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.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Drigmorn Millfore Loups of Laggan June 2013

It's Saturday June the 1st.

I was in two minds to go walking today since I've not been sleeping much the last couple of nights.

Anyway, I decided to go along and take my car to the start myself in case I'd need to abandon the walk.

We're a group of eleven today, nine ramblers and two guest walkers. Shorty is today's leader and his report will follow. Crusty is today's back up and the guest walkers are his son and a friend.

This walk is a variation of one we did in 2009

2009 Walk

We park up at Auchinleck by the Penkiln and head along the forest track towards Drigmorn.

We cross the ford at the Green burn. A short way downstream the Green burn joins the Pulnee burn to form the Pulbae burn which eventually flows into the Penkiln.

After a short stop at Drigmorn Farm we continue on.

Drigmorn has quite a history. It was apparently once occupied by the family of Alexander Murray the eminent philologist. In Chambers's Edinburgh Journal of Saturday the 18th of February 1832 he wrote an article entitled 'Biographic Sketches' in which he mentions returning to Drigmorn.

It was also the home in the 1940's to a mentally handicapped young lady by the name of  Ina Chesney who's lifestyle inspired a poem and a painting.

Is this the remnant of military manoeuvres ?

We continue upward..............

...............time for a sweetie break

As can be seen from this picture, I'm at the back.

There's a fine view back to Wigtown Bay.

It was around now I decided I wasn't going to make it on this walk. I told Shorty I was going to just take my time up to the top of Drigmorn and probably return the same way. They then headed off and I took my time climbing.

Imagine my surprise then when ten minutes later I saw the group below me.

They'd taken time out at a viewpoint...................

....................where pictures had been posed for.

I decided I'd rejoin the group.

The top of Drigmorn having been reached we pass the interestingly named lochan Fuffock

Ahead of us is the lower of Millfore's two summits

It's a hard pull.............

............but I make it and even have the energy to take a picture

Our next target now is the White Lochan of Drigmorn just about visible in the above picture.

Today's walk requires a lot of down and up. I'm OK with the down, it's always the up that bothers me.

Behind us there's some folk just arrived on Millfore

White Lochan of Drigmorn.

Lunch time. I get a seven timer skimming.

Though not photographed today the stone building now in ruins was the store for curling stones when this was a curling pond. It was apparently built by soldiers stationed close by during the Crimean War

Back on the move with great views of Loch Dee

The ford at the Loup of the Laggan

We now make our way up towards the Nick of  Curleywee......

.................and onto Bennan Hill

the weather turned sour

I reckon this photograph would win a competition. It's title would be ' Sorry about the weather, but have a sweetie, it might help'

I was now wishing I hadn't caught them up on Drigmorn.

After more undulations we eventually drop down to the forest track below Black Benwee hill.

It's a couple of miles back to the cars.

In the end I'm very happy I persevered. 

Thanks Shorty.

No scones today though it's a late finish.

Shorty's report will appear here.

Wigtownshire Ramblers – Saturday 1 June 2013 – Auchinleck Circular

 Eleven ramblers met at the Auchinleck Bridge in the upper reaches of the Penkiln valley above Minnigaff.  It was a lovely spring day with warm sunshine and white puffy clouds but more like early April than the first of June.  The group set off cheerfully up the road past Auchinleck House and soon reached the ford below Drigmorn Farm.  They were interested to learn that at one time this had been the home of Alexander Murray, now mostly remembered due to the monument on the New Galloway Road.

They crossed the ford in the Green Burn, which fortunately was only trickling down the valley.  The alternative bridge could only be reached through brambles and a barbed wire fence.  After a brief look at the house which had been occupied until 10 or 15 years ago and had no power, telephone or running water, they started the climb across the moor towards Drigmorn Hill.  The route zig zagged up the slope following the harder ground and a route used by the farmer on his quad bike.  The slopes soon steepened and serious climbing began and the ramblers puffed their way to the summit of Drigmorn Hill.  A brief pause ensued to regain their breath and admire the views back down the valley to Wigtown Bay and upwards to the grand circle of the Minnigaff Hills.  The south-western summit of Millfore rose before them across a shallow col.  The route lead past the small dark waters of Fuffock Loch and then up the slopes towards the summit.

On reaching the high point excellent views to the east and north opened up.  Hills as far as Screel Hill at Castle Douglas and Criffel on the Nith were visible in the distance.  The corner of White Lochan of Drigmorn, the target for the lunch stop, could be seen peeping between the lower hillocks.  A steep descent along the tops of the cliffs of the Red Gairy followed by an undulating route took them towards the Lochan.  Looking back they caught sight of another group of walkers ascending the main summit of Millfore.  A cheery wave and the parties continued on their separate ways.

