Minchmoor - Peak heather

Minchmoor Road is one of the oldest paths in Scotland, likely in use before Romans times. According to the Heritage Paths website, it was the main east to west route through the Borders from Peebles to Selkirk into medieval times and was used later than that as a drove road among other things. While all descriptions have it climbing out of Traquhair to ascend over the shoulder of Minch Moor hill, it seems there are multiple variants for the route after that. The current OS map shows it descending to the Yarrow Valley after Hare Hill but it is also described as continuing towards the Three Brethren at the eastern end of the ridge of hills before dropping to Selkirk. Either way, it has become one of my favourite places to be. It's such a wonderful walk. A stiff pull up from Traquhair puts you on top of the hills and thereafter you can wander easily as the path gently undulates east, taking in a panorama of Borders scenery.

I chose Minchmoor for this trip in the middle of August to catch the heather at its blooming best and wasn't disappointed. As we climbed up from Traquhair, the woods were hot and sticky so we were glad to reach the Cheese Well and top up our water bottles. It's such a dependable natural spring, even after an exceptionally dry year. 

Beyond the Cheese Well and onwards to Brown Knowe, the woods thinned and rampant heather took over. I have never seen it looking so beautiful. The hills all around were awash with purple. It was that bright, almost garish purple that you sometimes see in tweed clothing. But the hills wore it elegantly and looked spectacular. 

Late in the day, we pitched the tents a little way below the Three Brethren. It was a spot I'd used before, on the edge of the woods, with an open view over the hills. On this occasion, the tents were nestled down amongst the beautiful heather. 

Next day, we made the steep descent to Yair through lush, summer woods. Around the farm buildings at Yair, swallows chattered in the air and hung around on the overhead wires like a series of musical notes. Instead of staying with the Southern Upland Way path over the hills to Galashiels, we took the path beside the River Tweed to the Old Tweed Bridge. This was a pleasant, riverside walk and a nice contrast with being on the high hills. A brightly, painted fishing hut along here provided a pretty spot to sit for lunch. 

At the bridge, we joined the excellent cycle path that connects Selkirk and Galashiels, using it as far as Netherbarns where we were able to join a rural path over to Galashiels to end our trip. It provided another nice contrast as it cut across the fields and descended into town on an old lane lined by ancient trees.

Fact File

Start: Innerleithen

Finish: Galashiels

Public transport: Borders railway to Galashiels then Borders Buses X62 from the bus interchange beside the station to Innerleithen.

My route: Walked south out of Innerleithen on the pavement along the B709. Immediately after the bridge over the Tweed, a new path leaves to the right and takes you to Traquhair through the woods so the road can be avoided. The route up Minchmoor follows the Southern Upland Way signs from Traquhair to Yair. At Yair we took the B7060 to the right on the far side of the bridge. Where it makes a sharp left turn, the riverside track/path starts and can be followed to Old Tweed Bridge. At the bridge, we joined the cycle route north and at Netherbarns the Southern Upland Way path crosses it. Took the SUW path up to the left and followed it across the fields into Galashiels.

Info: More detail on Minchmoor can be found on the Heritage Paths website.

  

Bynack More - Changes that the years bring

I forget sometimes that I've quite a few years under my belt in life and in the outdoors. Then now and again something happens that reminds me of the passing years and the changes they bring. 

I was out for a walk and wild camp up Bynack More in the Cairngorms. The route to get there leaves Glen More and continues through the old pine woods by An Lochan Uaine. Just after the lochan, the trail splits and the right hand branch heads out for the remoter reaches of Strath Nethy and Glen Avon. This section of trail used to cross empty moorland before reaching a simple shelter called Bynack Stable beside a walkers' bridge over the River Nethy. Here's a younger me taking a breather there many years ago.

But my goodness the place had changed since I was last here. Regenerating woods were springing up from the moorland and a cluster of birch trees now made the bridge a pretty little spot. Sadly, Bynack Stable was gone. Blown down in a gale in 2005 apparently!

Not much had changed however for the ascent of Bynack More and like the last time I climbed it, its rocky top was obscured with mist that felt more like stinging rain in a keen wind. 

We descended to Bynack Stable (I guess I'll still call the place by that name) to pitch the tents out of the worst of the wind. Skies cleared as we dropped down and evening sunshine bathed Strath Nethy. The low rays illuminated the heads of the bog cotton as they bobbed in the breeze and the new woods all around glowed in warm, summer sunlight.

