From Meall a Bhainne

I'm not supposed to be on this hill. A last minute change of plan (intentional!) brought me here. Maybe my originally planned hill would have been an equally good viewpoint, but this really is superb.
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Colin's Morning View

Not bad weather for the first day of the Challenge.

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Carn a'Ghobhair and Sgurr Bhuidhe

Having told Mick that today's walk was 10.5 miles over potentially hard-going terrain, he opted out. Understandable that he would want to keep his legs fresh, as his first day of the TGO Challenge, which starts tomorrow, is no stroll in the park. He did, however, get up to drive me a mile down the road, saving me both distance and tarmac-pounding.

It wasn't actually as hard an outing as I had anticipated. A good (engineered) path took me to Loch an Nostarie, then a perfectly obvious, albeit sometimes waterlogged, path took me to Loch Eireagoraidh. With blue skies and excellent air clarity (a good job; I'd not have liked to have done this walk in poor visibility) not only did I have excellent views, but I had the opportunity to study my hills and see if my paper-based plan looked like a good one.

I did nearly go against the plan and go straight up the very steep and craggy S side of Carn a'Ghobhair, but common sense prevailed (helped along by yesterday's ridiculous route decision being so fresh in my mind) causing me to opt for a longer route so as to avoid the worst of the crags.

On nice firm grass I started the real ascent and soon had myself thinking that I was going to be too tired to do both of my planned tops today. It wasn't until I tackled the same slope in descent that I realised that the issue hadn't been one of tiredness, but simply of a severe gradient.

Even more severe was my final pull up to the top. When I first caught sight of the rocky outcrop which houses the summit, I had wondered how I was going to get up it, but on closer inspection there was a line through the crags. Only the tiniest amount of scrambling was required, but I did hope I could find an easier way down.

After a quick chat with Mick to let him know I had made it to the first top, I sought out the easier way off and found nice grassiness which looped me around the top-most crag, back to my ascent route.

Keeping about 50m above the loch, as I made my way to its east end, kept me on firm terrain and it was only when I dropped down to cross the inflow that I hit the type of rough squelchiness I had been expecting for the entirety of this outing. As I was now over half way through, I saw that as a bonus, even though the going remained wet all the way over my next top (and with that special type of top layer which parts company with the subsoil as soon as you step foot on it; it's a miracle I didn't slip over at any point).

From the vantage point of my ascent route up Sgurr Bhuidhe, my first top looked like a big craggy monster of a hill (it was only actually 548m) with unfeasibly steep sides. I'm glad I climbed it before I saw it from that direction!

The top of Sgurr Bhuidhe also looks like a huge lump of rock from some angles, but from my approach there was nice grassy slope to the top. I didn't linger too long there; the wind had picked up bringing with it a wind-chill that numbed my fingers as soon as I removed my mitts.

A slightly circuitous route was taken off the NW side of the hill. Whilst the view from my walk in had suggested some good lines through the crags there, I though the easiest option would be to walk further so as to avoid the bulk of the cragginess and the worst of the steepness. I ended up rejoining the path on which I had walked in about half way between the two lochs.

The easy thing then to do would have been simply to retrace my steps, followed by a road-walk back to Mallaig (where Mick had returned after dropping me off), but I was seduced by a fingerpost reading "Mallaig Circular Walk" and opted for a bit more uphill and lots of mud and squelch, rather than a cruise down a made-path and tarmac. Good decision! It was a nice path which brought me down above the harbour, which looked fine with the blue skies and the Isle of Skye as a back-drop.

It hadn't been sunny the whole time I was out. In fact, when I spoke to Mick from the first hill he forewarned me that rain was heading my way. I could also see the shower he was watching and I thought it was just going to skirt me. To make extra sure it missed, I donned my jacket, and it did the trick. The next shower just missed too, and thus I had a very enjoyable rain-free day.

(10.5 miles, 3000')

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Bidein Bad na h-lolaire, Druim na h-Earba & Sgurr na Dubh-Chreige

After a whole week south of the border here we are, back in Scotland. The main focus of this week is Mallaig, which is from where Mick will start his sixth TGO Challenge on Friday (he’s going solo. I’ve opted out this year), but, as always, I grabbed the opportunity to extend the trip beyond the necessary timescales and a list of nearby Marilyns was duly put together.

