Category: Corbett
Height: 775m
It is the month of May and were we in shorts and sun cream on our walk today? Not exactly. The winter outdoor gear is still in use, heavy merino base layer, lined trousers and waterproofs. What did the weather give us? Well how about rain; sleet; freezing cloud; glimpses of fantastic views and heat back down below, yes the month of May in Scotland.
When I arrived at the Stinchar car park I was surprised to see cars and walkers milling about. Not my group yet surely? No, it was the OIR from Ayr out doing the same walk. A brief chat with some familiar faces before they raced off, obviously wanted to be first up the hill.
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| Special Stinchar burn |
I love the location outside the car park where the Stinchar burn flows gently today some small water falls adding to the effect. It is a special place.
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| Bleak start to the moor |
Cloud hanging over the objective, pretty cool, as we made the usual boggy start before following the faint track uphill. I say start, it stayed pretty wet and boggy for a long way.
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| Clouds lift to show us Shalloch on Minnoch on the left |
Shalloch is a straight forward Corbett, the walk already starts from circa 300m. This is the most westerly Corbett and Donald in the Southern Uplands and forms the northernmost fingers of the Awful Hand ridge.
We could see the Ayr group ahead on the final slopes of Caerloch Dhu as we started our ascent.
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| Cloudy Shalloch from Caerloch Dhu |
The final 140m from Caerloch Dhu always seems a slog. Near the top the sleet battered in as we made our way around the contours to reach the trig in low cloud. No sign of Ayr they must have headed to Tarfessock.
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| Shalloch Trig |
We wandered over to the higher point before heading back down by the same route to get out of the cloud for lunch.
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| Freezing cloud ends lunch |
It did clear and we got some views but not for long as freezing cloud enveloped us and yes it was freezing, lunch over.
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| Moorland crossing to Cornish Hill |
From here we took the moorland route to Cornish hill. A crossing over typical moorland terrain, tussocks and holes aplenty to catch the unwary. A crossing only enjoyed by masochists, glad to reach the track.
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| Cornish Loch |
Now on Cornish Hill there are worthwhile views looking down over Cornish loch, another favourite view, no brownies rising today. Cornish Hill is a nice gentle circuit in its own right from the car park.
Finally we followed the tourist track back to the car park, only spoilt by the deforestation en route.
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| Looking back to Shalloch |
Time to reflect and look back at Shalloch and that moor. It looks a lot further away than the reality.
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| Stinchar bridge |
The delightful Stinchar bridge marks the finish for us. There is a good walk down to the Falls proper.
A short but good walk but come on surely shorts weather soon!!Wildlife: Meadow pipit.
Time: 4.10
Ascent: 588m
Distance: 13.2k
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