Next day was a short walk back to Glen More to enjoy something that hadn't changed over the years ... a mug of tea at the original Glen More cafe.

Fact File
Start/finish: Trail starts for the An Lochan Uaine walk beside the reindeer centre in Glen More. The bus drops off just before this.
Public transport: Train to Aviemore from Edinburgh then Stagecoach bus 32 from Aviemore to Glen More which runs hourly.
Route: This was the usual route up Bynack More as described here. As we took the bus, we started beside the Reindeer Centre - just after it on the Glen More Lodge road, a dirt trail starts on the left.

Southern Scotland - Backpacking another section of the Southern Upland Way

In May 2023, I accidentally started walking the Southern Upland Way. My plan then had been to simply use the Way to access the Galloway hills but a couple of days of claggy weather made me abandon the hills and instead keep walking along the Way. I absolutely loved it and ended up walking from Glentrool village to Sanquhar. So in May 2024, I walked the next section from Sanquhar to Galashiels and loved it even more. So the obvious thing to do with one of my May holiday weeks this year was to walk another section. So off I headed on the train to Stranraer to walk from the start of the Way at Portpatrick to Glentrool village to connect with my first section. It's all topsy turvy of course. I did the middle section at the beginning then the beginning in the middle. At least I will be able to complete the end section at the actual end. 

I have often looked at the map and wondered what Portpatrick is like. It seemed such a far away place tucked away in the southwest part of Scotland. Stepping off the morning bus from Stanraer, I eventually found out. It's a picturesque little spot with quaint waterfront buildings wrapped around a rocky harbour. Today the harbour walls enclosed a calm, glassy sea. 

At the far side of the harbour, is a beautiful sculpture that marks the start of the Southern Upland Way. I felt oddly emotional standing there that morning, like I was meeting a dear, old friend after time apart. 

Portpatrick's charm was quickly left behind as the path headed north, undulating along the rugged Galloway coast. There were vertigo-inducing sections and a rough detour to avoid an incoming tide that rewarded with a beautiful bluebell wood. 

Eventually the trail reached Killantringan Lighthouse and turned east, starting its long journey to the opposite coast at Cockburnspath. My next section onwards to Castle Kennedy mostly used tiny, little farm roads which were pleasing on the eye but rather tough on the feet. It was a relief to eventually pick up woodland tracks near Castle Kennedy then a lovely grassy path across moorland that left the world behind and provided the first night's camp spot. Next morning, a weak sun penetrated mist that hung over the nearby trees and coated the spiders' webs in the grasses with droplets of dew.

After packing up, the route ahead was really lovely walking as the trail passed into bluebell woods alive with birdsong. Soon I came upon the Glenwhan Clootie Tree, tucked away in the forest. Clootie Trees are of Celtic origin and were often located close to streams or springs where it was believed spirits lived. Clootie is an old word for a cloth and the custom was to use a cloth to wash a wound in the sacred water. The cloth was then tied to the tree and as it disintegrated over time, the wound or ailment would vanish.

After Glenwhan, the route crossed the open expanse of Cruise Back Fell with the distant Galloway hills just starting to rise to the north. It was a wonderful walk across the moor here, meandering over wild pasture under big skies. Large piles of stones signified the remains of Iron Age forts which contrasted with the modern structures of wind farms that had appeared on the horizon. 

Soon the path passed into dense forestry just as I was starting to look for a camp spot for the night. All of a sudden, a wooden teepee-like structure appeared through the trees. It turned out to be Beehive Bothy. It was surrounded by open meadow, had a little stream close by and even a picnic bench so it was a perfect spot to pitch the tent. The peace and quiet were intense, the only sound the birds which included a grasshopper warbler somewhere in the longer grasses. It was a beautiful place to chill out in warm evening sunshine and to enjoy a slower start to the day the next morning.

As with the other sections of the Southern Upland Way, I had seen almost nobody on the trail. However, as I was packing up in the morning, another walker ambled in. He was walking the Southern Upland Way from Castle Kennedy to Cockburnspath then heading down the coast path to Berwick-upon-Tweed. I was envious of his long journey ahead, all that time wandering on foot and being out in nature. We would end up dovetailing with each other along the route for the rest of that day. 

