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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 5 :: Up and Down :: Sanquhar to Beattock :: 28 miles           We left Sanquhar at the opposite end of town, just off the busy A78. We walked along a road called "Cows Wynd", following it until it became a track and then a path, and into a small copse. After leaving the copse the path turned left and joined a road, where we turned right. After a short while we took a path that by-passed a small woodland. It was raised over a very boggy stretch of moorland, Coupland Knowe. It led uphill, steeply, following a fence and crossing several stiles until reaching the conifer plantation at Cogshead, were we joined a forestry path. At the edge of the forest we turned right onto the new route (the old one is 2 or 3 times longer on this stretch and follows forestry tracks, which we hate). We climbed steadily, crossing several stiles, to reach Highmill Knowe, where a number of fences meet. We descended steeply to some game butts and a track where we turned right over a footbridge. This is an old lead mining area. Climbing uphill, following the path we emerged below a terrace of cottages by a thriving, bustling activity of people at Wanlockhead, where we ate a small meal in the tea room. We did not avail ourselves to the other activities around, although there was a museum and a library that looked worthwhile examining.               Wanlock Water   Path out of Wanlock           We left Wanlockhead outside of the tea room and climbed up a steep flight of wooden steps, crossing the road on our right and following a stony path on the far side. A railway signal indicated the presence of an old railway station with its derelict building and modern annexe. We exchanged waves with its occupants. Our route lay up Stake Hill which began on a loose, stony path, alongside a wire fence. As we ascended steeply, the track narrowed somewhat and the stones lessened. The heather moorland on each side closed in. Ahead of us we could see the masts of the Civil Aviation Radar system on Lowther Hill. As we turned near the top of Stake Hill we descended into the rill of Mossey Burn. On the right of the path the blanket bog had eroded to show huge tracts of peat stretching to the wooden footbridge across the burn and just ahead of us.             Southern Upland Way up Stake Hill   Footbridge over Mossy Burn         From the footbridge we climbed on a very slight, narrow peaty track, which was heaven to walk upon, and we were afforded grand views to the right over the edge of a reservoir which was just in view, and over to the rounded hills stretching into infinity. We continued to climb and joined the road to the radar station on Lowther Hill. We turned right on the metalled road. On our left a umber of small gullies came down the hillside and there were many hidden bogs. I stopped to record the water dripping from one such and also the skylarks and grouse.             Narrow, peaty track from footbridge up Lowther Hill   Water seeping from the peat bogs         The huge golf ball silhouette of the radar station loomed in front of us and steadily grew in size as we neared it. We left the road at a bend and proceeded to our right up the hill and directly towards the radar station. We crossed and re-crossed the road several times, our path being a wide grassy track having large yellow and red poles on each side, rather like a piste slope. We continued to climb. At our closest approach to the radar station we could see the golf ball shaped structure was perched atop a cylindrical tower surrounded by radar dishes. It looked more like a huge light bulb. At this point our path veered right at a step stile over a wire fence. There was a good view from here down the valley between the mountain folds.             Part of Lowther Hill radar station   View from Lowther Hill         After passing the radar station we crossed a number of stiles and then the path led in a dead straight line to the side of a fence on a springy, grassy path down Lowther Hill. This type of terrain was very good for our blistered feet. Further down the path there were warning signs that the fence was electrified. Although it was insulated and gave the appearance of electrification it in fact was not - we tested it! In the distance were the huge mountain folds of Black Hill, Capel Hill and Well Hill and behind them Ballen Cleuch Law, Rodger Law and Comb Law. As we descended on our nice grassy path Ron's knee started to really trouble him and we had to slow down. Ahead of us we could see a deep valley and a steep rise beyond up Cold Moss. There was a good view down the Loch Burn valley between Mid Hill and Inner Comb, and in the far distance we could see the dark forests covering Pin Stane and Little Shag. As we reached the steep descent of Lowther Hill I sat on my behind and slid down. I had on my waterproof bottoms and got away with it. Ron decided to limp down instead. I suggested to him that I walk alone tomorrow to give his knee time to recover. He said no but the thought was now in his head and he later saw the logic in this and agreed.             Dinabid Linn between Lowther Hill and Cold Moss   Our path up Cold Moss           At the valley bottom there was a wooden bridge over the Dinabid Linn and on each side the eroded peat could be seen falling steeply along its route. Ahead lay a steep climb up Cold Moss. The path was not marked here. Our GPS's pointed more to the left but we climbed straight ahead in any event, as the route of the path was obvious. At the top of Cold Moss we picked up the way markers again. There was a splendid view over the conifer shrouded Little Shag and Meikle Shag and further behind, of Hitterill Hill and the Daer Reservoir below it. We descended Cold Moss and Comb Head, passed over a wooden bridge crossing the Clachleith Burn and ascended Laght Hill. Below Comb Head the Daleswick Burn could be seen meandering in great loops, whilst the slopes of Crooked Bank to our left, presented a khaki patchwork appearance, with many varieties of khaki colours.             Comb Head Ridge   View from Comb Head Ridge             Khaki colours on Riccart Law   Daer Reservoir in the distance         Our grassy path veered to our left, still following the fence on the ridge top towards Laght Hill. We could see, far below us, the A702. The path began to roughen and turned into heavier and boggier grasses and the fence was replaced with a stone wall. As the path descended it became much boggier, and peat hags again appeared. And then we returned to a grassy path and aimed for a ladder stile across the stone wall. Beyond the stile the grassy track led along the stone wall. Ground birds were nesting here and there were warnings on the stiles to keep to the path, so that they would not be disturbed. Below us was a shelter belt and farm and the A702. We had to cross this road. We descended and joined in just beyond a conifer copse at Overfingerland, and turned left for about a half mile, before crossing it via a gate. We then walked along the Potrenick Burn, which we crossed via a footbridge by a weir and entered Water Meetings Forest.             peat hags at foot of Laght Hill   Overfingerland         There was a large area of felled conifers here. We turned right into the wood and continued until reaching a forestry track where we turned right on a path that wound its way through the dismal forest (we intensely detest these deep forestry plantations, which seem to be bereft of life and light, and the gritty tracks blister our feet quicker than any other surface we have experienced). At the edge of the forest the path branched. We kept left, leaving the forest by a stile.             A702 and Water Meetings Forest beyond   Water Meetings Forest           For a while the path followed the northern edge of Water Meetings Forest, but soon entered into it. The going became easier as we descended and reached the road coming up from the western banks of a reservoir. We followed the road north through the forest, a circuitous route, to reach the northern shore of the reservoir where we turned left to take a sodden path beside a fence up the steep slopes of Sweetshore Brae. There were many false summits and it seemed to take ages before we arrived at the top. There was a splendid view, which unfortunately I was unable to take as the tape on my video camcorder, which I was using as a camera, was full. I had left spares in my car and had not thought to bring them with me. We carried on, the path veering round to follow the western flank of the reservoir along the edge of yet another conifer forest. I knew it would, and it did , enter the forest after turning left, but pleasantly the path was not stony but was an easy and soft grassy track. We continued walking along the forest path for an eternity. As we descended the forest track we came to a clearing and crossed a river via a footbridge, and the plunged back into the forest for another eternity of boring walking. We entered another clearing and crossed another river on a footbridge, and again entered forest. We were stunned to suddenly come across a small loch in the middle of the forest, probably the only thing of interest we had observed in this forest. Gratefully, we emerged from the forest and joined a road which we followed for about 2 miles into Beattock.         Day 4 Day 6       Author - Roy McKee Copyright © Roy McKee 2006