This was my first ever trip walking in Galloway in the southwestern corner of Scotland. I'd cycled there a number of times as it's great for that with lots of quiet country roads but somehow it's taken me this long to pull out the bus and train timetables to see what's possible on foot. Also, having just walked a section of the Southern Upland Way a couple of blogs ago in the Lammermuirs, I became intrigued to discover more of the route. Therefore, four trains and a rural bus took me to Glen Trool Village and after several days on foot, I popped out in Sanquhar to pick up a train home. I hadn't really known what to expect of this section of the route but I absolutely loved it. From the map it looks like the Southern Upland Way passes through a lot of commercial forestry as it crosses Galloway but on the ground it didn't feel like this. There were often sections with mixed woodland and huge areas that had been clear-felled a number of years ago were now exploding into new woods of birch and willow. I often head to northwest Scotland for my May holidays which can be barren and devoid of trees. But with all the woodland, the birdsong in Galloway in May was beautiful. I also really enjoyed the quietness of the route as I saw almost nobody on the trail itself and I loved the fact that the journey was not all through hills but passed through farmland, moorland and small settlements as well. It made for a really interesting walk. Here are some of the highlights from the route.
From the bus stop at Glen Trool Village, a series of beautiful woodland paths took me up into Glen Trool itself. Bluebells dotted the woodland floor and eventually the waters of Loch Trool came into sight. Beyond this, the rugged contours of the Galloway hills started to rise ahead of me.
I made a short detour from the trail to climb the Merrick, the highest hill in southern Scotland. It was late in the day by the time I was on the hill but I loved having it to myself because of this. From the top, I had a hazy view to the rock of Ailsa Craig, drifting off the Ayrshire shore. I descended part way and found a lovely spot for the tent that night beside the ruin of Culsharg. The cottage still had a good roof so was a great spot to sit out heavy rain next morning. The rain didn't deter the swallows that were nesting in the rafters and they swooped in and out through the glass-less windows. I sat here for hours, watching the world and listening to the birdsong.
I eventually continued eastwards, enjoying the lush woods and wildflowers. My next camp was close to White Laggan bothy at Loch Dee. This was a lovely spot with remnants of old farm walls, mixed woodland including beautiful old hawthorn trees and a strong sense of place lingering from days gone by. A long walk beyond here took me through mile after mile of forest to eventually pass into gentler terrain and farmland to reach Dalry.
Beyond Dalry, the Southern Upland Way crosses moorland and high pasture. The first morning out of Dalry was especially beautiful. I was up extra early from a riverside camp spot and the light was magical, casting a golden glow over the trail as it wound its way onward over the moor towards more hills.
I was soon climbing back up into the hills and enjoyed one of the real highlights of the walk as I came upon one of Andy Goldsworthy's Striding Arches sculptures on top of Benbrack Hill. What a stunning sight it was and I could see two other arches on adjacent hills. They are made of local sandstone and are free standing so there is no mortar or framework holding them up. As if all that was wasn't enough, I then had a great view of a golden eagle as I descended the other side of Benbrack.
From Benbrack, the Way dropped down into forestry and on this warm, sunny afternoon the aroma of the pine trees filled the air. The path meandered through the woods and seemingly in the middle of nowhere, suddenly came upon Allan's Cairn. The cairn commemorates two Covenanters, George Allan and Margaret Gracie. Covenanters were a 17th century religious and political movement who refused to swear allegiance to the King and had to meet in secret. These two Covenanters had escaped capture for many years but were eventually tracked down and killed on this hillside. I camped a little way further on from the cairn for my final night out.
From Allan's Cairn the Southern Upland Way dropped to the valley of Scar Water before climbing again to cross Cloud Hill. There was a lovely surprise here as the waymarker posts had been cheerfully painted with dozens of different designs and mottos. They guided me through the hills and farms to my end point at Sanquhar.
Fact File
More photos on Flickr Start: Glen Trool Village
Finish: Sanquhar
Public transport: Train to Girvan then Stagecoach bus 359 to Glen Trool Village. Train back from Sanquhar.
My route: Woodland path connects Glen Trool Village with Glen Trool visitor centre where the Southern Upland Way can be joined. Stayed on the north side of Loch Trool to pick up the path to the Merrick then followed the Southern Upland Way all the way to Sanquhar. It is a waymarked route but it's not always possible to see the next post and I did find myself using the map regularly, especially to find the route across farmland.
