get a photo once I was closer, but as I watched the cross withdrew its arms and curled onto the ground. It had been another walker stretching his arms before sitting down. I caught up with him on Broughton Heights so I’m not the slowest walker hereabouts.

I did wonder about following the hills around over Ladyurd Hill but counted the contours and thought I would leave that section for another day. Instead I turned about and headed back along the ridge to Broomy Side. Just to make it interesting I walked on the other side of the ridge fence. It wasn’t more interesting but I got better views of the other hills, Penvalla etc.

My plan was to follow the fence line off Broomy Side (not the fence from the col I had followed coming up) and then directly up Hammer Head. As I approached Broomy side a faint track went off to the left through the heather and I thought that might take me down more easily. It didn’t. In fact it soon petered out and left me walking through untracked heather so I headed back across to the fence and followed that down.

I did have some misgivings about attacked Hammer Head directly. It had crowded contours and with the light I could not see the hillside clearly. I thought it was heather but it just looked black. Plan B was to follow the John Buchan Way around to the NW of the hill and up the ridge there that was less steep.

There was however a narrow track just discernible in the heather heading up Hammer head on the right of the fence so I followed that, hoping it was made by humans rather than sheep. The gradient was like a steep staircase except for one short steeper section. Here the track disappeared, presumably as walkers all choose slightly different routes. I went up by the fence and after a short while the track reappeared. I wouldn’t depend on the fence itself for support since many of its own supports have come loose.

Hammer Head Cairn

The gradient then eased of for the final climb up to the cairn at the summit of Hammer Head. About a dozen people were ambling about near the cairn enjoying the views and taking photos. I had intended stopping there for lunch but the sheltered dip was taken so I pressed on. Luckily there was another sheltered dip just past Green Lairs so I got my quiet lunch.

After lunch I continued along the ridge and up to the summit of Trahenna Hill. The snow-capped Tweedsmuir hills were now more easily seen and the people on Hammer Head were still there.

I made my way back by following the fence down towards Cat Cleuch Head and then across the heather on a faint track that had probably been a burnt track 3 or 4 seasons ago.

A pleasant walk overall, the terrain was easy and the weather good, though there was quite a bit of up and down for a couple of wee hills.

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Posted in Borders | Tagged Paths, Wee Hills | Comments Off

SUW12: Across the watershed

February 22, 2014

11 miles 5h 58min 881m ascent; max elevation 637m Croft Head

This section took us from D&G into the Borders and over the watershed from rivers flowing to the Irish Sea to those heading for the North Sea. We chose to take the high level route and our total climb of 881m is a record for our SUW days so far. It had been raining all week but we were forecast a dry spell in morning which proved to be correct, and luckily the “feels like” temperature of -9 degrees was wrong. I had expected a little snow on the tops but the snow in Ettrick Forest came as a complete surprise.

We have now completed the SUW in D&G/Lanarkshire which according to the guidebooks is 127.8 miles, though my GPS has logged us walking 139.5 miles (plus 2.6 in the Borders).

Beattock to Potburn was an eleven mile walk but a forty mile drive so this section involved several hours of driving to put a car at each end. It would have been possible to walk from Potburn to the A708 over the Bodesbeck path, reducing the drive considerably, and on a nice summer’s day that would have been a good option. As it is I’m pleased we opted for the longer-drive-1.5-hours-less-walk option.

Despite the dry forecast, the heavens had opened as we drove to Beattock, the rain just easing off as we arrived. So we stood by the car at Beattock, faces raised to the grey skies, trying to discern what the weather had in store. I decided to leave my waterproof trousers in the rucksack despite Audrey asking “are you sure?” and it turned out to be the right choice for the first couple of hours.

Unencumbered by waterproof trousers we hit the SUW once more, passing some unusual pump like structures in a field, then passing under first the A701 and then the M74, with the Evan Water flowing by on our left. At this point we were also on the Annandale Way and passed an AW sign telling us about river. Next we joined a minor road, with several pleasant houses and came to an SUW sign which also had markers for Countryside Walks, the Annandale Way (which parted company with us), and the E2 (long distance route from Galway to Nice). The Annandale Way here follows the route of an old Roman road, though it looks far from straight. I remember that path being guarded by a bull the last time we walked it.

After a mile or so of flat easy strolling we reached a T-junction where the SUW left the road over a stile to head up Oakrigg, just 50m of climb but enough to warm us up. Oakrigg raised us enough to get good views back to the Crooked Road (which looked crooked), Queensberry and Moffat while climbing and the Moffat Valley with Bodesbeck Law just nudging the clouds, on its far side.

