A rolling hills circuit.....Wauk Hill

Hill: Wauk Hill (D&G)

Category: Sub2K

Height: 383m

My first visit to the Keir Hills, a range of small rolling hills in beautiful Dumfries & Galloway.

In the planning there appeared to be a ‘straightforward’ short up and down. I wasn't tagging on any other wee hills today so planned for the option of traversing the ridge to the mast on The Mull. Further options to return the same way or make it a circular via a longish road walk. Weather and terrain will decide.

Start to quarry

I found a parking spot beside an old quarry as I decided to follow a track on the map to a disused quarry higher up. The gate was half open so I parked in a small grassy area just in case traffic around.

I had plotted the longer route via Walkhighlands but for some reason it was not showing on the GPS. For back up I had downloaded the area from the OS maps on the phone. Opened the app to find it wanted my password. About two days ago I upped my security and changed about 20 passwords, this being one of them. Is my memory good enough to remember 20 passwords, nope, so app useless and phone back in pocket.

The coos are waiting

I was reasonably sure I was at the correct starting point so up the track I went. Turned a bend to find stacked logs so the track was operational. First decision time, a junction I am sure was not mapped. I followed the track into a wood, more logging, as I exited I could see the old quarry with a lot of black coos in it, all looking at me.

Boggy stuff off road

Up there somewhere 1st wall climb

I knew I was going uphill from the quarry so as a true coward I went up early. There was a wood ahead so climbed a gate into the other field. The 1^st of many climbs today!!

I followed a well constructed still fully intact stone dyke but it was leading away from where I thought I wanted to go so dyke climbed back into trees. Before long I reached wall 2 and I could see where I was heading for. The direct route was passed a feeder where more coos where eying me up. They let them onto the fields early here.

So I headed diagonally across the field hoping not meet any more coos but what I did meet was a fence, a barbed wire one, which drew blood getting over. Who said this looked straightforward on the map?

Trig sighted another wall climb

Now proper wet moorland, good enough to just keep plodding in the direction I thought Wauk Hill was. I knew it had a trig but none of the visible tops had one, as always it must be over the back somewhere.

Wauk Hill trig

Then it was sighted but wall 3 had to be climbed. It was either higher or my leg had stopped stretching but this was an awkward traverse. A short heather crossing and trig reached.

Although it was a mixed day it was decidedly chilly up here. The views were good particularly over to the Lowthers and back to Carsphairn. The sun glare/haze shortened the other views but on a really good visibility day another good spot to linger.

View from Wauk Hill to mast

It was too soon to return the same way and the flat ridge along to the mast was visible. So back over the wall again, counting?

He was not for moving

The farmer had left an ATV track to follow which made for easier walking but in poor weather just follow the wall.

Preachers Stone?

About half way along the ridge at Breconside Hill I knew from the planning that there was a Preachers Stone. ‘On Breconside Hill, on the boundary between Glencairn and Keir parishes, is a large boulder known as the Preaching Stone. It is 1095 feet above sea level. Rev James Renwick preached here a number of times. His name is said to be inscribed on the stone’.

After climbing another dyke, this time with a back up of electric fence, thankfully not live. This was the only boulder I could find, possibly not it but it is nearby and it does make you think of Covenanter times, religious ceremonies held high up on moors and hidden places.

Mast not far now

Looking back to Wauk Hill

Now for the mast, more damp ground across Barjarg moor and also more coos. I had had enough of climbing dykes so through them I went. They just sat chewing the cud not bothered with me.

Rerached the mast on The Mull and yes another double dyke and wall, thankfully the last of the day.

There is a house down the mast track with a cracking summer house built right on the edge, what a view.

Red Kite

Horses track

View back to the ridge

Now it was horses time as I went down the track to the road but thankfully they were uninterested in chasing me.

Walked through woodland, birds singing away and two roe deer that spotted me as I spotted them and disappeared before I got the camera out.

No hardship road walking

Spring flowers

Rural chapel with its own fishing pond

Then the road walk but really in this countryside, in this weather, no hardship at all. Even the local bus stopped and asked if I wanted a lift, nice touch.

So a short extended walk, very enjoyable but if they electrify those wires it could be fun!

Wildlife: Red Kite; Buzzard: Carrion Crow; Raven; Rook; Blue Tit; Skylark; Wren; Roe Deer

Time: 3.07

Ascent: 539m

Distance: 11.6km