After a looooooong drive up yesterday, we woke up this morning in a very wet Glen Nevis (which, based on our experience, is its usual state), which is where Mick, hearing the rain drumming on the roof, opted to stay.

“I’ll be back within 3 hours” I said, as I set out for my first hill, which I had pencilled in as a 4.5 mile outing. I was back within 3 hours too, but only because I positively trotted through the last ten minutes (we had to be off the campsite before noon, and I wanted a shower before we left; the rush wasn’t just to be inside the timeframe I’d given Mick).

It had all started according to plan, but then, based on the terrain, I decided to go a slightly different way. That led to me walking so far around the hill that I started to think that I’d have been better setting out from the Lundavra Road (which had been my original plan, which I ditched because I thought the Glen Nevis approach looked better). Eventually, deciding that if I walked much further then I was never going to be back on time, I struck a straight line up the hill. That was steep! But effective, and only about half an hour later than planned I reached the top.

Then I made a perfectly ridiculous decision as to my route back. No matter how many times before I’ve sworn that I’ll never again try to cut through a forest to a track, that’s exactly what I decided to do. A very, very bad decision, as it turned out (although it did go surprisingly well for the first hundred yards, before I met the tangle of blow downs).

“Bushwhacking” is far too tame a term for the next couple of hundred yards of trying to find my way through young-ish pine trees (two hundred yards which took me over half an hour) and by the time I fully appreciated that what I was doing was a hideous nightmare it would have been as bad to go back as to go forward. However, I did eventually pop out onto the track shaken, filthy and comprehensively prickled by pine needles. An ordeal made worse for the fact that for the last little bit (probably the trickiest bit, which saw me backtrack a few times) I could see someone on the track below the one I was aiming for, watching me. Doing something stupid isn’t so bad if no-one else knows about it (she says, confessing her stupidity online)…

I’d like to think that the lesson has well and truly been learnt now … but I suspect not. (Incidentally, once I did get down and looked back up I could see a route that would have worked – I just couldn’t see it from above). (6 miles, 1800’)

(Post Blog Note, 17 June 2016 (i.e. a year and a bit later): I’m just going through all of my Marilyns to date and adding in map snippets displaying the gpx file that I recorded for each hill. For some reason I can’t find one for Bidein Bad na h-lolaire. Perhaps I deleted it to remove all evidence of my stupidity in this route. More likely, I either forgot to take the GPS with me, or I have misfiled it. Whatever the reason for it being missing, it’s probably best not to share this one. I’d hate to cause anyone else to go the same way. Scrambling down crags in a dense pine plantation is neither big nor clever. Nor is it fun.)

Next up, once I’d regained my composure and my walking partner, was Druim na h-Earba, which by comparison was an absolute breeze. Parking at the viewpoint on the Lundavra road, there was a well trodden (but, today, very wet) path all the way to the magnificent viewpoint which is the summit. At just 1.3 miles (return) with 400’ of ascent, it’s well worth the walk just for the view.

Picking up a few essentials in Fort William (bread, milk, map sheet number 40), off we set along the Mallaig road, swinging off it at Morar to go and park by the loch for our last objective of the day: Sgurr na Dubh-chreige. Another little outing up a little hill, coming in at just 2.25 miles with 700’ of up, but this one stood out as the hill of the day; what spectacular surroundings! It’s a pity that I can’t attach a photo of this landscape of heather and rocky outcrops (I’m hoping I have enough phone signal to send this; I certainly don’t have enough signal for photos).

As for the weather, it didn’t turn out to be as bad as forecast. It was only on the second hill that we got wet (two showers, one as we set out, one as we got back; it was dry at the summit), and it was so warm this morning that I ascended the first hill in my shirtsleeves. However, as I type Colin is rocking away, getting lashed by rain, but it will likely be sunny again in ten minutes.