Moffat Valley

Back on the minor road after Oakrigg we crossed Moffat Water at Drumcrieff Bridge then climbed another stile over a wall to enter a beech wood. Drumcrieff House, a stately home sized mansion was just across Moffat Water and I wonder if this wood is, or was, part of its grounds. There were both mature trees and saplings here and in a few years the wood will be much denser. It would be nice to see the wood in spring time. There were plenty of snow drops back up the road but the trees weren’t stirring as yet. Signs as we entered and left the wood warned us that we there at our own risk.

A footbridge over a small burn (and the warning sign) marked the end of the wood and we then found ourselves walking along the banks of Moffat water, through a field with a variety of horse jumps but no horses. One jump was just a low hanging branch of an old tree, painted white with flags at each end, another for some reason had a milk churn on it.

After the jumps we had another ladder stile over a wall, crossed a minor road and joined a farm track the began a gentle climb. I was looking out for the ruins of Cornal Tower, which is on the OS map, but didn’t see them. I wondered if a wee mound some cows were congregating on might be it, but looking at the map again I think it would have been on the far side of the field.

At a cattle grid an SUW marker indicated we should turn right, so right we turned to climb a little more steely but still on a farm track. This track had a substantial gate, open with a padlock attached, but since there was no fence anyone could have driven around it even if it was locked. Nearby, halfway up the road and nowhere near a junction of any kind was a Stop sign, concreted into the path. I stopped, to take a picture.

At the top of the field the track takes a turn to the left for about 200m before turning back at a cowshed. The cows here, muddy to their knees just watched calmly as we passed, never breaking the rhythm of their chewing. The track here climbs more gently and we had our first glimpse ahead of Saddle Yoke, its twin summits just hidden in the cloud and looking back, Annandale and the Queensberry Hills.

Moffat Hills

We then left farmland and passed into stands of trees with orange tips to their branches which are I presume signs of new growth. A robin sat in one of the trees by the road but flew off before I could point the camera. A cattle grid and gate, the latter hanging of its supports, marks where the high level and low level SUW routes part ways. I had intended taking the high level route but a sign here told us that the Cornal Burn stretch of the high level route was closed due to an extensive area of fallen trees. The sign did also tell us that the rest of the high level rote was open so we decided to join it further along. This meant staying on the south bank of the Cornal Burn until the next bridge then walking back along the other side to rejoin the high level route at Dry Gutter, just an extra 0.5km.

The lazy part of me did worry as we climbed higher and higher above the Cornal Burn that we would soon need to climb back down to cross it, and climb back up the other side. I wondered if there might be a high bridge, like those one sees in films of the Andes or Himalayas spanning a deep gorge, but I thought if such a bridge existed in D&G it would be well known. All I could hope for was that the burn had a steep fall somewhere.

Elevenses were by now overdue and we came upon a tree trunk by the path that offered a comfortable seat. I decided to have half a chocolate bar but before I knew it I’d scoffed the whole thing, but I did feel better for it.

Once we got going again we were soon out of the trees and instead of a steep descent to cross the Cornal Burn, we found ourselves almost level, with just one wee contour line of descent and climb. We then headed back up the path on the side of the Burn, looking out for the steep path up Dry Gutter. Satellite images show the path at the edge of the forest but new plantings mean there are trees either side. The path turned out to be up the first firebreak, but I don’t think we would have been certain had there not been a marker post there. There was an identical path closed sign here, presumably for people coming the other direction.

Our relatively dry day ended here. Rain began to fall, light enough at first that we donned our waterproofs with some uncertainty, but soon becoming much heavier. Dry Gutter is a steep climb of about 130m but there is a firm path which zig-zags up and as height is gained there are increasingly better views back over Annandale, which are an excuse to stop (and catch your breath).

Dry Gutter

Dry Gutter took us up to a little used vehicle track where we passed our first patches of snow. The trees by the path looked to have been burned and many had fallen, some across the track. THe SUW leaves the track at tree line, a short steep climb helped by wooden steps that were obviously designed for the taller gentleman. Good practice for getting your foot up into a horse’s stirrup.

This SUW then climbs alongside the last trees of the forest over heather and grass with boggy sections before leaving the trees for the upland moorland of Gateshaw Rig. A cairn stood on a knoll to our left but I don’t know what it signified, the actual summit of Gateshaw Rig perhaps.

