A stunning horseshoe circuit, Hart Fell.

Hill: Hart Fell, Swatte Fell, Under Saddle Yoke.
Category: Corbett/Donald x2
Height: n/a
Weather forecast suggested this area might be the best place in Scotland to avoid torrential rain and thunderstorms, would it be accurate.
Well, that was one cracking walk but what a toughie, particularly the initial climb to Swatte Fell. 

Start ascend the left side Hang Gill gulley

We decided to walk anti clockwise to head up the side of the ravine. Boy did that get the heart rate up. I foolishly decided to leave my walking polls in the car as not been using them much recently. But this was definitely a slope for them. Walkhighlands says ‘from here the next stage of the ascent becomes extremely steep‘ no exaggeration!! The bracken was fairly high but the main challenge was wet slippery morning dew grass on very steep gradients meant I was grabbing all sorts to haul myself up, including the fence wire, wow what a start. Heart racing, jelly legs and we have a long way to go.

Sun briefly shines down below on Black Hope burn

The views were superb particularly when the sun briefly illuminated the slightly grey skies.

Black Craig, don't step back 350m straight down

 There is a brief reprieve as we follow the fence before there is an unrelenting climb towards Black Craig. A pair of red kites glide past. Big drops down to the right with excellent views across the glen to our descent and final hill Under Saddle Yoke.
Another brief respite as the terrain flattens going past the small cairn, thought at first this was the Donald top but no, slightly higher ground ahead, a fence, the top, Swatte Fell seems to be unmarked but GPS said we were there, did we miss something? An unrelenting ascent, no doubt.

Upper Coomb Craig with Upper Saddle yoke behind

We headed along the wet ground to Falcon Craig. I assume there are falcons but none spotted. Down to the col at Hass o' the Red Roads, I love the border names on the hills around here and across Galloway.

Falcon Craig

Once again the world goes upwards, another steep climb before flattening out and I was delighted and relieved to recognise the trig of the Corbett Hart Fell. I needed my lunch. Last time I was here I came up the other side via Arthurs Seat, not the famous one.

Cool spot for lunch Hart Fell trig

No rain for us so far but we could see showers around as we took in the excellent all round views. Lunch was relatively brief as the wind went through the gears to very strong and it was decidedly cooler.

Picturesque rolling border hills

As always in the border hills you tend to follow the fenceline as we did for a while before descending through the now pathless grassy slopes and peat hags.

Upper Saddle Yoke ahead

The final Donald can be seen but there is an unwelcome descent through plenty of rough, tussocky, boggy ground in between. 

Descent from Hart Fell

The ascent to Under Saddle Yoke is a plod through mostly pathless ground, follow the sheep trails when you can, just keep heading up. Take a breather and look back and down to the glen, the views are excellent. A fence needs to be negotiated, it is electrified but wasn’t on, if it was there is a stile to assist. Another short climb beckons, the last, not quite!

Twin tops Under and Saddle Yoke

From the top of Under Saddle Yoke there is one more descent and re-ascent along an excellent narrow, arete-like grassy ridge leading to the summit of Saddle Yoke. As Walkhighlands says ‘This fine ridge is quite unlike most hillwalking in the south of Scotland‘.

Narrow ridge

It is a good place to spend a few minutes taking in the views as you get a panoramic view of almost all of today’s circuit. It looks pretty dammed fine from here. The Jelly Babies very welcome as well.
The winds halted our fun, once again very strong and gusty, time to make the excellent looking descent. I would not want to be on exposed places in these gusts.

Fine descent ridge

Followed the track, grass not wet but smooth and shiny so a few heel slips occurred, care was needed, no accidents now please, almost home.
Our cars can now be seen and we veer off the track to the right through more slippery grass to meet the barbed wire fence, no stile this time and then the track back to the cars. Stop here and look back up the glen, it is a superb view.
A tough walk done at a fast pace. Good company and great views. No rain what's not to like.

