Images of the walk in the Lowther Hills featuring Alan McQ, Davie C, Davie McM, Dougie, Gus and Paul

Welcome to Wanlockhead! Let's see what activities are on offer in Scotland's Highest Village...

mine visit, eating, hiking, steam trains, skiing, mountain biking, gold panning and sheep.

We chose to do the hiking.

At the viewfinder (or 'indicator') on East Mount Lowther.

Marching on towards Lowther Hill and its distinctive radome.

Looking back down to Wanlockhead village. Cairntable can be seen on the left in the far distance.

At the next junction, take a right turn.

Keep right on to the end of the road.

Isla keeking out from her hiding place in a drainage channel.

Here come the Ooters!

After having lunch on Green Lowther, we descended to the reservoir.

Glen Franka Reservoir

Looks like the trains are aff at Leadhills Station

Just need to wait until normal service has resumed.

Walking the line towards Glengonnar Halt

The vital statistics

The three Lowthers 13 July 2022

 Alan McQ, Derval Davie, Killie Davie, Dougie, Gus and Paul

O wert thou in the cauld blast

Only the above six hardy souls met at Knockroon where a quick decision was made to do the proposed Lowther Hills walk as the weather promised to be favourable. Consequently just before 10 am we set off from Wanlockhead and headed up past what used to be the old Mountain Lodge, but which is now holiday houses. Grumbles were heard as Derval Davie suggested we do all three Lowthers, taking in East Mount Lowther, (or Auchenlone as it's also known) and by 11 o'clock we were standing on the top admiring the very expansive view as the visibility today proved to be excellent. (East Mount Lowther by the way is a bit of a misnomer as it's the most westerly of the three.)

After a short break at the viewpoint (hard to decipher because it was covered in bird droppings) we retraced our steps and started the slow lung-bursting relentless slog up to Lowther Hill. We were now feeling the effects of a very cold, biting wind and this was to continue until we reached the loch. July the 13th?! It certainly didn't feel like it.

We reached the top of Lowther a bit too early for lunch, so it was decided to carry on to Green Lowther, the highest of the three. "How long does it take to get there?" asked Paul. "Oh about 25 minutes," said Davie and rashly promised to buy pints if it was any longer. Fortunately it only took 23 minutes which was lucky as Davie's wallet was typically empty.

We cooried down out of the wind and had lunch before setting off down the grassy path to the loch or dam, the face of which was covered in thyme and looking beautiful. Before long we were at Leadhills Station where we had a wee break and then proceeded along the old railway line to Glengonnar and eventually back to the cars, roughly about 4 hours after we had set off. FRT was taken at the very pleasant Wanlockhead Inn where an enjoyable hour was spent.

 Some photographs from the Wanlockhead walk.

Lunch time beside the reservoir where the wind was virtually non existent.

First top where the wind was getting close to the 42mph forecast.

Paul waiting on the next train from Wanlockhead.

Wanlockhead 4 February

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Jimmy, Johnny, Kenny, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

Leaving Wanlockhead

It was as cold as it looks

The photographic evidence illustrates admirably the weather conditions but, unless you’ve got Feelyvision, you need to accept that, at times, especially in the light wind, it was awfi’ cauld.

Making good progress

Given the lying snow, why could in no’ just tell the truth. Jimmy, our leader for the day, decided that it would be wiser if we followed the road up the ‘Golf Ball’ (sorry Davie, Football). The road conditions were generally good but they did vary from being ice/snow-free to banked-up snow depending on how much the road had been sheltered from the prevailing winds. Members of the Strathaven Climbing Club, whom we had nmet back at the car park, were taking a more direct route but we made the summit of Lowther Hill (725m) first and took shelter for a snack and a coffee.

Shelter

It was too cold to delay for long so we were soon underway again with the main party heading over towards Green Trough (710m) and then the masts on Green Lowther (732m), whereas Allan, Malcolm and Johnny decided to retrace their steps back down the road. At Green Lowther, Davie major, still not wanting to push his sair ankle too much, turned round and came back down the road with Kenny (now a fully-fledged Ooter, having fell on his erse) for company. The rest of the guys came down the hillside and made for the reservoir, where they stopped for a bite to eat, before making for the road just in time to meet up with Davie and Kenny.

The guys can just be seen approaching Green Lowther

FRT was taken in the Wanlockhead Inn, the highest inn in (no, I’m not writing with a stutter) Scotland, not surprising since Wanlockhead is the highest populated village. The attraction here was that it had its own micro-brewery, The Lola Rose Brewery, making its 1531 ale – Ale With Altitude, according to the banner. (Lola Rose, after the owner’s granddaughter, and 1531, the height in feet of Wanlockhead). However when this nectar was asked for the reply was, ‘we’ve ran oot’. Nevertheless other ales were available and these sated the drouth of the non-drivers, plus one other.

Spot them coming down the hill!

A grand day oot in the snaw!

More Lowther Hills photos

Some more images from Lowther Hill

Wanlockhead Walk

Here are a few pictures from a fine walk on the recent snow.