Author Topic: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20  (Read 4407 times)

April

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9687
TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« on: 19:36:12, 02/09/20 »
We packed our gear away pleased there was a bit of a wind to keep the midges at bay. First stop was the summit of Craiglee and it took ages to get there, all ups and downs and zig zagging through crags and bogs.

On Craiglee summit


Merrick and Craignaw from Craiglee


Loch Trool from Craiglee


We retraced our steps north westward to get off the summit although we had seen a trod leading south off the summit. We wanted to see Sound Clint, a rock face that climbers come to climb and we thought there may be a trod or two leading to the Southern Upland Way that we were using to get back to Loch Trool and the car.

Benyellary and Merrick from the slopes of Craiglee


Sound Clint


We didn't see a trod at first, the ground had been churned up by hoof prints that we thought must have been from the goats. The terrain was even worse here than the two days previous. Very long grass, very uneven ground made worse by big holes ready to break an ankle and every step was a cautious one. We were both cursing after half an hour, every time we almost fell over or slipped.

A cow and calf on the descent


Right not goat hooves, cow hooves! The trod we'd followed here and there, not that it was great, was leading to this cow and we weren't sure how many there might be so we left the trod and headed right, away from the cow, always cautious when we have Squeaky with us where cows are concerned.

On the way through the very rough terrain


I can only describe this route as pure torture. I'd seen a few others had done this hill online so I didn't think it would be quite this bad underfoot.

A look back at Craiglee


We spotted a trod ahead that was coming from the Round Loch of Glenhead. We made for that and followed it for a while before that petered out. We then spotted a quad bike track and we used this for easier progress. We were getting closer to the Southern Upland Way now. We spotted cows to the right of us as we reached another track. Now this was the old route the Southern Upland Way used to take, to and from Glenhead, we wanted the new route further south. It meant more pathless walking through more rough terrain.

The last sting in the tail before we reached the track on the Southern Upland Way


This was typical of most of the route, the long grass hiding holes and uneven ground. A check online back home and a few of the reports of people doing this hill were in spring or winter when the grass would be much shorter so perhaps not quite as horrendous.

A look back at our route from Craiglee


Now on the banned list, of course  :D

On the way back to Loch Trool


What bliss to walk on a track, easy walking! We stopped for some lunch when we reached a water source for a brew and had a well earned rest. It had taken 3 hours to walk 3km  :o

Waterfalls on Sheil Burn


On the Southern Upland Way


This was a lovely way to finish the weekend, easy walking with very nice scenery.

Looking back along the Southern Upland Way


Falls on the Gairland Burn


Day 3 was Pitch on Craiglee - Craiglee summit - Sound Clint - Southern Upland Way - Glenhead - Buchan Bridge - car park. 5.1 miles and 152m ascent and 546m descent. All of the walks had felt like triple the distance due the tough terrain. It will be an easier walk this weekend! Midge bite count - Beefy - 0, me - 15  ;D

Day 3 route map
Hate will never win

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12713
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #1 on: 19:51:58, 02/09/20 »
More great photos of lovely wild country, but it sounds as if you had a bit of a tough time!
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

April

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9687
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #2 on: 19:57:47, 02/09/20 »
More great photos of lovely wild country, but it sounds as if you had a bit of a tough time!

It is wonderful here but very hard going underfoot  :)
Hate will never win

beefy

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3688
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #3 on: 20:19:26, 02/09/20 »
Burn the map ;D
Lovely tr of a fab weekend of fun and shenanigans O0
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

pleb

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5763
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #4 on: 20:26:54, 02/09/20 »
Burn the map ;D
Lovely tr of a fab weekend of fun and shenanigans O0
Why whats wrong with the map? Looks great country  O0
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

Ridge

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9691
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #5 on: 20:41:32, 02/09/20 »
Lovely pics but looks a bit rough under foot.

vizzavona

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 602
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #6 on: 08:11:00, 03/09/20 »
Not the only ones to have tough times in this area. :)  Our first visit to here was several decades ago when we headed out to Merrick from Trool on a December day.  The frozen surface, I guess, made it easier to get through the rough vegetation.  After Merrick we had a difficult passage with snow beginning to fall to get to the Tunskeen Bothy for an overnight. Clearer next morning to get over a few smaller rough hills to reach the van and leave the area.
On a return to the area in more recent times....different time of the year....wet, midges and a difficult fight through forest plantations to finally get onto the open slopes of Shalloch on Minnoch another tough day out.

April

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9687
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #7 on: 08:32:23, 03/09/20 »
Burn the map ;D


 ;D


Why whats wrong with the map? Looks great country  O0


You are invited for take 2  :D


Lovely pics but looks a bit rough under foot.


It trumps even the roughest paths in the Lake District


Not the only ones to have tough times in this area. :)   


It is a lovely area despite the rough going, we will go back again. Once our legs have recovered.  :)
Hate will never win

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12713
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #8 on: 11:55:45, 03/09/20 »
It trumps even the roughest paths in the Lake District


Looks rather similar in some respects to the wonderful rough country to the north of the Roman Steps in the Rhinogs - crag, rock pavement, bog, heather, boulders, repeat. :D
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Dovegirl

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2588
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #9 on: 13:02:57, 03/09/20 »
Great photos from the three days April  -  fabulous views    :)   It must have been quite an adventure




Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #10 on: 22:43:04, 03/09/20 »
Well I feel tired and achey just reading those trip reports!


What a smashing 3 days you had - and with better weather than round me too  O0

April

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9687
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #11 on: 07:04:42, 04/09/20 »
Looks rather similar in some respects to the wonderful rough country to the north of the Roman Steps in the Rhinogs - crag, rock pavement, bog, heather, boulders, repeat. :D


 ;D  Don't forget, long grass, big holes, cow-hoof churned up ground and tussocks  ;)


It must have been quite an adventure


It did have an adventurous feel about the weekend, we never knew what we were going to get  :)


Well I feel tired and achey just reading those trip reports!


 ;D  When we got home we struggled to get out of the car, Squeaky included  :)
Hate will never win

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12713
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #12 on: 18:44:11, 05/09/20 »
;D  Don't forget, long grass, big holes, cow-hoof churned up ground and tussocks  ;)


Nothing is quite so tiresome as tussocky grass.


PS - have you visited the Rhinogs, April? I'm sure that you would like them. Wonderful rough country.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

April

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9687
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #13 on: 17:57:18, 06/09/20 »
PS - have you visited the Rhinogs, April? I'm sure that you would like them. Wonderful rough country.


No, I haven't been there, only one trip so far to Snowdonia and that was further north to do Snowdon and Tryfan.
Hate will never win

henryb

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1683
Re: TR Galloway Forest Park Day 3 Mon 31 Aug 20
« Reply #14 on: 19:44:26, 06/09/20 »
Three great reports and photos April, I also love finishing on a track after marshy terrain, I had the same experience in Mayo O0  The Merrick is high on my to do list. O0

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy