Millfore a Galloway hill ramble

Hill:Millfore
Category: Graham/Donald
Height: 656m

Another midweek walk with the Ayr OIR high walking group. Weather has been good to us recently and the forecast was good for our visit to the Galloway hills.

Galloway's Grey Mare Tail

This walk began at the Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall which although a nice enough little water fall is not a patch on its namesake that I visited on my last blog.
The walk follows the burn up and through some very tall bracken, perfect tick country. 

Stone art

Before long we hit some old ruins, a derelict sheep pen apparently, where there were interesting facial carvings in the stonework, good for a smile.

More stone art

We then joined the forest road to the black Loch where we met the walk as per Walkhighlands description. The impressive pointed small brick chimney called ‘The Eye’ by Colin Rose built in 1977 as part of the ‘Art in the Galloway Forest’ project.

Grassy slopes to Millfore

At some point we spotted a faint quad bike track heading up and down the rough ground to Millfore. As always a few false tops before we reach the top and spot two of the many cairns on this walk. 

Millfore

Millfore also has a trig a very busy top.
It is a cool wind that is blowing so we shelter on the lee side for lunch. Great views over Loch Dee, Curlywee and Lamachan Hill. 

Curling loch

There is a super view of the White Lochan of Drigmorn which was used for curling in the 19th century. We did not go over to it but apparently the stone structure beside it was built by soldiers during the Crimean War, proper history indeed.

Ridge to Drinmore

After lunch we walked the short ridge to Drigmorn Hill, with Red Gairy on our right,  where during the 2nd World War an American Liberator bomber crashed killing all 8 of the crew. But no sign of the crash site on our walk.
All that was left was our descent across typical Dumfries and Galloway tussocks, wet, rocky and at times boggy descent to the edge of the woods. Over a fence and a faint track along the edge of the trees to arrive at the outgoing forest road and then same route back to the car park. 
Another good walk in good company, the time flew by.

Wildlife: Peacock butterfly; Raven; Meadow pipit; Wheatear
Time: 4.42
Ascent: 651m
Distance: 14.4k