Wee Trek Through The Galloway Forest (Pic Heavy)

[Jinsin456]

This weekend Jason and I went a venture into the Galloway Forest. We started on Friday and got a lift to Sinchar Falls then walked from there to Tunskeen Bothy and spent the night there. Was a great night and 10 mins turned the s**thole in was when we walked in into a wee cosy home away from home, baffles me how busy people must be when they can't spend 5 mins running a brush along the floor.

On Saturday we got up early, packed up and set off for Loch Doon taking in some of the views along the way some of which are stunning. We stopped at the tea room at Loch Doon for a drink and some chocolate and the woman kindly filled out water bottles, didn't want Jason's Katadyn filter to get overused as he only has 50,000 litres to play with alothough we used it on the Friday and it is an amazing bit of kit!

After our wee rest at the tea room we walked down to our usual bit at the castle but there was people already camping there so we walked along and found beautiful spot and it was nice and sheltered so that was a bonus and we bumped into Steven the Forrest Ranger and he suggested we walk through Ness Glen rather than sticking to the road- great idea!

Got the ponchos set up and the bivis and were in bed gabbing away til about midnight then we didn't surface til about 11am!! Cracking nights sleep

Sunday just consisted of a wee walk to Dalmelington through the beautiful Ness Glen and then we got the bus from there into Ayr and went our seperate ways.

Was a great weekend and want to say thanks to Jason for coming down and he also donated a lightweight sleeping bag into my new lightweight collection so thanks again for that mate and also for convincing me to chuck half my gear to be lighter, that saved a lot of work! . Will definately be doing it again although the 22ish mile has taken it's toll on my baby skin feet so will be having a wee rest for a while...

Pics;

The bothy, someones put up a Chinese delivery calender, something tells me they won't deliver to there!!

View in the morning

The way a bothy should be left!!

View from the footpath

Can't remember the name of this rock but it's awesome

Looking over Loch Riecawr

Stopped for a brew, honey on tour!

Saturday nights spot

An adder, unfortunately it was dead

Random for on the outskirts of Dalmelington, maybe someone local could fill us in on what it's for?

Looking over Dalmelington.

 

[Trunks]

Looks like you had a cracking trip, thanks for sharing the pics

 

[Robbi]

looks like a great time was had, good piccys as well

 

[coln18]

Nice one Scotty, looks like you boys had a good time, pity i couldnt make it this weekend, i had planned to take the wee man out on his first canoe trip, but he was a bit off on the saturday morning so i had to postpone it. Give me a shout on your next walk and i will try to make that one, nice pics mate and glad to see youve finally seen the light and become a fully fledged ground dweller, none of that tent crap for me (unless its my 4000 square foot 5 star baker tent/mosh pit)

 

[Shewie]

Great stuff lads, right up my street that

Hope to make it for the next one

 

[The Cumbrian]

Looks like you had a great trip. SW Scotland has to be the ( thankfully ) undiscovered gem of the UK. I've been paddling there a few times, and walked over The Merrick in perfect winter conditions and I only saw fraction of the people that I'd have seen in the Lakes.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[JonathanD]

Great pics. Pity about that adder, by the path like that, it looks like it was killed by some cretinous human. Adult female too, no doubt carrying the future of its species. I would have liked to have examined it and got samples. I should put a thread up about that.

The rest of the trip looked fun. Whats the story about the rocks?

 

[beenn]

looks like you had a good time and nice pictures
thanks for sharing

 

[Jinsin456]

Nice one Scotty, looks like you boys had a good time, pity i couldnt make it this weekend, i had planned to take the wee man out on his first canoe trip, but he was a bit off on the saturday morning so i had to postpone it. Give me a shout on your next walk and i will try to make that one, nice pics mate and glad to see youve finally seen the light and become a fully fledged ground dweller, none of that tent crap for me (unless its my 4000 square foot 5 star baker tent/mosh pit)

Haha I'm not quite a ground dweller yet but can see me sliding down the lightweight kit / lighteight wallet route fairly soon. We'll need to get away soon but that's a shame about the wee man but you've got another 10 years before you become uncool to him and his pals

Will need to come up your way once my feet recover and play in your domain.

 

[Jinsin456]

Great pics. Pity about that adder, by the path like that, it looks like it was killed by some cretinous human. Adult female too, no doubt carrying the future of its species. I would have liked to have examined it and got samples. I should put a thread up about that.

The rest of the trip looked fun. Whats the story about the rocks?

It didn't appear to have any obvious injuries but was on a road and there was a cycle race on so it may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I'm not sure about the rocks, AFAIK thev've been there since the glaciers, they're on an OS map but just one of mother natures wee miracles as they're basically balancing. I'v a funny feeling they're called the leaning rocks or somehing along those lines.

 

[coln18]

Haha I'm not quite a ground dweller yet but can see me sliding down the lightweight kit / lighteight wallet route fairly soon. We'll need to get away soon but that's a shame about the wee man but you've got another 10 years before you become uncool to him and his pals

Will need to come up your way once my feet recover and play in your domain.

Yeah, that would be cool Scotty, i hope you havent got that ultralight bug mate, you may as well throw away all the money you will ever earn, but i must admit its so much more enjoyable to walk with an ultralight kit. Once your feet have been kissed by the angels and soft as a babies bum we can certainly do a few good treks you will enjoy.

 

[JonathanD]

I was thinking it could have been a bike accident just after I posted. Most people who kill them on paths then flick them far away with the stick they killed them with. Damned shame though, they will be registered as critically endangered soon.

 

[coln18]

It didn't appear to have any obvious injuries but was on a road and there was a cycle race on so it may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I'm not sure about the rocks, AFAIK thev've been there since the glaciers, they're on an OS map but just one of mother natures wee miracles as they're basically balancing. I'v a funny feeling they're called the leaning rocks or somehing along those lines.

Do the locals not call the rocks BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN or something like that Scott.

 

[demographic]

That stove seems to be the design that The MBA use for their bothies, I quite like it.
The one at Mosedale cottage is the same.

 

[coln18]

That stove seems to be the design that The MBA use for their bothies, I quite like it.
The one at Mosedale cottage is the same.

Yeah, well done boys for sorting the bothy out like that, im sure the next lads in there will appreciate it and maybe learn how it should be done and pass it on to someone else as well

 

[JAG009]

Just some more pics of the weekend , and a wee thanks to Scott for picking me up and arranging the weekend !

Yes you are seeing right it is a parking meter !!!! and its in the middle of nowhere !

Top weekend Scott cant wait for the next one

Cheers

Jason

 

[Jinsin456]

Yeah, well done boys for sorting the bothy out like that, im sure the next lads in there will appreciate it and maybe learn how it should be done and pass it on to someone else as well

Hopefully mate, would be nice to walk in and get that every time but it's never happened to me!

All three of the Galloway bothies have that stove but it works really well and doesn't use much fuel, great design.

Loving the pics jason, hope you paid and displayed!!!

 

[filcon]

Well done troops, good time in the hills.

phil

 

[Barn Owl]

Cracking pics gents.

sorry I couldn't make it.

not all the pics are showing for me at the mo', so don't know what the one is you were asking about.

 

[zeBarOOn]

Brillant pics - one extreme to another with regards to sleeping shelters!

Good on yer!