Southern Upland Way: Bargrennan to St Johns Town of Dalry

Contents : SOUTHERN UPLAND WAY


		Introduction		Day 5
		Day 1		Day 6
		Day 2		Day 7
		Day 3		Day 8
		Day 4		Day 9

THE SOUTHERN UPLAND WAY CROSSES SCOTLAND WEST TO EAST COAST

NATIONAL TRAILS GUIDES UK - DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS & GALLERIES

Day 3 :: Lochs and Rivers:: Bargrennan to Dalry :: 22 miles

We started a little further down the road to where we finished yesterday, in Bargrennan, at a wooden stile that led to a large conifer wood. The first thing we noticed was that the path no longer followed the navigational trail we had plotted on our GPS's, nor the route on either of the maps. The way markers now led parallel to the road, alongside the River Cree. We put up with this until arriving at another forestry path. However, as we did not know at what point the new Southern Upland Way route would rejoin the original route, if at all, we decided to follow the forestry road, which we knew would intersect our original route, rather than continue on this path.

The path in the forest had wound between stands of conifers, shielding us from the burning sun, but the constant drumming of fast moving traffic on the road below was irksome. Once we decided on the forestry road we could see that we were heading back to our original route, and were moving away from the traffic. Our fee were still tender from yesterday and the forestry road already began to make them worse.

After a mile or so we turned right along another forestry road, a little rougher, and between a broad swathe of trees. We were surprised to notice, after a short distance, a way marker. We then saw that the route rejoined our original route just here, just before a bridge over the Waters of Minnoch. It was obvious that the alteration to the footpath route was very recent. The Waters of Minnoch were quite wide below the bridge. This was a beautiful setting, the banks of the Minnoch being adorned with deciduous trees.



The forestry path from Bargrennan		Waters of Minnoch from the bridge

It was at this point that my knee began to hurt and continued to worsen. It seemed to be a twisting strain from yesterday when Ron and I walked at a very fast pace down a boggy and tussocky mountainside near Bargrennan. Ron just wanted to get it over with and put on a fast spurt that I could barely keep up with.

The path that we were now on was muddy and their were many small stretches of duck boarding and stiles. In the distance we could see Glen Tool, with its dark green stands of conifers. We walked through an open area between cut trees. Eventually we reached the Water of Trool, where our path turned right. Its banks were lined with bare deciduous trees and there was a narrow grassy verge. To our right was a large area of flattened trees. On the far side of the Trool was a large grassy swathe and conifers beyond. The Trool was very wide and trees dipped into it.



Water of Trool		A cascade on the Water of Trool

Much to Ron's consternation I decided to make a sound recording of the water. it was an abysmal failure. I had stopped because it was so quiet. There were just woodland birds singing. No sooner had I started recording an airplane flew past, taking several minutes, and then a distressed cow started bellowing unceasingly. I gave up!

The Southern Upland Way continued alongside a large area of newly budding silver birch thickets to the right. The views along and across the Water of Trool was magnificent. The varying shades of green blended perfectly with the narrowing waters.

The river started to meander through very attractive marshy waters. We crossed a wooden footbridge over a tributary and pressed forward on our grassy track. This was kind to our feet, but my knee was now very painful. It was so bad I was gritting my teeth as I walked.

Each time we looked to our left there was a view over majestic mountains. We passed over another small wooden footbridge in an open area of grass with a few odd stands of silver birch. We passed on, through thickets of trees. Our route became blocked by a fallen tree but was easily circumnavigated. The path ahead lay through widely spread, straight deciduous stands. All at once we came upon a sign pointing to the Martyr's Tomb. This was at the end of a straight and narrow path, and was surrounded by a circular wall over which some stairs had been laid to permit an observer a view over its top to the tomb and stone within. At the side of the path was a small stream with bright yellow fungus growing on rotted leaves. The tomb was that of 6 martyrs, apparently killed by soldiers whilst in the act of praying.



Glen Trool near the Isle of Trool		The Martyr's tombstone

Returning to the Southern Upland Way we passed through the Caldons Wood campsite and a view of Loch Trool appeared. This was beautiful. We carried on along a narrow track through trees, which eventually changed to a climbing earthen path through the conifers. We climbed high on the southern side of the loch. The path was very soft and covered with pine needles.

We were afforded magnificent views of Loch Trool, which reflected the mountains and the sky. As we walked we could always hear bird chatter. We also heard a distant cuckoo.

