Culter Fell (Graham/Donald)
Gathersnow Hill (Graham/Donald)
Hillshaw Head (Donald)
Hudderstone (Donald)
Length: 10.5 miles, 16.9 km, Ascent: +961m, Naismith: 4h 59m
Headed for pastures new in the Biggar area. Somewhere I’ve never been before and we picked excellent dry sunny weather for it. We parked in the shade at a small layby at NT031311 (enough room for about 4 cars) and walked south until a track leads off to the left after a stand of trees. Another faint path headed towards the crest of the ridge and we followed this up past a few well hidden and robust grouse butts to the top of Fell Shin then on to the top of Culter Fell. Excellent views even if it was a bit hazy, Tinto hill was to the north, to the south Broad Law and Moffatdale, and of more interest, the easy descent to Holm Nick up Nout Craig and the second hill of the day, Gathersnow Hill. There is a tremendous sense of space in these hills – something you get in the Cairngorms and some of the Perthshire hills, lots of sky and rolling hill sides. Very picturesque.
The view down Fell Shin to Birthwood Farm
Next was the shameless Donald bagging, Leaving the summit of Gathersnow Hill by the west side, we wandered down a faint path following the fence across to Hillshaw Head then almost due North and across the featureless moor (although there is a bizarre mast of some sort) to reach the top of Hudderstone. In poor visibility the easiest way to get between these two minor hills would be to follow the fence or the more adventurous could try a map and compass.
Gathersnow Hill from Holm Nick
We opted for the most direct return to the car and dropped to the minor col between Yellow Moss and The Dod and then by sheep track down Lea Gill to the Barn and then to the road. Back at the car 6hrs after we left it for coffee biscuits and jelly babies. We saw one person all day and that was the local shepherd training her dogs in one of the fields next to Culter Water.
No comments:
Post a Comment