Final Galloway Sub2k.....Pibble Hill

Hill: Pibble Hill

Type: Sub2k

Height: 383m

Woke up to a rare blue sky day, was meant to be doing something else but this weather opening could not be wasted. As it was a last minute decision a short walk was required. Ferries were still a bit erratic after last two days of stormy weather so a short trip to the Galloway Hills to finish my last of the South Western Sub2k’s.

Lovely drive which took longer as I was going slowly trying hard to avoid the potholes hidden at times by the very low glare of the morning sun.

Made it and parked up on the obvious grassy area on the Corse of Slakes Road close to the maintenance road for the masts on Cambret Hill. 

On stepping out of the car I was met by a bitterly cold wind, wow not used to this. Hat and jacket on immediately and gloves donned at start of walk, long time since I did that. From the car I had a clear view of where I was heading over rugged and barren Glenquicken Moor. I suspected a small hill that I could see in the distance, slightly right and behind the main ones had a point on it, was that Pibble?

Although this is a short ramble I had always chosen something else over it due to its reputation as being a moorland bog fest. The reality? Well in parts it definitely was but considering the amount of rain we have had recently it was was much better than expected.

Typical pathless D&G moorland

View over barren ground Gatehouse about 4 miles thataway

Ahead lay a sprawling typical D&G moorland. From the car there was a faint ATV track that I could see so started with it which disappeared just as quickly. These were proper foot rolling tussocks but on the out ramble I picked my way quite well using on off ATV tracks and water tracks which at least gave flatter non ankle rolling walking. Don t expect to go in a straight line just meander as your eye sees best.

Keep the wall on the left

Cairnsmore of Fleet in background

Any ascents are gentle I just kept heading to the higher ground looking for harder surfaces. They were there but higher up more defined ATV tracks could be followed for longer but surprisingly these were also the wettest bits.

I reached the ‘high’ ridge where to be fair the wind was stronger and cooler. But the views were good particularly over Cairnsmore of Fleet.

Very little wildlife so far a solitary meadow pipit and solitary raven.

Final humps and tumps

The hill I could see from the car was very close and it did indeed have a pointed stone cairn, an easy 55 minutes from the car. The stone is a thin whinstone with a larger example alongside some flat stones in the woods. This area has many historical sites and this could well be another one.

View to Cairnsmore of Fleet and mine over that wall

View north

View south

Zoomed in and Lake District hills at top

As I said earlier the views over Fleet excellent, viewing south the rugged moorland dominates and the Lake District hills are just obvious in the haze.

As I stood at the summit looking northwest there is an abandoned copper/lead mine on the slopes on your left, not visible from here. You can go up a track from Creetown to this historically important mine worth a short read Pibble Mine - Northern Mine Research Society (nmrs.org.uk)

Return route masts just seen on Cambret on the left. No snaps after this due to low sun and glare

Returned the same way along the upper level with the masts on Cambret Hill a straightforward navigational guide.

After that I was aware that I was varying my route slightly and although not far away from the ascent this section was much wetter and harder to pick a line in the tussocks so just aimed for the car. One plus was springing a snipe zig zagging away with its unmistakable weird call.

So a gentle ramble to finish my SW Sub2k’s. These are hills that get sparse visitors and all the better for it. Very pleased I did it today with the blue skies and the long distance views.

Ascent: 206m

Distance: 5k

Time: 1.45

Wildlife: Snipe; Raven; Meadow Pipit