Lunch was taken in the lee of the steep slopes around the White Lochan with views towards the Rhins of Kells range.  The water was mirror calm only disturbed by the passage of small vortices of wind and the occasional pond skater.  The lochan was once used as a curling pond and the remnants of a small stone building must have acted as a store for their equipment.  A long walk in before enjoying their sport.

After lunch the ramblers climbed over a small ridge and then descended steeply towards the Black Loch and the Loup of Laggan.  Here they crossed the old drovers’ road which traversed the hills from Minnigaff towards White Laggan and Loch Dee.  A short, steep climb and the group reached the small lochans at Five Pound Well where they turned south towards Bennan Hill.  The clouds were now sweeping in from the west and waterproofs were hurriedly donned.  A short sharp shower ensued followed by a period of drizzly rain.  The group continued southwards following deer tracks and rough heather over White Benwee and Stronbae Hill.  They then turned down the slope, again following quad bike tracks which lead them to an ATV track through the recently replanted forest.  The sun had emerged again and the ramblers walked cheerfully down the track to the forest road.

As they descended the forest road they looked back across the Pulnee Burn to see the steep outward route and Drigmorn Farmhouse.  They were concerned to note that a number of the larch trees were apparently dead, both along the road and in the younger plantations across the burn.  Further down the road a few large larches had been painted with a “?”.  It was hoped that this was not a further spread of the Phytophthera ramorum disease as it would be a pity to lose this attractive tree from our forests.

The walkers then followed the roads across the Penkiln Burn and back to their cars; a tired but happy group.

Next week’s walk will be on a new route across the Rhinns from Lochans to Dunskey.  Meet at the Riverside Car Park in Newton Stewart at 09:00 or the Breastworks Car Park in Stranraer at 09:30 to share transport.  The walk will start from the Lochans Hall at 10:00. (NX 068 567)  If going direct to the start please contact the walk leader to check arrangements.  New walkers are always welcome but please contact the walk leader for further information on 01776 860315. 

Members going to Gordon’s Barbecue are reminded that contributions are now due.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Bennan

Saturday the 17th May 2008.Todays walk is on the programme as forest trails.I've had a painful click in my left knee since yesterday.I hope it doesn't become a problem.
We're starting from the Glentrool visitors centre at Stroan Bridge.There are fifteen walkers today.Almost all are regular walkers that i've come to know.

Once we're assembled as a group,our walk leader informs us we're heading to the summit of Bennan.We're soon heading off,hoping to keep up a reasonable pace.The visitors centre stops serving refreshments at 4.15 and a number of ramblers want to be back before it closes.

Bennan at 562 mtrs sits under Benyellery 719 mtrs in a line with the Merrick 843 mtrs.A radio mast is perched on the summit.

As usual there are plenty of photocalls.Who's that hiding behind the tall chap?

We're soon gaining height with views to the south of Lammachan....

...and north west below us is Palgowan Farm.

It's a long gradual climb and everything behind to the west comes into view.

The track does a steady climbing arc around Bennan,and we can see people heading upwards towards Benyellary.


We've been walking about two and a quarter hours as we near the summit.As with a lot of the Galloway hills,there are small lochans at this height.

Now at the summit and a welcome break.It's a lot colder up here,and everyone is now well wrapped up.My knee hasn't got any worse.I'm sure i'll be ok now.

Even the dullness doesn't stop the views.Here we can see over to the Artfield Fell wind farm...

...and here over to Ailsa Craig with the Mull of Kintyre beyond.

Refreshed and wrapped we set off on the return leg.We're heading down one of the steeper slopes of Bennan.

We descend between rocky outcrops and more lochans.Bowl like depressions in one of the rocks.What made these?

This is the most scenic part of the walk.To the north east is Benyellary and a mist shrouded Merrick.

To the south west we can see the Mull of Galloway,and in front of us the hills that encircle Glentrool.

Single file for a safer descent...

...and watching where you put your feet makes for a steady climb down.

We're too soon back onto the main track where forestry operations have been taking place.It's suggested that these odd thin trees have been left up because they didn't meet the required girth.Sounds like a plausible explanation to me.

Not far now.Wait for me!
A few hundred yards from the finish and a pedometer reads 9.2 miles.
I joined a few other walkers for a very welcome cup of tea at the visitors centre.My knee has sorted itself out.All in all a very good walk in excellent company.