SUW Day 13 - Blakerstone Moor to Cockburnspath

Sunday 26 April
Distance: 9.5 miles
Weather: wall-to-wall sunshine to start, with fluffy clouds developing later

Incredibly, we woke again to clear blue skies and a frost, which gave us quite a clear indication that we were going to complete this coast-to-coast walk with a cumulative total of under an hour and a half of precipitation.

With only 9 miles to walk, and not needing to reach our destination until lunchtime, we once again proved that the ability to have a leisurely start always causes us to be super-efficient in packing away. Thus, were walking at 7.30.

The first part of the day was what I expected yesterday: farm tracks and fields, but then we crossed over the A1, went down a horrible bit of old road covered with fly-tipping (so much so that we had to walk over it; I shall report it), and entered a some woodland/forest. A very pleasant green path took us through there and by the the time we popped out the other end of the woodland, the sea was only just ahead of us.

A long second breakfast, on a convenient bench in the sunshine, killed some of our excess time, then along the cliff tops we went. I'm not sure who snuck lead into my shoes during that break, but (for me) 'last half-mile syndrome' was in full swing.

Even so, when I spotted the pretty cove (accessed by a tunnel through the cliff) and harbour below us, I was in no doubt that it would be worth descending to it, to call it our official end point of the walk - even though we did then need to walk into Cockburnspath anyway. It was a very pleasing location for the 'end photo' - far more so than the middle of the village.

Per my previous post, in the absence of a cafe, we took advantage of having gas and water to spare by brewing up in the village centre. There we looked back on the last couple of weeks and agreed that it has been a most enjoyable walk, and all the more so for the weather. (As glorious as it has been, it didn't quite match the record held by our Wainwright's C2C in 2008, when we had no rain at all, but I suspect we had more sunshine on this one.)

(It can now rain for a week and a half, but I'm sure about 300 Challengers would be happy if Scotland then saw another two-week sunny spell, like the last fortnight.)

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Makeshift Tea 'Room'

In the absence of a real tea-serving establishment, we're making do at the memorial in the middle of Cockburnspath, whilst waiting for the bus.


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Cockburnspath Harbour

SUW Day 12 - beyond Nun Rig to Blakerstone Moor

Saturday 25 April
Distance: 16.25 miles
Weather: 4 seasons

It rained on and off through the night. I'm not sure how much on and how much off, because I was mainly sleeping, but there were certainly plenty of sizeable puddles around today.

With the rain still pattering down on us as we awoke, an early start wasn't on the cards. The day ahead of us was neither long nor arduous, so we figured we could lounge around until 10 and hope the rain abated.

By 10 the pattering had become so light as to be barely noticeable, and out into the world we went ... to find that the reason for the reduction in the sound of water-on-nylon was because it had turned to snow. Proper snow, too.

So, we packed away and started walking in conditions which we couldn't quite believe. Yesterday morning we set out in t-shirts and vented trousers, and were soon overheating. This morning, with snow in our faces, we were layered up, including every waterproof item (more for warmth than necessary weather protection).

It must have only lasted another 20 minutes after we started walking and by the time we reached the enormous cairns atop Twin Law it wasn't just dry, but we could see blue skies heading slowly in our direction.

I'm sure that last time we walked this way (on our East to West in 2011, I believe) we must have left the SUW before Twin Law, as I recognised neither the cairns, nor did I recall previously having seen Watch Water Reservoir, which is the next notable feature.

Beyond there, by the presence of so many roads shown on the map, I had expected to feel like we were getting back into civilisation, and for the walking to be across farmland (as in lowland fields). In the event, I was pleasantly surprised, as even where we did hit roads there was nothing on them, and there was still rough, open land to be crossed (where hares were plentiful and we even saw two stoats/weasels).

A good pitch could have been had at our originally intended night-stop of Owl Wood, and an even better one could have been had near to the crystal-clear burn on the SW side of Abbey Hill (Outer), but in both cases we decided to continue in order to reduce tomorrow's distance to around 10 miles.

We've ended up beyond Abbey St Bathans, where (in the warm wall-to-wall sunshine that now shone on us) it was tempting to try out the wood-fueled hot-tub we found on the side of the burn, not near any houses. I wonder who uses that?

