Wigtownshire Ramblers Fell of Eschoncan and Bennan July 2014

Saturday the 12th of July

I did not go on this walk. After returning quite exhausted from our easy coastal walk, I took myself off to the doctors. I'm awaiting blood test results, but my doctor thinks I may just be suffering from a seasonal malady. I don't feel particularly ill, but I'm tiring too easily at the moment. However I'm remaining quite active, but nothing too strenuous. I'm writing this after a pleasant afternoon at Bladnoch Park and the Wigtown Agricultural Society’s Social Sunday , a blog post of horses and lorries will follow sometime soon.

Saturday's walk leader was the Milkmaid and her report is below.

Two pictures taken on an I-Phone are the only imagery of the day.

I see from the pictures that apart from the Milkmaid and patḗr, the other walkers were some of our newer recruits. My feasible (not feeble !) excuse is above, maybe I've passed the bug on to everyone else ? 

Up through the bracken on Eschoncan slopes.

The intrepid walkers. 

I'd make a guess (though I might be wrong) that the photographer was an all weather walker. 

The pictures were taken on an Apple IPhone 5 and that would Shorty.
So I got that wrong, the I-Phone was the Milkmaids, but the photographer was a regular.

Here's the Milkmaid's report.

Wigtownshire RamblersFell of Eschoncan and Bennan

Saturday morning dawned with mist and drizzle, not a great start for a day in the hills. Understandingly most of the ramblers opted out of the days walk. Only seven walkers met at Bruce’s stone for an 8 mile trek up the fell of Eschoncan and the Bennan. By 10am the rain had stopped.
Setting off from the car park, the walkers climbed steeply upwards, along a barely discernible path, through shoulder high bracken. Once above the bracken line, golden spires of bog asphodel and dainty yellow tormentil dominated the vegetation. The shrill cry of peregrine falcons pierced the quiet morning and the outline of four birds swooping above the hill top delighted the party.
The steep climb was eventually rewarded with stunning views of the mist swirling up the valleys and over the tops of the surrounding hills. Light filtered through the clouds, saturated the colours of the flora, and created a claustrophobic sensation with Buchan hill seeming near enough to touch.
Breath regained, the ramblers crossed the top of the Fell of Eschoncan towards the forest road where newly erected deer fencing encircled the perimeter of the lower slopes of the Bennan. The route taken followed the new fence line along the forest road to the left, around the Bennan, going downhill at first, and after taking a sharp right hand fork in the road, steeply uphill towards the radio communications mast. Leaving the road, a grass track led to a concrete base under metal frame work where an old fuel tank may once have stood. Here the group ascended the final slope of the hill. Machinery in the buildings on the summit could be heard but the mast remained shrouded in clouds, only being revealed when the top was reached.
A sheltered spot was chosen for lunch to shield walkers from the cold breeze. Views remained elusive until a break in the fog momentarily unveiled the strange rock formations on the ridge of the Bennan.
Refreshed, the group now plunged into the mists, past small lochans and avoiding the rocks. Once a little height had been lost visibility returned and the hill was easily traversed. Small white flags, perhaps placed as part of a recent military exercise, marked the way.  Descending steeply by a stand of conifer, the forest road was reached. This was followed towards Culsharg bothy where the Merrick path along the Buchan burn led towards the car park Bruce’s Stone. Once the walkers were seated in their cars the rain, which had threatened all day, began in earnest.
Next week’s walk, Saturday 19th July, is a 6 mile C grade walk from Port Logan to Damnaglaur. Meet for car sharing at the Riverside, Newton Stewart at 9.00am and the Breastworks, Stranraer, at 9.30am, or the start of the walk (NX 094 404) Port Logan at 10am. New members are always welcome but must contact the walk leader on 01776 840636.