After the bothy, the trail soon passed by the Laggangarn Standing Stones, thought to have marked the route over the moor for 4000 years. There was then a stiff climb over Craig Airie Fell. I sat a while on top looking over the extensive view. A wind farm was under construction down below. This section of the walk must have felt really remote before the construction. It's a shame that feeling is now lost as we all need to lose ourselves from the modern world on occasion.

Beyond Craig Airie Fell, the Way zig-zagged onwards across the countryside, through the woods and over the fields before eventually making the gentle climb up Glenvernoch Fell. I joined the walker I met earlier on the bench at the top and we sat for ages having a good blether and putting the world to rights. Eventually he carried on and I took some time to absorb the surroundings. The Galloway hills were close in now but few signs of modern man were visible. Skylarks sang in the blue skies above and the grasses swayed gently in the wind. This was not a remote spot but it had an incredibly isolated, wild feel about it. I found it hard to tear myself away and could have sat there forever. But there was no water so I needed to keep going. A gentle descent took me down to Bargrennan where it was a bit of a shock to cross the first busy road since Castle Kennedy. A little way further on, I was soon wrapped up in trees again and found a pitch for the tent with water close by.

The final day of this section was a few hours of walking to Glentrool village to arrive back where I'd started two years before. It was a stunning walk through moss-covered, knarly old woods that echoed with the maniacal call of a green woodpecker. 

I picked up some treasure here. All along the Southern Upland Way are secret kists that contain commemorative coins. Where there is a kist, a marker post will have the word "Ultreia" on it and you have to hunt nearby to find the kist. This one was an elaborate affair. The coins were contained within a jar which you had to pull up by a string from within a wooden sculpture, the inside of which was only revealed when you turned aside the top block of the sculpture! 

It was fun to find my coin but I don't think it was enough to cover the bus fare back from Glentrool at the end of the walk.

Fact File

All the photos on FLICKR.

Start: Portpatrick by bus from Stranraer (Stagecoach 367) where I travelled to by train.

Finish: Glentrool village for a bus to Girvan (Stagecoach 359) to rejoin the rail network for a train home. This is a really lovely bus journey by the way.

Route: Used the Southern Upland Way which is well described on Walkhighlands.

Additional information: The only services on this section were a Spar within the petrol station at Castle Kennedy and then the cafe at Glen Trool at the end. It was quite tricky to find water and camp spots but in a couple of places householders had signs at their gate and an outdoor tap that you could use. 

Isle of Arran - The Arran Coastal Way

The Arran Coastal Way is a long distance walking trail that goes round the coast of the Isle of Arran in Scotland's Firth of Clyde. I walked (most of) it using the tent to camp wild for several nights and to stay in campsites a couple of nights. It's a circular route so you can start anywhere on that circle but the natural start and end is of course Brodick, where the ferry from the mainland docks. There's a lovely sculpture here of the route on the promenade. I did use the bus to bridge a couple of sections. On the northwest coast south of Catacol there was a long road walking section of over ten miles and though it was a quiet road, I neither fancied that nor had enough time. Going to Arran had been a last minute change of plan the night before and I didn't quite have enough days at my disposal. I also used the bus for a section on the south of the island. For part of this, there was no other option for the trail than walking on the road and another part was tidal which I would be crossing on an incoming tide so possibly forced up onto the road anyway. I felt the roads on the south of the island were really not suitable for walking as they were more like B roads with large vehicles and faster traffic. Luckily, Arran has a great wee bus service that links up the entire coast and which made possible skipping these two sections. So this is more a tale of backpacking and bussing the Arran Coastal Way!

It's always wonderful to start a trip with a ferry ride as you feel you have traveled to distant lands even before you step off the boat. This sailing from Troon crossed a sea like glass. I was heading to Arran in a long, dry, sunny spell of weather and the ferry was busy. I was worried the island would be too overcrowded for me but I really have no idea where everybody went once the ferry docked because I saw very few people on the trail itself except at a few honeypots. Even then, it wasn't crowded. It was busy of course as I walked Fisherman's Walk along the waterfront at Brodick. Arran's famous mountain, Goatfell rose above the beach. It's actually on the Coastal Way as an alternative route option but I hoped I'd have time to climb it at the end.

Instead of going up Goatfell, I wandered north through Merkland Wood on forest tracks above the coast before dropping down to the beach at the pretty hamlet of Corrie. Somebody here has a sense of humour because the moorings of the old harbour had been painted to look like sheep. 