A few minutes later I deviated from our path to search for a pitch. What I found (which is where we are now pitched) isn't bad at all, but it would be improved by not being 2 feet away from a pylon!

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SUW Day 11 - Galashiels to beyond Nun Rig

Friday 24 April
Distance: 19.75 miles
Weather: clear sunny start, then varying amounts of cloud, finally clouding completely by 5pm and raining by 6.

To my surprise, we stepped out this morning to find yet another warm sunny day. Everyone (including the weatherman) had said the fine spell was to break, and even though the rain wasn't forecast to reach us until evening, I had expected it to be overcast and cooler.

The first task of the day (after another quick dash to the supermarket to pick up cheese (omitted from last night's shopping so it didn't spend the night sweating)) was to get out of Galashiels, and I thought I had a good plan to achieve that*. Not feeling the need to follow the Way into Melrose, having walked through there on a couple of previous occasions, the intention was to take the path which follows the disused railway along the riverside. Unfortunately, what isn't apparent from either my (4-year-old) map or aerial photos is that a new railway line is being constructed along that old railway bed and thus the path is no more.

Heading along a minor road going in the right general direction, we were about to cross the river to take another road on the other side when we spotted a well-trodden path along the riverbank and opted to follow it. The route came good (kinda), but I wouldn't recommend it. The bit where we squeezed along the tiny bit of ground lying between the railway fence and the steep drop to the river was bad enough, but at the top of the next rise we found ourselves in a construction site, complete with heavy plant.

Faced with the prospect of backtracking a mile to the nearest accessible bridge, I voted to continue, apologise and plead for permission to proceed to the road just 50 yards hence. Apologies and pleading were unnecessary. The chap who came out to intercept us merely gave us directions to get off the site and join the new path that proceeds from there. Phew!

The day was pretty uneventful after that start (well, until the teabags incident; that was certainly an event!). Under blue skies we walked predominantly along an old drove road through gently undulating, lush grazing land full of sheep and lambs.

In Lauder we intended to buy scones from the bakery, but somehow walked past without so doing (not that we're in any way short of food) and ended up just with orange juice from the convenience store. Past the castle and onto more undulating green grazing land we then went until at Blythe Water we reached our intended night-stop. It's a location I selected based on prior knowledge of what a good spot it is, having stayed there before.

However, it was only 3pm and, with a need to be in Cockburnspath in time for the 12.44 bus on Sunday, it made sense to go further today, even though we knew we wouldn't find another pitch of anywhere near such quality further on.

Happily, in the tussocky moorland we then entered there sits a rusty iron barn, and next to it is some flat(ish) grass. With the skies behind looking ominously dark, we took it; a good decision, as half an hour later the rain hit.

(*Looking at the map now I wonder why I didn't consider heading N out of Galashiels to take the route to the E of Buckholm Hill, then via Langshaw to take the path which joins the Way by Bluecairn. I'm sure it would have been a more straightforward way out of town.)

(Sorry, no picture today. Completely failed to get the Blackberry out during the day.)

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Picture the Scene

After the best part of 20 miles of walking and with an increasingly cold wind, the tent is pitched and in we crawl. The kettle goes on and out come the mugs. I've declared that we have enough gas left to be extravagant and have two cups of tea apiece tonight - the second will come after we've eaten.

Both food bags are then searched, calmly at first, then frantically. Eventually it has to be concluded that the teabags (a fresh bag of 40) are still in the room of last night's B&B, and there are no more shops before us and the coast.

The kettle has almost boiled and the disappointment in the tent is immense.

The kettle boils and I'm about to pour.

Mick then has a flash of inspiration. He opens up his cook-pot, and there they are - a plump ziplock full of glorious teabags.

Suddenly there are grins and the mood in the tent soars. It's not tealess-tea for the rest of the trip after all :-)


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SUW Day 10 - Blake Muir to Galashiels

Thursday 23 April
Distance: 16.5 miles
Weather: Another clear start, with fluffy clouds building later. Very warm

It was a surprise to look outside this morning and see wall-to-wall sunshine. Having not seen a weather forecast since last Saturday morning, I had convinced myself that the incredible, fine weather would end yesterday. I cannot believe how lucky we are to have enjoyed another day of sunshine.

