Capel Fell (donald)
Croft Head (donald)
Loch Fell (donald)
Wind Fell (donald) cancelled
Ettrick Pen (donald) cancelled
Length: 12.0 miles 19.3 km Ascent: +1201m Naismith: 5h 52m
Original plan was
Length: 13.3 miles 21.3 km Ascent: +1417m Naismith: 6h 38m
The weather forecast was for heavy thundey showers working their way south so a trip to the borders seemed like a good idea. I consulted my big book of things to do and Ettrick circuit looked good. (I hadn't noticed how far it was by road).
The drive down to Moffat was nice. Moffatdale was lovely and we eventually reached St. Mary's Loch then the Gordon Arms hotel. Turn right and drive some more. Follow signs for Ettrck and eventually arrive at the road end.
It had been my intention to go clockwise, but there was a tempting sign at the road end with "Ettrick Circuit" I took this to be a "sign". We started off up the first hill of the day, Bodesbeck Law. After about half a mile there is a small footbridge over the burn and it is signed Bodesbeck Law. After a quick map check we stuck with our original intention of following the forestry track onto the hills east ridge. This gave us an easy warm up to start.
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| me on Bodesbeck Law |
The problem with doing the circuit this way is the distance between hill 1 and hill 2 is just under 3km. If you go clockwise the hills are closely spaced and the last hill can be skipped if legs are tired or time is pressing. We, or rather I, deprived us of that option by going anticlockwise.
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| Ettrick to Bodesbeck Farm path. |
The ridge forms the regional boundary between Dumfries and Galloway and The Borders. The boundary is marked by a dry stane dyke which for 2 or 3 km is in perfect condition.
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| where do the stones come from? White Shank looking back toward Bodesbeck Law. |
We strolled on along the undulating and occasionally boggy ground and eventually we came to hill no. 2 for the day, Capel Fell.
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| big cloud aeroplane |
We then descended to Ettrick Head and followed the Southern Upland Way to the bottom of Cat Shoulder on Croft Head. This section doesn't seem to get much traffic and I wouldn't fancy it in really bad weather or snow with a big pack! After a short T break we headed up and down Croft Head then tackled the steep climb up to Loch Fell (couldn't see a loch anywhere).
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| Hart Fell and Bog Cotton |
Here is where plans had to be changed, Mrs H declared a sore leg and was in some discomfort so we skipped Wind Fell and Ettrick Pen and headed straight for Ettrick Head and the long slow hobble back to the car. We had a good nosey at the Over Phawhope bothy on the way past.
Back to the car about 7 hrs after we left it and munched jelly babies all the way home.
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