Wednesday 18 September 2019

Corserine & Shalloch on Minnoch

Today's walks were all about finishing the Southern Upland Corbett's. I drove up after an early start arriving at Forrest Lodge just after 9.30am. At this stage I was unsure whether I would just climb Corserine or drive round and climb Shalloch on Minnoch in the afternoon. Images of the day follow as usual....

They're keen on notices/signs on the Forrest estate!

Off up the logging road, (I was passed by 2 artic's) Corserine is more or less in the centre of the distant ridge.

Out of the forestry and onto the open hill...all looking nicely wild.

Sadly the actual summit was shrouded in low cloud when I was there. I turned round and headed back on the route of ascent.

Just a few metres lower at Hennessey's Shelter and I was below the cloud with a great view over to the East. Cairnsmore of Carsphairn is to the right of the cairn.

Castlemaddy, Goats Crag and Meaul form a long ridge to the North.
I returned to the car nd decided that I had enough energy for the expected effort to climb Salloch on Minnoch. So after a snack drove the 30 odd miles round to the high point of the minor road which runs between Straiton and Newton Stewart.

I decided on a beeline to intersect the ridge...BAD choice! Looking back to the car which is to the right nd beyond the group of trees. This was very hard going.

Once on the broad ridge there was a path, quite wet for much of the way...but a million times easier going than the heather bashing I'd endured earlier.
The prominent highpoint in the photo is the site of the trig but not the actual summit.

The actual summit, and a great view to the South and Southeast. The day had improved dramatically, it was now quite warm even with the breeze.

Looking to the highpoint of Shalloch on Minnoch from the trig.
Back along the broad ridge, all the way this time...

The path went all the way back to the road, very wet in places...but way better than my outward route...even with the km back uphill on the road.
So that's the Southern Upland Corbetts completed. Even though they are the highest hills in the area they would appear by the path usage to be rarely visited...indeed I have met very few other people on them...admittedly generally midweek.
A great days walking/Bagging!