Glen Trool 5 October

Allan, Davie Mc, Dougie, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul

The Lowlanders Episode

Bruce's army

We parked at a wee car park on the road up to Caldron House and set off towards Bruce’s Stone on a breezy, but bright, October morning. Any lingering clouds were to disappear as the day wore on promising excellent conditions. Coffee was taken at the Stone and, whilst we discussed our next move, Malcolm produced copious amounts of clootie dumpling for our delectation. Enough for a full squad of Ooters, but today it meant we all had seconds. Ya beauty!
Davie, Dougie, Jimmy and Paul decided they would do the extended walk by walking up to Culsharg bothy and then returning to Bruce’s stone via Fell of Eschoncan and then doing the circuit of the loch.

What a cracking day!

The remainder opted for just the circular and headed off in a clockwise direction. To those who had done this before, it seemed to take an awful long time before the path turned. We later found out from the others that we had gone along to a further bridge over the burn rather than taking a ‘hidden’ path down to it, where the previous wee bridge was no more, but where the burn was crossable with care. No matter, we were in no great hurry, and steady, rather than rapid, progress was made up the path (which forms part of the Southern Upland Way). As we took a view stop half way down the loch we managed to see three figures on the top of the Fell and assumed, correctly, that the guys had made their viewpoint.

Paul, Dougie and Jimmy on top of the Fell, taken from across the loch

Continuing down the path, it dawned on us that the latter stages of the route had been changed from that encountered previously, or maybe our memories have faded over time. In any case we found our cars three hours after having set off but had to wait another couple of hours for the adventurers to return with tales of steep descents and missing dugs.
One item of note was that on various parts of the walk the vegetation was covered in protective fabric, randomly it seemed. The concensus of opinion was that it was there to collect acorns or other tree seeds rather than protect the plants from any predators. Watch this space, hopefully, for a definitive explanation. *

The Highlanders episode

As the lowlanders did their thing round the loch, the highlanders set off up the path leading to Culsharg and Merrick. What great changes there were since the last time we came this way with great swathes of forestry cut down. While the brashings still lay round untidily on both side of the path, the recent felling did expose views of the surrounding hills that we have never seen before. And how we enjoyed these views as we walked into Culsharg.

A few minutes were spent examining the bothy and admiring the new windows and the rather precarious sleeping platform perched on upturned logs before heading up to the forest road. Holly was confused. There she waited patiently at the new gate on the Merrick footpath while we turned left on the road and headed for the path that would take us along to the Fell of Eschonchan.

The path was indistinct in places and wet in others but it did take us to a phenomenal  viewpoint above the loch. Here we met the full force of the wind, an easterly and a cold easterly it was forbye. No point in hanging about too long. Obligatory photos taken we started the descent towards Bruce’s Stone, a rather steep descent that told on some more than others. But we all made Bruce’s stone without to many mishaps.

From the stone we were to follow the footsteps of the lowlanders round the loch. We passed the acorn collecting sheets at Buchan Brig, passed more at Gairland Brig and came to where the old path left for the side of the burn. Holly was determined. She would stick to the road even as we came down the old path towards the burn. And no amount of shouting, whistling or other cajoling would change her mind. Eventually Davie had to go fetch her on the lead. We would find out later the reason for this uncharacteristic obstinacy.

With Holly returned to the fold in disgrace, we were confronted by another hindrance to our progress. The bridge that has spanned the burn here for years is no more, only the stone supports still standing. With a little difficulty on some parts, we crossed the burn partly by stepping on boulders and partly by paddling the shallower bits. But we all made it more or less dry shod.

The rest of the walk was uneventful but delightful. We followed the Sothern Upland Way path along the southern shore of the loch enjoying the views presented by recent felling and the warm early autumn sunshine. Back at Caldons car park we were greeted by the lowlanders who had waited ‘patiently’ for over an hour for our return.

Here we found the reason for Holly’s uncharacteristic behaviour earlier in the day. The lowland boys had missed the old turn off the road (there was a fallen tree obstructing the signs and the path) and had walked on up the road for a bit. Holly must have smelt their scent and was determined to follow. Perhaps if we had taken notice of her then we could have avoided having to paddle the burn.

However, as yon Englishman said ‘All’s well that ends well’.

 


FRT was taken at the Kirkmichael Arms where, due to the lateness of the hour, we restricted ourselves to one drink. Scary!

* The Cree Valley Woodlands Trust are trying to regenerate the ancient oak wood along the cree and as far as Glen Trool. To this end they are collecting seeds from the local oaks for germination at their nursery. Come back in around four hundred years to see the results of their efforts.