Wildlife: Red Kite, Buzzard, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow.
Time: 4.26
Ascent: 3126ft 
Distance: 8.49m 

Hart Fell what a difference a day makes

A misty start

After Sundays dreadful weather day I was back at Moffat to redo the Hart Fell. Hart Fell 808m, is classed as both a Corbett and a Donald. The forecast was for Scotland’s warmest day of the year so an early start was made. I left the house at 6.20 and was on the hill for 8, walking from the green hut.
As you can see from the snap the fog/low cloud was almost a pea souper particularly as I started to climb. Luckily I had recent memories so I decided to go for it rather than waiting for the stuff to lift.

Not improving

Following Sundays route I was soon out onto the moor. There was a quad bike track to follow but it does have cut offs from time to time particularly to the left. Although I knew from the compass that I was moving in the right direction but it was also memory time as one bit of cut grass starts to merge in with the surrounding moor, particularly with this visibility. There is a significant drop on your right side but you should be aware of it.
There was the occasional noise of sheep and lambs calling. Twice a grouse was sprung. They give you a start at the best of times and today made it even more interesting.
For some reason the bio rhythms were not good today and I was struggling a bit, the poorest I have felt on a hill for a long time. Sweating much more than normal and generally a bad legs day, it happens but I had come all this way and I was not having two failures in a week, so head down and plod on.

Breaking through

It was almost an hour before the light was brighter and I came out of the gloom into a bright blue sky and confirmation that I was on the right track.
I took my time as the emerging views were top drawer and spent as much time looking back as forward. The numerous wind turbines to the east were a disappointing sight.

Arthur's Seat

Before long I was at Arthur’s Seat and its small trig. Great views down the gorge and to the ridge of Swatte Fell plus the trail heading up to my destination. Across the top fence line a couple of deer are moving fast, did I spook them? Wild I presume and not escapees from the farm at the start.

Wind Turbine abomination

This is not a difficult hill just a continuous uphill grassy walk and before long I had reached the summit plateau. I headed eastward the trig not yet in sight, just follow the small wire fence which I had to clamber over to get to the trig. Time taken 1.53 which was ok considering my condition.
The views were excellent even if the light was now bright and harsh particularly to the south. To the east the wind turbines must number around the 100 mark, an SNP abomination to the landscape.

Path over the edge

Still keep focused and enjoy the other views. The heat was now living up to the forecast, glad I was here early, more sun cream applied.

The path down

It was an up and down the same way day which was made more interesting as the cloud was only just breaking up constantly changing the views of the landscape all the way down.

Devil's Beef Tub

There is an excellent view of the Devil’s Beef Tub and the ridge to Whitehope Heights, a Donald trip for another day.
On the way down I meet a couple of ladies and later a single guy, my only companions on the day.

The end contrast with start photo

Another really good walk and a new area for my exploration. I am glad I returned quickly to embrace it and I will be back sooner rather than later.
Time 3.34
Distance 7.26miles or 11.68km
Ascent 2156ft or 657.15m

Hart Fell part 1

On Sunday I was out for my first walk with the KRC group to climb the Corbett Hart Fell just outside of Moffat. I had a very enjoyable day except for the weather. All agreed that the weather forecast was completely different to the end result. On the drive down the clouds were a lot greyer and lower than expected.

Spitfire Moffat

First stop in Moffat was to visit a house with this full size replica Spitfire in the garden, wow. At this point the rain started gently.
When we arrived at the start the rain was heavy enough for most to don waterproofs, those that had not soon did.

Low cloud light rain but ok

A slightly damp tramp through a field of sheep followed by going past a field of farmed red deer. At this point we could see the route ahead and the rain slowly increasing.

Deteriorating

After a soggy tea break the walk continued until about 1700 metres when we the wind, rain and cold was making it no fun. Even good waterproofs were starting to let in water due to the driving rain. Plus without a view it was a tick box exercise so walk abandoned, the hill will be here for another day for the group but I will be back later in the week as good weather forecast.

Close to the end

Ironically when back home no rain and I talked to relatives in Edinburgh also no rain. We were very unlucky.