It was warm again too, which was nice as we could afford ourselves a very leisurely start this morning, in order to be on time for a second-breakfast date in Traquair. It was half an hour later than usual when we got up ... then somehow we managed to be super-efficient and were ready to go by the usual time.
So, we dawdled. What I should have done was switch my phone on; had I done so I would have seen that TVPS (the very same chap who suggested the excellent route east of Moffat to us) had arrived early himself.

A very enjoyable two and a half hours were spent catching up with TVPS over second breakfast and it could so easily have been longer. Eventually, we had to concede with 13.5 miles still ahead of us, and stuff we needed to do once we got to Galashiels, we did need to press on.

Up was the direction out of Traquair, more so than strictly necessary, as this time (unlike the previous two occasions we walked this way) we took the trouble to make the short diversion to the top of Minch Moor - our ninth and final Marilyn of this walk. Up there we found not only fabulous views, but a local couple who had just nipped up there for a picnic during their lunch break. From them I learnt that I've been pronouncing Traquair wrong for years.

Back down to the Way (where we had dropped our bags for the short hop up to the top) we undulated our way along the ridge until the Three Brethren (today's piccie) came into view. It's the third time we've visited these three substantial cairns, and from the third different direction.

Down through the forest, on a path neither of us remembered from 7 years ago, a quantity of height was lost. We weren't done with climbing, however, as there still lay one little lump between us and Galashiels.

Navigating through a town is always trickier than on the open hill, but we only walked past a couple sitting outside of a pub three times in three minutes before we orientated ourselves to find our B&B for the night.

Showers, chores, a (huge!) meal out, shopping, public transport research and the booking of train tickets to get us home then took up the rest of the evening - hence the delay in this post as I chose sleep over tapping away at my keyboard come 10pm last night.

(TVPS - thank you once again for travelling over to meet us - always great to see you.)

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SUW Day 9 - Bell Craig to Blake Muir

Wed 22 April
Distance: 17 miles(ish)
Weather: wall-to-wall sunshine to start, some fluffy clouds building later. Very warm

A cool NW wind accompanied us whilst we walked yesterday and when we pitched we did so according to that wind. By 7.30pm it had switched to E, but it wasn't strong enough to make us move the tent and, in fact, by 9pm it had died completely.

With a completely still, cloud-free night we expected a frost and a condensation-fest. But, no! It was positively balmy and we woke this morning to not a single bead of moisture on Vera.

Very soon after setting off we discovered that, if we had continued to the other side of Bell Craig yesterday, we wouldn't have needed to detour for water at all. A trickle was present there right in our path. Then we discovered that as top-rate as our pitch was last night, there was an even better one on the top of Andrewhinney Hill (first Marilyn of two today).

After gawping at the views and making use of the phone signal for a quarter of an hour, onwards we went along the boundary line to Herman Law, where we left it to descend via Peniestone Knowe. At Pikestone Rig we almost touched the SUW, but having come within feet of it we veered off again to take the path to the west of Peat Hill, which (as we had been advised) gives excellent views over the lochs below.

It was at Tibbie Shiels Inn (where its closed state prevented us from getting the tea and second breakfast about which we had been fantasizing) that we finally rejoined the Way. Obviously we were helped by the most incredible weather, but I would recommend the high level route to anyone walking that way in reasonable weather. It really was a superb walk and there are good places to camp on most of the high points (not so much in the dips, so a sturdy tent or calm conditions would be desirable).

St Mary's Loch, along whose entire length we walked, was pretty indeed, with the still conditions giving a perfect mirror surface.

Not counting the workmen, over whose newly laid tarmac we walked at the end of the loch, the only person we saw out and about today was a mountain biker as we made our way past Dryhope Tower. An information sign there told us that we could get good views from the top of the tower, but it didn't move us to make the small detour to check it out.

A grassy forest track gave a little respite from the heat of the day, and a conveniently placed bench gave our feet another rest, before we burst out onto the side of Deuchar Law.

