A true Galloway reminder on Shalloch and Tarfessock

Hill: Shalloch on Minnoch, Tarfessock, 
Category: Corbett/Donald
My granny used to say ‘that’s a long way for a shortcut’ and that’s how I felt about today. It was a bit of fun, it was cold and windy, and a find your way home element to finish with a river crossing.

Bells memorial

The proposed three tops route looked like too long a time challenge so I was glad at the start to hear it was not going to include Kirriereoch. Not only because I had 20k and almost 1000m in my legs from yesterday but also it was a grey day with low cloud. And this was not a traditional route from the start.
We were 30 minutes late in starting as one of the group had not arrived but we could wait no longer so off into the grey day we ventured. Phone signal very poor around here. More of the missing person later.

Ruins

Starting from Bells memorial we followed the track from Laglanny and then the burn to the ruins before entering the start of Galloway’s legendary underfoot carpet of wet bog and tussocks, the joys!!

One fire break that did exist

We clambered through a fire break before following the Shalloch Burn to the edge of the forest, with the crags of Rig of the Shalloch on our left. Found a deer track to follow which eased it a bit. I was cursing as I realised my brand new beanie had fallen from my pocket, a gift, not pleased.

Plenty of follow that burn today

At the end of the trees then straight up to point 659 before heading to the Corbett of Shalloch on Minnoch. We were well and truly in the low cloud and the easterly wind was a lot colder than yesterday’s tops.
Suddenly out of the gloom, heading our way, appeared a figure, it was our missing walker. After missing the start point she opted to do a quick up and down of Shalloch from a different location. Quite a chance encounter.
Lunch at Shalloch’s cairn then across the rugged ridge via the Nick of Carclach to the Donald of Tarfessock.

Tarfessock

From here we headed down in the direction of the cars. Great to get out of the clag and start to get some views. Even better to be sheltered from the wind, it was feeling warm.

Spawn

Lots of small pools laden with frogspawn but no frogs spotted today.
Looking south a group could be seen making the descent from Kirriereoch, so not the only people up here today.

Kirriereoch

At the top of our descent ridge we looked over the ground we had to cover. Hearts sank a bit as we could see that the forestry operations had altered the landscape considerably. Indeed the fire breaks we planned to use as per OS maps no longer existed. The GPS mapped route was no good either. The cars looked a long way away. Needless to say the group were not all in agreement re the best way forward, fun times!
We headed to a new forest track and a short walk up it confirmed the fire breaks were no longer there. 
We decided to skirt the edge of the new plantation hoping to find a break in these dense plantations but nope. 

Crossing the Water of Minnoch

Finally we hit a marked track on the map which we could see started taking us away but no choice other than to follow it to it’s end then head for the Water of Minnoch and walk it back up. Thank god for deer tracks which again eased the walking. Of course we were on the wrong side of the Water but by this time it was a case of, I want home, so wading through, wet feet or not.

Of course the clouds are lifting

Finally a walk up the outward track back to the cars where of course we looked to the hills blue skies and clear tops, the joys of hill walking.
A far longer than planned walk but a good example of how the forestry operations can make a big dent in your plans.

Wildlife: Buzzard, Curlew, Raven, Skylark,
Time: 6.37
Ascent: 827m
Distance: 19.6km