Near the end of Loch Trool we came across a party of wild mountain goats with a kid. They browsed, quite unperturbed by our presence. They were only 20 yards or so away from us.

The path changed to a stony one, and our feet began to hurt again. I had earlier said a prayer that my knee would stop hurting, and I suddenly realised that it had not been hurting for some time. The pain to my knee did not return at all during this holiday. It had been so bad I thought I would have to give up the walk. It seems that prayers are answered as I can think of no other explanation for it.

We soon came upon a placard on the site of the path, announcing that this was the site of a battle where Robert the Bruce had attacked the English from above (a steep mountain side covered in trees). This was the point where the path narrowed and seemed like a perfect place for an ambush.

Sections of the path were very steep and had to be supported with wooden steps. We climbed high again at the eastern end of the loch and were able to look down on its full magnificence.



Narrowing path where Robert the Bruce ambushed English soldiers		Loch Trool from the high on the Southern Upland Way

Our path was now wound between hundreds of large boulders which lay all around, obviously having rolled down from above. At the side of Loch Trool we could see a large waterfall plummeting down into the loch.

Having climbed down we crossed the Water of Trool at a footbridge, having passed the loch, and continued our walk on the far side. This appeared to be another re-routing of the Southern Upland Way, which again threw us as we were not expecting it. Instead of a level path through the forest we now had some heavy climbing up Shoe Hill and Corrse Knowe of Glenhead. Our guidebook clearly shows the path on the opposite side of the Trool, following close to its banks. That said the new trail afforded us some magnificent views of the distant mountains and many swollen rivers rushing downhill.

Looking back there was a splendid vista down the Glen of Trool. Looking back at some of the distant mountains we could see drifts of snow. We stopped for a drink and an energy bar by a large rock that was shaped like a dolphin. The path became muddy and awkward to walk upon. I was worried about my knee but it was fine.

There were may tributaries on their way to Loch Dee (the next Loch on our route, just ahead of us), which we crossed by small wooden bridges. At last Loch Dee appeared, as we turned towards the forest trail on the other side of the river. We crossed to it, taking a stony forestry path - ouch! Loch Dee was beautiful, having many small islands within its waters. The roughness of our track worsened and our feet responded accordingly.

As we neared Loch Dee its crystal clear waters blended perfectly into the now overcast sky. The mountains in the distance and the fingered plantation gave way to a true postcard scene.



Our dolphin rock		Loch Dee

Our GPS's for a long time stopped clocking off the distance left to our destination. The time left was not reducing. We walked a good mile around an impassible area only to arrive a few hundred yards further on, all the time on a hard stone surface. This track was to be with us for the rest of our journey today. There was a small amount of rain but it did not bother us and we did not don our waterproofs - we were too tired to be bothered. We passed more rivers joining the Dee, with shingle banks. We were almost taking for granted the magnificent views we were beholding, there were with us constantly.

Logging was evident on our track, with stacks of piled logs. Midges came out in the inclement weather and started to annoy us. The road just went on and on, hardly varying. We again crossed the River Dee at a large bridge spanning the huge expanse of water as it flowed into Loch Clatteringshaw, which yet remained invisible.

We passed a quarry on our left and continued on our never ending forestry path. The trees disappeared, having been felled close to Clatteringshaw Loch. We crossed another river on a concrete bridge. The trees re-appeared as we neared the end of today's route. The Loch appeared, another fine but unappreciated view.



Black Waters of Dee		Clatteringshaw Loch

The forest track turned left at cross-tracks and then right under some power lines, and climbed up the side of Low Benbrack, leaving the forest track (thank goodness) to cross the Hog Park Strand at Shield Rig, where we thankfully exited the forest to cross open moorland to Clenrie, where we joined a road around the edge of the forest. The moor and forest then gave way to rolling fields and stone walls, a welcome indication of habitation ahead.

We entered a small deciduous woodland and to our right the Garrock Burn appeared. We crossed the Burn at Garrock Bridge. We left the road and cut across Waterside Hill over very boggy ground, climbing and then descending to Dalry, emerging onto a road at a chain link fence by a power station.

We walked in the opposite direction to the power station and then turned off the road to our right, across green fields into St Johns Town of Dalry, where we were staying the night.



Trudging near the end of the forest		Across fields into St Johns Town of Dalry


Day 2	Day 4

Author - Roy McKee

National Trail Guides UK