On the open heather of Gateshaw Rig most of our climb was done, the gradient became easier and the views more extensive. The wind blew us about a little but that just added to the experience. The rain even eased off for us. There was a slow climb over Gateshaw Rig until we could see Croft Head rising just 40m above the col. The final walk along the ridge to Croft Head had us walking a narrow path with the steep drop of Crookedside Sclenders to our right and the wind from the left. Capel Fell, West Knowe and the gorge below Craigmichen Scar gave us an impressive view ahead while the Moffat hills with the characteristic twin peaks of Saddle Yoke were clear of the clouds to our left.

Wamphray Glen

Since this is the SUW, Croft Heads summit fence has a kissing gate. A strengthening bar in the gate offered a possibility of a seat but only big enough for one person. We stayed at the summit just long enough for some photos, but the rain was back again so we pressed on, lunch now a little overdue.

Moffat hills from Cat Shoulder

There is a gentle descent to Cat Shoulder then a very steep drop to the valley floor, but a zig-zag path makes things easier and safer. We did have to negotiate some patches of snow on the path but nothing too difficult. The Ettrick Hills and Moffat Hills were still impressive from here, so we took our time and enjoyed the views.

Craigmichen Scar

Once in the valley floor we took shelter in a sheep fold where we both managed to find stones that protruded from the wall enough to act as seats, though misericord might be a more accurate description. It was raining but not enough to spoil my lunch.

Croft Head

A nearby sign, explaining the high level and low level routes, which merge here, told us we were only 1km from Ettrick head. Audrey asked how far we had to walk and my guess of 3.5 miles was pretty accurate (the GPS recorded it at 3.54 miles). It did seem further though.

Selcoth Burn

From the sheep fold we headed up to a small cairn and SUW post and along a narrow path along the gorge across from the rugged Craigmichen Scar. The path was steep in places and the rocks both slippery and easily dislodged so we didn’t exactly skip along like mountain goats. We crossed the Selcoth Burn at a wooden footbridge. this had slats across the walkway which were very useful the steeper sections up and off the bridge being very slippery. This was our last crossing of a waterway flowing to the Irish Sea.

We found the secret horde and its strange marker, a stone goat perhaps, and took a coin each from the collection.

Kist

Strange cairn. kist

The section of the walk between the bridge and Ettrick Head was quite a surprise to me. I had walked along it, albeit in the opposite direction, two years earlier (almost to the day) but did not recognise it at all. The SUW slowly climbs up the lower slopes of Capel Fell, following a very narrow track with plenty of marker posts. We had some minor difficulties crossing a small snow filled gully here and after that there were more patches of snow to cross.

County Border

Eventually we climbed out onto Ettrick Head, walking across grass that lay just under water looking more like seaweed than grass. I had thought we would have photos and celebrations as we crossed the county line and completed the D&G section but we reached there in very heavy rain and wind so group photos and celebrations weren’t on the cards. I did try to elicit a celebratory response by pointing out that we had completed the D&G section but the response I got would not have been out of place if I had told her that there were some trees up ahead.

Once in those trees we were relatively sheltered but there was quite a bit of snow. it was mid-shin deep, but mostly beside rather than on the path, the water running down the path had presumably washed the snow away. We soon reached the end of the forest break crossed a tributary of Ettrick Water (our first crossing of a North sea bound waterway) and joined a forestry track. I had thought we would then have an easy walk along a good track all the way back to the car but what stood before us was unexpected to say the least.

The track was covered in snow, which in places was knee deep. Someone had walked along before us so at least we had some footprints to step into and could avoid those that had water at the bottom. The footprints were of differing sizes, though obviously made by the same walker, with some about twice the size of others. I can understand why people might believe in Yetis if snow prints change like this. We passed a small snowman in the middle of the track.

Ettrick Forest

Walking through snow was tiring and I knew we had made the right decision in leaving the car near Potburn. The snow not clear until we left the forest. When we did emerge from the forest to see the Ettrick valley for the first time we found a stile at the side of the road leading to a drop over an eroded bank and then we were faced with a tall kissing gate in a deer fence. I haven’t seen a gate like this before, it looked like a prop from a film about giants.

The forestry track took us down to Over Phawhope with its bothy and bridges, but we didn’t stop at the bothy. We crossed Ettrick Water by the footbridge rather than the ford beside it then, joined a newly resurfaced road that climbed steadily past the deserted buildings at Potburn. On the way we passed a small wooden cart that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the pages of the Beano being ridden by Dennis the Menace.

Eventually all that stood between us and the car was a gate. I don’t know if the snow had sapped our strength but we couldn’t open the pedestrian gate. Luckily the main gate let us through.

Quite a walk.

Posted in Borders, Dumfries & Galloway | Tagged Annandale Way, Donalds, Grahams, Paths, SUW, Winter | Comments Off