The route continued north from Corrie to Sannox and beyond here was a wonderful stretch of walking. The trail passed through lush, green woods between the blue sea and a sheer cliff face. It somehow felt prehistoric here as the atmosphere was of being lost in time. 

Further north the woods receded and the trail followed a track along the shoreline at the bottom of steep, grassy slopes. My first camp spot was along here near Millstone Point, a fabulous spot looking over to the islands of Bute and Cumbrae. The rugged hills of the Cowal peninsula filled the further away horizon and the incessant calls of cuckoos filled the evening air around the tent. They were to be everywhere along the trail.

Next morning, I continued walking north passing another interesting rock escarpment with a series of small caves. The first one was very habitable with seats made out of plastic pallets that must have washed ashore and a view out to sea. Had I come across it the night before, I might have stayed there.

Soon the whitewashed walls of the empty cottage at Laggan came into view. What a delightful spot this was to sit a wee while. Old stone walls enclosed pasture beside the house and led your eye along the path to the building itself. Two big trees stood behind the house and shaded a small burn that tumbled down from the steep hillsides above. It was lined by bluebells and the green spikes of yellow flag irises, just about ready to open their flowers. I dumped the backpack and sat here for ages, resting against the walls of the house and gazing out to the dazzling, blue sea. I loved the tranquility and beauty of this old place. 

It was as well I took a breather. I had decided that I would take the old hill path from here over to Lochranza rather than stick with the coastal path as I thought it would introduce some nice variety to the walk. It certainly did and it was a stunning path to walk but my goodness it was steep as it climbed up the hillside above Laggan. I felt I dare not trip or drop anything in case me or it tumbled all the way down the slope into the sea far below. 

Though it was steep, it was an old path so it had been built with the foot traveller in mind. It contoured up the hillside, easing the gradient as best it could. Eventually, it leveled out and crossed a high bealach where the view opened up to the hills of Arran's northwest. It then dropped in a most pleasant way into Lochranza on a farm track lined by hawthorn and flowering gorse which filled the air with its coconut aroma.

The onward route from Lochranza to Catacol uses what is known as the Postie's Path. This was a rough but beautiful path that clambered through knarly, old birch woods that clung at an alarming angle to the incredibly steep hillside. It required a fair bit of care, not just in foot and hand placements but also to not pick up ticks which seemed to be rampant in the coastal woods. 

Eventually, the Postie's Path popped out beside the pretty cottages at Catacol. I detoured from the route here with a lovely walk up into Catacol Glen to find a camp spot for the night. The riverside path into the glen passed through woods and close to a sand martin colony where the birds had made nesting holes in an old landslip. Steep hills rose above my camp spot but I had a sliver of a view to the sea which turned pink later in the setting sun. Large, flat rocks at the riverside provided a place to sit in the evening and to cook safely with the camp stove. This was a period of extreme wildfire risk and I was careful to find places to light the stove where there was no risk of it catching the bone dry vegetation.

The next day was another fabulous day of walking. Up at the crack of dawn, I caught the first bus south to avoid that long section of road walking. It turned out it doubled as the school bus and several excited children got off at the primary school a few miles down the road. I had a reason to get going early. My walk would start that day with a visit to the Machrie Moor Stone Circles. It's one of the most popular spots on the island so I wanted to get there ahead of any crowds. I managed that and was also lucky with lovely morning light. Machrie Moor is dotted with stone circles and burial chambers. The photo below is of the most striking stone circle at the site which dates from 2000 BC. It's an incredibly atmospheric spot, a sort of natural amphitheatre bounded by Arran's rugged hills on three sides and by the sea on the fourth side. The stones were beautiful but the walk was to just keep getting better.

From Machrie, the trail climbed above the bay and looked down on a landscape of scattered farms and fields divided by hawthorn hedgerows. The sun was warm enough to scent the air with the aroma of the pine trees as the path passed into their shade. 

After a while, the trail dropped steeply to the sea through a narrow, rocky defile and continued along the bouldery beach, passing by the King's Caves. The caves were formed during the last ice age when the weight of the ice forced the land downwards so the sea was higher relative to the caves. When the ice melted, the land rebounded and the caves rose to their present position above the beach. The king reference is related to Robert the Bruce though it's doubtful that he ever stayed here. Such are legends!

Just beyond the caves was possibly my favourite thing on Arran - fossilised dinosaur footprints. They were made 200 million years ago by a large reptile walking across soft mud. What added to their appeal was the short walk there which passed through dense trees and overhanging vegetation, a place where you could have believed the dinosaur was still roaming. 