It was a decent yomp through knee high tussocks to get to the summit and another yomp (including dashing through a bog to try to shake off a lamb which confused us for its mother) to get back to the path. Having omitted a bit of SUW which crosses a stream by virtue of going via Deuchar Law, a little detour was then needed for water, and then we needed a little patch of flat, level grass. The latter proved a little troublesome (and I made quite a meal out of the former too; when will I learn that it's always wise to take both a mug (to act as scoop) and water bottles when going to a water source?) but we found ourselves a suitable place between tussocks in the end, albeit a little further on than we wanted. A little lie-in will be had in the morning accordingly.

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Andrewhinney Hill

8.10am
Mick at the cairn, with Loch Skeen and White Coomb behind. Gorgeous. Mist in valleys to east. Spectacular!


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SUW Day 8 - Moffat to Bell Craig

Tuesday 21 April
Distance: 14.5 miles
Weather: wall-to-wall sunshine

I've mentioned on these pages before a chap known as TVPS, who is a Star of the First Order. He deserves another mention today for having given us some advice and a recommendation which turned today into a truly excellent experience.

The first advice was that there is now a SUW official alternative route going over Gateshaw Rig and Croft Head. As I had intended an out-and-back up the latter (it being a Marilyn), it was welcome news that we could take it in as a traverse.

Following the alternative route in its entirety didn't quite work out as a 'path closed' sign was found at its start point (NT122043), due to blow-downs obstructing the path. As it went there was also a 'no unauthorised persons' sign on the low-level route due to forestry operations, but in the absence of diversion signs we went that way, and took the second track on the left to join the alternative further along. (Incidentally, the bit of forest through which the closed path runs has very recently been felled and as we walked by it looked to us like the alternative path is now clear again.)

Thus we had a very fine high-level walk, rather than a trudge along a forest track.

Descending from Croft Head on the knee-friendly path which has been made down the spur, we then stayed on the Way for less than a mile, before taking TVPS's recommended route.

At the boundary marking our entry into the Scottish Borders we chatted a while to a local chap who was just having his lunch then preceded him up to Capel Fell (2nd Marilyn of the day). We met him and chatted twice more (as we lunched, then as he had another break later on) as we continued along the boundary fence/wall all the way from Capel Fell to where we are now pitched atop Bell Craig.

I don't think I could possibly adequately describe what this walk has been like on this clear-skied day. The views have been incredible and the going underfoot has been superb, mainly on firm grass with just the very occasional mild squelch. The good tread made the climbs seem much easier than they looked (even with heavy packs, after yesterday's resupply), with the exception of Bodesback Law. That one did seem quite a haul, partly because it was the third significant climb of the day, partly because it was just plain steep! Two chaps gave us the excuse for a breather on the top (as if an excuse was needed), as we watched them gear up with their paragliders and prepare to jump. We later saw them soaring well above the summit.

The only logistical issue of taking this route and spending the night on the ridge is that of water. However, it wasn't far to drop off from the dip just before Bell Craig to fetch some - in fact it was no distance at all for me, as Mick volunteered himself for the task (the things he'll do to get more Fitbit steps than me!).

Armed with water our pitch tonight is up there as one of our best ever. Such incredible views in such an attractive area. We're happy campers tonight. And, of course, the rest of the ridge awaits us in the morning :-)

(Today's snap is of the hills we/I walked last November taken from Croft Head. I should have got my phone out to take a few more snaps to share of today's attractions, but my Blackberry lives in my pack and I was too lazy to keep stopping to get it out.)

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Lunchtime view

It's a hard life, having to put up with lunch spots like this on sunny, clear days.


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SUW Day 7 - Lowther Hill to Moffat

Monday 20 April
Distance: 18 miles
Weather: overcast till mid-afternoon, then clearing

Last night's pitch, on the summit of Lowther Hill, was fully exposed to the keen wind, and that wind had a bite to it. Just nipping outside at bedtime to clean my teeth left me with numb hands and eager to dive back inside. Vera, being the sturdy thing she is, stood up just fine, with only the need to re-tension a guy in the early hours, and thus a good night's sleep was had (by me; Mick complained that's the third pitch out of five where he's had a lump or a dip whereas I've had comfortable flatness).

