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-The Merrick-March 2011

It's Saturday the 5th of March.
Today's walk is to the summit of South West Scotland's highest hill,the Merrick.
Stepping in to lead her fourth walk in succession is the stalwart of our group so far this year,it is of course the 'Weaver'.
As I did last week,I'll again use her report where applicable on this post.(She draws better pictures than I do)
There won't be spectacular views today since for most of the walk we were in the mist.(Only a couple of Gorillas)

Ramblers’ report Saturday March  5^th 2011

Saturday produced a drizzly morning with mist hanging around the tops of the hills when fifteen ramblers gathered to climb the Merrick .

Leaving the cars by Bruce’s Stone, an inscribed boulder overlooking Loch Trool, commemorating Bruce’s victory over the English here in 1314, the company followed the tourist path up the side of the Buchan Burn.


The burn displayed its usual picturesque bubbly character, bouncing and swirling over rocks and gurgling through pools, a pretty accompaniment to the dreary weather, and rough path. Once gaining the trees the path improved and a pleasant walk to Culsharg Bothy ensued, though now the mist approached and visibility was reduced.

A stop was made at the bothy, once a shepherd’s cottage, to examine a carved boulder which was rescued from the nearby burn and incorporated into a rock pillar in 1983, after being damaged by storms some years earlier. The carving, which was made around 1870, is difficult to make out.

Logging has cleared the area above Culsharg and is still an ongoing operation, with the forestry machines in much evidence.  Here the climb up the steep path, between the remaining trees, began in earnest.

Once above the trees the mist closed in, so that although the new path was clear, a delightful change from the boggy expanse that had to be crossed only a few years ago, there were no views of the hills to be had.

As the ramblers walked blindly on it was therefore a surprise to reach the top of Benyellary seemingly quickly, perhaps because the heights yet to be climbed on this stage of the walk could not be seen, and thus not demoralising those who were finding the gradient taxing.

After lunch by the cairn it was a straightforward walk across the Neive of the Spit, with a bitter cold air penetrating the fingers, and onto the top of the hill where the air became much warmer.

Quite a few walkers were met along the way, with the top cairn shelter already occupied.

Unfortunately the spectacular views to be seen from the summit were missing, but the effort of gaining the top, 843 metres high, was declared to be worthwhile, especially by the three ramblers for whom this was the first time.

Trig Point,Flush Bracket and Lucky Money

Scoop organises the photo shoot.

Leaving the Ordinance survey triangulation point, which displayed a flush bracket to the delight of the collector, the Black Gairy on the north face of the hill was viewed. Here there was a thick cornice of snow glimmering through the mist. This is a favourite place for the ice climbers of Galloway to practice their sport.
The top of the Merrick is hundreds of acres of rough grass, and for a place of such high rainfall, it was very dry, with just one large patch of snow still lying.

The flat top and the path down to Culsharg were uneventfully followed, with the mist still enclosing the ramblers almost until the forest road was reached once more.

A welcome stop for refreshments was taken at Culsharg with some views of the lower hills, though the mist remained on the tops.  It was here that many of the walkers, such as McBain, who first described exploring these hills at the end of the nineteenth century, had comfortable lodgings with the shepherd, his wife and sister. It now seems rather a lot of people to fit into this small cottage.

Only a comparatively short walk from here remained, back down beside the Buchan Burn, to regain the cars. Despite the mist and drizzle the ramblers had once more had a enjoyable walk in congenial company.

Thanks to Scoop for the additional pictures,they're excellent.

 A nice end to the walk was this friendly Robin (It's the same one twice) tapping us up for food.

He got some too.

As the Weaver says above,it was an enjoyable walk in great company.

A Frosty Sunday Walk

It's Sunday the 3rd of January 2009.A good nights sleep,and i'm up early.I decide to accompany a small group of walkers including ramblers, that often walk on a Sunday.I've always turned down the invites i've had for these walks, having heard how strenuous and unpredictable they can be.
It's a beautiful frosty morning as the sun comes up,with the moon still high in the sky.


Waiting in the Riverside Car Park for the others i take a few pictures of the Cree.The volume of water is well down,and if the present freeze continues i've a vision of walking across.

With the A714 still having a lot of ice,it's a very steady drive that gets us to Stroan Bridge at Glentrool where we'll start walking.
We number seven,and are soon on the way.We retrace the trail we took last Saturday.There's a lot more icicles around the Spout Head Waterfall this week.

With clear views across to Larg,Lamachan and Curleywee,we descend to follow the main tarmac road to Bruces Stone.There's very little tarmac showing,it's more like an ice sheet,but we eventually reach Bruces Stone.

As this friendly Robin keeps us company,our walk leader outlines the next section of the walk.
We'll walk up the Buchan Burn to gain some height before crossing over onto the Buchan Ridge.
The burn is a patchwork of ice and snow as we head upwards.
A particularly scenic spot is chosen for the lunch stop.
A desecending skier says he's had an enjoyable day.
Back on the move,and the burn takes on an arctic look in places.
Now we approach the bothy at Culsharg,with Benyellery behind.
Our walk leader surveys the land across to the back of the Buchan Ridge,and decides it's probably too rough a terrain.We'll head up Benyellery,and leave it to each individual how far he climbs,since we'll descend on the same path.We're about seven miles out from our start point now.
Passing Culsharg we emerge through the trees on the lower slopes of Benyellery.There's a few ski trails visible.
The snow's very deep in parts,and somehow we've lost the trail.It's only about fifty yards to our left and is regained by a trudge through deep and uneven snow.Unflattering pictures of ladies waist deep and falling over will remain off this blog as long as they don't cross me.Hehe!
I think i can say without contradiction that i'm the heaviest member of this group,and I'm finding it a struggle on this incline and the deep footholes.I've a strong feeling that i'll fail to reach the summit.
Reaching the drystane dyke that leads to the summit,i stop for a drink.I've decided i'm going no further,and inform the rest i'll begin heading down after a break.
I know i could have carried on,but would i have got back to Stroan Bridge.I know my limitations,and after admiring the views over to Ailsa Craig,Arran and beyond,and watching the rest continuing the slow climb to the summit i started heading down.
The sun's low in the sky as i descend.Passing Culsharg,i thought about stopping in the bothy till they arrived back here.On second thoughts i continued on in the belief they wouldn't be far behind.It's almost dusk as i reach the Buchan burn,so i'm taking it really carefully on the slippery slopes.
The sun's well down as i reach Bruces Stone and Loch Trool.
Now comes the long slippery road back to Stroan Bridge.As night falls the stars come out in their multitudes.I keep glancing upwards and watching for any activity.Being such a clear night,any aircraft are instantly noticable.
Finally back at Stroan Bridge,i await the return of the others.I see three shooting stars in the twenty minutes it takes(It's easy to see how we achieved Dark Sky Status).
The first person i see,is a young man from Gatehouse who'd spent the night atop the hills(I was in HM Forces,40+ years ago when i last did that).He tells me the others aren't far behind,they'd asked him to look out for me.
The rest of the group are pleased to see i'm back.
It's another hard frost tonight,and once the vehicle windscreens are de-iced we say our goodbyes and head home.The car i'm in registers a temperature outside of -8 degrees.
Today was probably a bit more than this body can handle.The walk out was ok.It was the long walk home that was the OD.
A stone less in weight is what i'm striving for,but it's taking a long time.
Today though,scenic wise, was absolutely brilliant.