Three tops to get one tick.....Tarfessock South Top

Hill: Tarfessock South Top (via Shalloch on Minnoch & Tarfessock)

Type: Donald Top

Height: 610m

The Ayr OiR were out out today for a short up and down of the Corbett Shalloch on Minnoch. This is a straightforward walk but with good weather conditions I decided to join them but go a bit further and knock off the Donald Top of Tarfessock South. My planning for my summer walks had me doing this from the Kirriereoch parking area but although this was a longer walk it was too good to miss to do it today plus I would have company for part of it.

As we geared up at the Stinchar Falls parking area it was great to hear a Cuckoo full on calling. I have had two brief encounters with the bird this year but this was the first full calling experience, sadly still to see one.

Ten of us set off up the usual route to Shalloch, extremely boggy, accompanied by the singing Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, presumably mocking us as well as attracting a mate.

Final ascent to Shalloch summit

The way forward

Plucked male Wheatear

My partners coming up Tarfessock

At the cairn at the top of Shalloch five of the group decided to descend and four sad soles came with me to Tarfessock. A rough pathless descent of about 100m followed by an ascent of circa 50m found us at the top of Tarfessock. A cooler stronger breeze got up but still good viewing over this very rough and rugged landscape.

Spot the south top summit?

The crags mark the spot

Rough ground

Now for the return, Tarfessock first then Shalloch behind it

A brief lunch stop for me, longer for the others, before I went solo to Tarfessock top. Now it was unknown territory and a new section of the Awful Hand for me. From up top I could see the objective but I was surprised by how awkward the descent was. Rough ground, craggy tops to be rounded before reaching a boggy section. A trail of sorts and I was at the small cairn, better than many full Donalds I might add.

I had completed a flat walk of 15 miles yesterday so my legs were a tad weary. As such the albeit short re-ascents of Tarfessock and Shalloch were more intimidating than they should have been.

The shortest, but steepest section back up to Tarfessock was the worst, no path, tussocky ground, rounding crags, aching muscles but then I was there.

4 climbing the slopes of Shalloch

Looking ahead I could see my four companions were about two thirds of the way up Shalloch. I wish I was with them but would I catch up with them?

Clouds about to come down to my level

On the way up Shalloch I kind of lost the track and ended up just hiking straight up the straightforward but steep slopes until I reached the plateau and spotted the cairn further away than I expected but at least the terrain was flat and good going.

Now homeward bound but the descent was much more awkward than the ascent. Maybe because the ascent is slower and you are picking the route more carefully. On the descent I was rocking and rolling all over the place no consistent footing. I seemed to be plunging into boggy patch after boggy patch, it was horrible and very tiring.

At least the cuckoo was still calling, obviously no females around or not interested. At the small waterfalls a red squirrel crossed towards the trees, it was moving slowly. Delighted at my first sighting of the year but I suspect all was not well with it.

A good ramble in fine company, a new hill bagged, what's not to like.

Ascent: 845m

Distance: 17.01

Time: 5.22

Wildlife: Meadow Pipit; Skylark; Wheatear; Cuckoo (heard); Willow Warbler (heard); Red Squirrel (1^st of the year)

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