Craignelder

It's Wednesday the 9th of June early afternoon.
I fancy a climb.
This lump is favourite today.I've parked on a forest track just opposite Talnotry on the A712 (Queensway).This is Craignelder at 601 Metres.I'll take the direct route and head up alongside the forest plantation.
The stepping stones don't appear to be much used.

Over the other side I've encountered lots of tussocks.Too many convenient forest roads is the problem.
Mountain bikers are riding the feature known as 'McMoab' over on Kirroughtree's Seven Stanes mountain bike track.
Behind me,I'm soon on a level with Murrays Monument.
There's plenty of rocky outcrops,but also lots of zig zagging sheep tracks I can follow.
The hamlet of Craigdews sits below 'The Types' and the deer range.

Here I get a view of Cairnsmore of Fleet.
Above me now are the craggy outcrops of Wee Gairy,Little Road,Fleshmarket,The Minimarket,the Vegetable Market and Big Gairy.These are very popular with Rock Climbers.John Biggars page has lots of detail and pictures for anyone interested.
Fleshmarket

Still gaining height I get nice views over the Minigaff Hills as well as the Rhinns of Kells to the north east.
Once I'm up on the plateau I come across a number of mini cairns.I guess the biggest is Craignelder summit,though there's not a great deal between them.
Now I'm heading over to Millfore Hill(Not to be confused with Millfore in the Minigaff Hills).I've always wondered why the Knee of Cairnsmore was so called.From this point it's fairly understandable.

No problems identifying Millfore Hill (602 Mtrs) summit. Clatteringshaws is the loch below.
It's blowing a gale up here, and I'm trying out some self portraits with varying backgrounds from Millfore Summit.I've had to mask the resulting pictures.They're just too gruesome.Ha ha
I've found a crack in the rocks to jam the camera into for this picture...
...
and a final one with Cairnsmore behind.

My route down was almost the same as my ascent.The only difference was crossing the Palnure on forest road rather than the stepping stones.

I've no problem with these hills when i can dictate my own pace.

Footnote.
While climbing up the tussocky edge of the forest I stopped to tie a bootlace.Something down a pothole caught my eye,and stretching my arm down i retrieved a wallet.
Inside were credit and debit cards,library tickets,Identity Card,Student Card and money.Since everything apart from the plastic was soaking wet and I couldn't get a phone number. I handed it in to Newton Stewart Police Station.I hope the guy was pleased to get it back.My good deed for the day.