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-Fell of Eschoncan

Saturday the 6th of December.Todays walk starts from Bruce's Stone car park,going over the Fell of Eschoncan (pronounced E-scon-shan)We meet up at Stroan Bridge,head on through to Caldons where we leave a couple of cars for driver ferrying at the end of the walk,then up to Bruce's Stone.
(N.B There'll be quite a few collages in todays blog.Google's photo editing programme Picasa have upgraded their software which now includes a more superior collage maker than they previously had.These collages can be left at high resolution or edited.I'm experimenting here.Perhaps i'll go back to single images.I'll see how it looks.)

There are 21 walkers including a new walker from Castle Douglas today.We start the steep climb up to the Nick of the Gully.Having had a head cold earlier this week,i'm not sure how i'll cope.The cars below in this picture show the severity of the slope.I'm using two climbing poles today,but quite a number of walkers don't have any.How do they do it?

High enough now to get a beautiful view back down to Bruce's Stone and Loch Trool,trouble is the sun is in a position which isn't conducive to good photography.The car park is getting smaller.

Still climbing the views are opening up.this view is over to the Glenhead Burn,Buchan and the Rig of the Jarkness.

As the gazelles up ahead get further in front,i'm kind of pleased since i'm not last today.

Now Benyellery and the Merrick come into view.Snow on the peaks make them very picturesque.

Now the hard climbing's over and a break's taken to enjoy the view.

A frosty clear day always seems to give more clarity to my pictures.After reaching the small pile of stones on the Fell,and photocalls,we continue in a northerly direction till we reach the forest road beneath Bennan.

This road will take us all the way to the vistors centre at Stroan Bridge.The track here,is one of the few stretches ice free.

An open area in the sunshine above Pulnagashel Glen is a lovely spot for lunch.

While some ramblers just ate,drank and enjoyed the setting,others put the world to right.While not taking pictures i felt at one with nature,and at peace with the world.

All too soon we're back on the move and treading carefully.(N.B. I've reduced this picture to 1600 x 960,and it still retains clarity)

It's all downhill till we get to the Glentrool Visitors Centre at Stroan Bridge.It's closed for the winter.

There's a good flow on the Water of Minnoch.We follow the river path south to where the Water of Trool joins.

Now on the Water of Trool,the path follows the river in an E.Nor.E direction.

The access and exits on the footbridges are particularly slippy,so extreme caution is exercised.Considering track and path conditions,tumbles have been relatively rare today.There's been no major injuries,but one or two unsteady moments always happening too quickly for the camera.

Along here are some unmissable reflections on the water.I disturbed something at the waters edge at one point.I wonder if it was an otter?

The Water of Trool path was the last section of the walk,and we're back at Caldons car park.The end of the walk.Only the ferrying of car drivers back to Bruce's Stone car park left.
An excellent and very scenic walk today.