Even after a good rest, I was feeling the effort today and I have to put it down to under-eating and over-exercising yesterday, as I was also ravenous all morning. By elevenses, I reckon I could have eaten the entire contents of my food bag and still had room for pudding. Fortunately, we had a generous lunch today, and I ate more than my fair share.

Jumping back to this morning, as a result of ending up atop Lowther Hill yesterday, we didn't have much ascent left to reach our first Marilyn of the day: Green Lowther Hill, just over a mile from our pitch.
We had left the SUW to reach that hill (in fact, we spent more of today off the route than on it), but the going was simplicity itself: leave the radar station, and follow the service road past a BT mast and on to three further masts atop our objective. There, as we stood at the trig, the low cloud that had allowed us to see nothing on our way there, started to break a little.

It was still a navigation exercise as we left the road and dropped pathlessly down the SE shoulder, where we (correctly) guessed that the tyre tracks in the grass would be useful to us, even if they weren't quite on the right bearing.

It wasn't too long before we did get below the cloud, and having got off the hill we took an impulsive decision not to follow the obvious track to regain the SUW, but to yomp along the Potrenick Burn. It was rough going and sometimes soggy but it cut off some unnecessary distance and ascent so, even with hindsight, I'd go that way again.

We didn't have to deviate far at all for our next Marilyn, as the Way goes over Hods Hill and the highest point was only just over 100m away from the path. What views from up there, albeit including an enormous windfarm.

Into the forest (where the trodden line now weaves its way around the many blow-downs on the Way's original path), we followed the official route until the turn for Brattleburn bothy. There we went not to the bothy, nor straight-on along the SUW, but turned left to take a more direct route, initially along forest tracks, into Moffat (Moffat isn't actually on the SUW, but we had elected to incorporate it for resupply).

A motorway underpass not shown on the 1:50k map, but revealed to me during a tour on Streetview a few weeks back, when I was trying to find a sensible way into Moffat, took us onto a path around the golf course and only a few minutes later I was doing a 'shopping when hungry' thing at the Co-op.

It was then on to the campsite where I feel like I've done an extra mile, partially due to chores, but not helped by the back and forth caused by the builders (snagging, following a complete refurb of the facilities is ongoing) having turned off the hot water to the ladies showers. Perhaps I should have just used the gents whilst I was in there, having not noticed that they'd switched the location of the ladies and gents since we were here in November (an error in the design stage for the refurb, says the warden). It was the presence of urinals that was the giveaway. Ooops!

(Today's piccie was taken from our hungry-enough-to-eat-a-scabby-dog elevenses spot, overlooking Daer Reservoir.)

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Last Night's Pitch

I'm glad I took that photo last night, as we've woken fully enveloped in cloud this morning.

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SUW Day 6 - Chalk Memorial Bothy to the Lowther Hills

Sunday 19 April
Distance: 18.5 miles
Weather: sunny start and end, but heavily overcast middle, with one light shower

Having seen only 2 people out and about over the last two days it made me jump when, before 8am, someone ran up behind me. We had, after all, only just started down a very long dead-end road and we hadn't passed any parked cars, so didn't expect anyone to be about. It turned out to be the woman who lives at the farm at the road end, out for her morning exercise. She slowed and we sped up and thus in company we walked and talked together for over 2 miles, until we turned off the road and she turned to return home.

Of the various things discussed, she asked if we'd been surprised by the bothy last night, based on the picture shown in the guidebook. As I've not seen the guide (and indeed, didn't know the bothy existed until Friday) I had no expectations above what we found, but it seems that originally the bothy boasted running water, a sink, toilet, fire place and furniture. Sadly predictably, the place was abused and the answer was to remove all the facilities. Still, it did the job nicely for us.

Leaving our companion and the road behind, up we climbed, gaining good views of the pretty valley as we went. The effort in that climb kept us nice and warm, even though the day had clouded over. Then we topped out, saw Sanquhar ahead, and started heading downhill - with the wind head-on - and goodness, it was cold! I had to stop to don warmer gloves and a buff. Quite a contrast to the last couple of days.

