Wigtownshire Ramblers 14 May 2011
Shalloch on Minnoch
A cold damp and blustery morning saw twelve
intrepid walkers gather at the Kirriereoch car park for today’s walk. Two new
walkers were welcomed to the group. Cath, Thomas, Frances, Jacqui, Leslie, Douglas,
Forbes with Lily, Jim with a visitor, Paul and our leader, Brian, with
Valerie. They both took their cars to
the end of the proposed walk and Brian brought her back.
After
leaving two cars behind, the group now travelled up the Straiton road for a
further six miles for the start of the walk. A few miles north of Waterhead on
Minnoch they parked up in a disused quarry cutting and began to climb. The
going was typical rugged Galloway Hills terrain. Tussocks, heather and bog
meant that progress was steady as they crossed their first obstacle, the
Pilnyark Burn.
Brian had warned us that the first mile would be hard going and he was
right! Trying to make our way upwards
through thick heather in a boggy area was really difficult and it tested all of
us but the terrain did eventually get easier.
It was misty a lot of the time but we kept getting glimpses of the
spectacular surroundings.
Eventually
they reached their first objective, Shalloch. From here they could see Ailsa
Craig to the west and to the north Cornish Loch and Loch Bradan. A number of
small lochans were skirted around.
As they
continued climbing the going became a little easier. Blaeberry and Bog Cotton
were prolific. Bog Cotton - or Cotton grass used to be used in the past for
making candle wicks and also for stuffing pillows. It was also used in wound
dressings during the First World War. Nowadays it's considered commercially
unviable for harvesting.
Now
they were climbing south easterly on the slopes between Caerloch Dhu and the
Pottans. Below them the Rig of the Shalloch was prominent. Cloud cover obscured
all the summits of the 'Awful Hand' range. Arran and Ayr could be seen to the
north and west.
When we got to the top of
Shalloch on Minnoch it started raining more steadily but we sat in the stone
shelter by the trig point and we were was pretty well sheltered with our backs
to the prevailing wind and protected by the wall.
Upon
reaching the trig point (768) and stone shelter on Shalloch on Minnoch,
optimism that the weather was going to improve was soon dashed as the wind and
rain increased. A cold and damp lunch break followed. Despite the conditions,
lots of light hearted banter bolstered morale.
After
lunch they now moved east to the highest point on the Corbett and the highest
point in mainland Ayrshire. (The Isle of Arran is managed by North Ayrshire
Unitary Authority so technically Goat Fell summit is its highest point). When we got
up to go my hands were pretty cold and when we stopped to gaze down from our
steep vantage point on the many lochs I had to stop taking photos as my fingers
were freezing. As we made our way down
the Nick of Cardach we could see Kirriereoch beyond Tarfessock and the Merrick
in the far distance. I would have loved
to have taken more photos as we went down but I had to keep my gloves on and
wrap my fingers around the hand warmer which I had activated at the beginning
of the walk.
At
775 metres high and above the rocky crag known as Maidens Bed the views when
the clouds occasionally cleared were spectacular. Below to the north east were
Lochs Macaterick, Riecawr and Doon, east standing tall was Corserine and to the
south Loch Enoch. Tunskeen bothy, far below, restored in 1965
saw the MBA (Mountain Bothies Association) being formed.
Now
the group made their way to Tarfessock via the Nick of Carclach. The drop in
height took them below the clouds and afforded more views of the surrounding
rugged countryside.
Lochans
and rocky outcrops were passed until they came in sight of the steep slopes of
Balminnoch Brae leading up to Kirriereoch. It was time to begin the descent. There was some discussion about going
on up Kirriereoch but the majority of us preferred to start our decent as the
mist covered its top and the rain was still present, intermittently.
The
descent followed the course of the Cross Burn. For a while the weather worsened
and wind and driving rain were endured.
Stumps are all that remain at the site of the now demolished Cross Burn
bothy. Remembered by a few of today's walkers it was wigwam shaped.
As
the weather cleared and the sun began giving occasional glimpses, the exit to
the forest road was inadvertently missed. The group continued the descent to
where the confluence of the Cross and Kirshinnoch Burns become the Kirriemore
Burn.
An unsuccessful but entertaining attempt to find a
way through the forest resulted in a short retrace of steps back up the Cross
Burn to the Pillow Burn and the forest road.
Brian crossed the burn for an easier
return ascent. It still seemed a long time until we caught sight of Val’s car,
viewed over the stumps and discarded branches of felled trees. When we reached the forest road Lily was
struggling with, she thought, a pulled ligament but it proved to be cramp.
Drivers
were now taken back to the vehicles while the remainder enjoyed the saunter
down the forest road to await their respective lifts. It was a wonderful walk despite the weather. (Too late for drinks and cakes though!)
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