After more rough walking, rampant wildflowers, ancient rock features and a modern golf course, I eventually found myself walking along the sandy beach at Blackwaterfoot. The village is quite small but was the biggest place since leaving Brodick so it had an air of activity about it. It was pleasant to sit a while at its centrepiece, the old harbour where the stone arch of the road bridge crossed the gently flowing Clauchan Water. 

This sense of activity was quickly left behind as I continued walking south on a very rough section of trail. A narrow strip of land between the sea and a rock escarpment provided a route for the trail through large boulders and stunted trees. It was slow going but had a real sense of rugged remoteness and beauty. Bluebells, red campion and ragged robin were dotted through the bracken, the sea sparkled and the long, undulating line of the Kintyre peninsula filled the western horizon. 

Eventually, the narrow strip broadened out to livestock fields and a track cut up through these to Sliddery where I caught the last bus of the day to Kildonan to avoid walking the busy road. This was an added bonus because the campsite at Kildonan was stunning. It was right at the beach with a view to the lighthouse island of Pladda and beyond that the granite rock of Ailsa Craig. 

Next day, my walk turned north back towards Brodick. There was a choice of routes to either stay at the coast or take a slightly higher, inland route. I chose the inland route as there were a couple of interesting things to see here and better options that night for a wild camp. A track climbed high above Kildonan through farm fields and scented hedgerows. Soon it passed into forestry for the next few miles until the trees opened up again above Whiting Bay. What a view. The pretty village hugged a crescent of golden sand and just offshore the rugged little island of Holy Isle drifted in the sea. 

Above Whiting Bay the trail passed by the Giant's Graves, a series of neolithic burial chambers. I do think the ancient people who built them chose the locations of their ceremonial structures very carefully, much like they must have done at Machrie Moor. The chamber had a clear view to the prominent top of Goatfell which had reappeared in the view once the trail had traveled north. 

Just beyond here were the Glenashdale Falls which were still a beautiful sight despite the recent long, dry spell. A platform above the gorge provided a vertigo inducing view over the drop.

North from here, the trail gradually passed from plantation forestry into dense deciduous woodland which was alive with birdsong. Evening light created beams and shadows on the path ahead and a pretty little pond made a camp spot for the night. It was patrolled later by a roding woodcock, a strange but now well known sound for me when in the tent at dusk at this time of year. 

My final day on the trail itself started early with a walk down into Lamlash to rejoin the coast. The village looked pretty in morning sunshine stretched out along the pebble beach. 

A walk along the waterfront gave way to a beautiful path onwards to Brodick. It didn't have much space between the sea and a wooded escarpment but it passed rock pools and a pretty, secluded beach. It was wonderful. It passed into Brodick by zig-zagging through the fields and I was suddenly thrust back into the busy activity of the island's main town. But not for long. 

Although it was already afternoon, the days are long in May and the route up Goatfell fairly straightforward, so I decided to head straight up the mountain. Most people climb Goatfell from Cladach, just outside of Brodick. However, as I'd had a much longer walk in from Lamlash, by the time I was on the top, I had the place to myself. The iconic view across the Saddle, Cir Mhor and the A'Chir ridge was bathed in warm evening light. The sea sparkled all around and there was barely a breeze to ruffle a blade of grass. I was glad that I'd climbed Goatfell at the end rather than the beginning as what a great way it was to end the walk and my time on Arran. 

All that was then left was a very pleasant descent in the gathering gloaming to the camp site in Glen Rosa then a short walk into Brodick next morning for the return ferry.

Fact File

All the photos on FLICKR

Public transport: Train to Troon then Calmac ferry to Brodick. This was a temporary arrangement as the ferry usually leaves from Ardrossan where the train and ferry are better connected. Stagecoach run the bus services on Arran and it's a great service round all of the coast and the String Road, especially useful for walkers.

Route: The route is well described on the Walkhighlands website HERE.

My top tips: Highly recommend the hill path from Laggan to Lochranza as an alternative to the coast; watch for ticks as the woods in particular are hoaching with them; allow plenty of time for the rougher sections of the route as they are very slow going; allow plenty of time as there is so much to see; highly recommend the beautiful campsite at Kildonan; my opinion but the roads in the south that the trail uses are not suitable for walking.