Not much was open in Sanquhar when we passed through but we only needed the Co-op, and the cafe was an added bonus (moreover as they allowed us to charge our phones whilst we drank tea and made short work of their fine scones). It was quite a while before we walked out the other side of the town.

A couple of miles later on, we lopped a corner off the official route, but this time for good cause: I wanted to go via Green Hill (as it's called on the Marilyn list; the map suggests its called Stood Hill). I had forewarned Mick that the following four miles might be arduous yomping, as we were to follow a single-dotted-line shown on the map. The reality was that although there was no clear path on the ground, the going was very good. The only tiresome feature was the length of time spent with ankles rolling to the side as we contoured a steep hillside for a couple of miles (sheep trods were sometimes pleasantly flat walking, but often not).

The summit was an excellent 360 degree viewpoint on what has been another clear day, then it was down into Wanlockhead, where we searched the cemetary for a tap but found none. A tap would have been handy, as the map said we weren't due to cross any streams for the rest of the day (and hadn't for hours previously either). As it went, the detour for water (gorgeous sparkling clear stuff too) was tiny. It was just a pity to then discover a hole in one of the Platty bottles. Must get my glue and repair tape out later and see if I can patch it back together.

A little trouble was had in finding a pitch, which was a bit worrisome as the wind was blowing enough to want some shelter. We didn't achieve shelter, but did achieve an interesting pitch. I shall post a photo of it in the morning.

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SUW Day 5 - Dalry to Chalk Memorial Bothy

Saturday 18 April
Distance: 17.5 miles
Weather: wall-to-wall sunshine, but cool breeze

The surroundings, path, sunshine and air clarity combined today to make our walk a joy.

We did occasionally wander very slightly off course during the first six miles of the day. Having had, for the last 4 days, a path so well waymarked that it would have been a feat to lose it, we haven't felt the need to navigate. That meant that when a number of markers were lacking today (mainly that the posts across open ground had rotted and fallen over - usually you can clearly see at least one ahead) we just followed a line on the ground. We were always within 100 yards of the correct route - it's just that regaining it when we realised we had strayed required the crossing of a bog each time!

Reaching Stroanpatrick, 7.5 miles in, we knew we were reaching the main event of the day - heading over the ridge containing Manquhill Hill and the arch-sculpture-topped Benbrack.

From up high the views were excellent thanks to the air clarity and from Benbrack (whose arch we had first spotted some distance back), we could see the sister arch on Colt Hill. The latter isn't on route, but as it's a Marilyn that lies just a kilometre each way from our path, it would have been rude not to visit it.

Stashing our bags out of sight in the forest (in case a thief happened by who felt like carrying away two full packs - a smaller-than-miniscule possibility, given we've only seen two people out and about in the last 2 days) it was a remarkably quick (and light!) visit to the top.

A little while later I felt sure that the Waymerk placers would have chosen Allan's Cairn for a kist, but even so I wasn't moved to do the extra distance to go that way. From the map there didn't look to be merit in adding on the extra few hundred yards when we could just head straight down the forest track, so the shortcut was taken.

Before we knew it, the bothy was visible below us - a bothy we wouldn't have known was here had I not picked up a SUW accommodation guide from a box somewhere in the middle of nowhere the other day. I really didn't do any research for this walk, other than the location of shops along the way.

Mick's spent a good while doing housework on arrival. Some Israeli chaps 'kindly' left a whole bag of rice here, complete with a "help yourself" note, at the end of March. Someone since thought it'd be fun to spread the contents liberally around the inside of the building. I wonder if it was the same person who lobbed a rock through the window?

(The photo is today's lunch stop, nicely out of the cold wind, with Benbrack ahead of us.)

(Incidentally, I forgot to mention yesterday that we heard our first cuckoo of the year. Thankfully there has only been the one so far and it didn't follow us for long.)

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From Colt Hill

I don't think this snap is going to do justice to quite how good the air clarity is today.

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