Category Archives: Dumfries & Galloway

Raiders Road: Mossdale to the Otter Pool

11.4 miles 5h 9m ascent 221mMossdale to Merrick (part 1) Mossdale to the Otterpool by the old railway to Stroan loch then the Raiders Road In Samuel Crockett’s book The Raiders his hero tracks a band of reivers and cattle … Continue reading

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Raider’s Road: Clatteringshaws to the Otter Pool

8.03 miles 4h 1m ascent 293mMossdale to Merrick (part 2) Spring. A cuckoo’s call in the calm air and cuckoo flowers in the verge. Sunshine that didn’t call for hats or sunscreen, and warmed but didn’t overwhelm. Coltsfoot and wood … Continue reading

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Frae the big brig tae the auld halt

10.12 miles 5h 2 m 178m ascent Big Water of Fleet Viaduct-Skerrow Halt The drive to the viaduct was a little slower than expected because we came to a “temporary obstruction, 15 minute delay” sign. I turned off the ignition, … Continue reading

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Skerrow Halt (yet) Again

9.65 miles 4h 15m 161m ascent Stroan Loch-Skerrow Halt-Little Water of Fleet-and back It’s a year since I blogged a walk. The last few months can be put down to lockdown, and the last couple of weeks due to a … Continue reading

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Locked-in

[Post-walk shennanigans] I started the car, reversed out and headed home, my mind relaxing into auto-pilot mode. I passed a few walkers. We waved and shared smiles. In a film this would have been accompanied with relaxing music, soft focus … Continue reading

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The Forest My Friend

The forest. My friend these many long days.  Happy, I wandered her green dappled ways.  My spirits she raised, my soul was reborn.   With a lightness of touch her gifts did transform.  Her offering I bore, unseen, and unknown.  … Continue reading

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Knockespen – two hills make one

8.05 miles 3h 20m ascent 279m Knockespen 344m When I woke the air was chilled, the sky dry. The car frozen, and as I loaded it hail was falling. As we arrived at Ae the snow was falling and the … Continue reading

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Skerrow Halt Again

8.4 miles 3h 52 min ascent 93m Stroan Loch to a little way past Skerrow Halt, and back We had been heavy rain in the previous days so my planned walk, which would have included a stroll through boggy terrain, was … Continue reading

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