A
local guidebook of walks on Cairnsmore of Fleet describes the route I was to
take with unabashed disdain. It is
dismissed as “a predictable plod”; it “runs the risk of tedium”; “is little
more than chore”; is derided as “this most monotonous of routes” and each time
it is followed “its tediousness grows no less”.
I
can only assume that the old adage that “familiarity breeds contempt” is the
reason behind the disparaging descriptions as I found the walk to have a
variety of terrain not found in my recent visits to the Pennines and Yorkshire
Dales. It is also a more interesting
route than many I have followed in the oft-praised mountains of the Lake
District.
Cairnsmore
of Fleet is the southernmost Scottish mountain, with a height of 711 metres
(2,311 feet) ensuring its classification as both a Graham and a Donald. From a distance, and specifically the view
from the peninsula of The Machars reinforces this, this Galloway mountain is
basically a lump. But on closer inspection
it has character.
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| the way up from the car park |
From
the car park the Cairnsmore estate track meandered its way slowly uphill. A signpost indicated the way resulting in a
short wooded walk accompanied by the many rhododendron bushes which added their
purple brilliance to the verdant pathway.
Another short walk past the farm led to a gate and the first open
country of the ascent; across a field to the base of the forest of Bardrochwood
Moor. The path continued to a forest
road and a carved granite bench, a memorial to a Rosemary Pilkington. I chatted with a couple who were on their way
down and they told me that their energetic spaniel had been covered in ticks
due to its excursions into the forest undergrowth.
 |
| in the forest of Bardrochwood Moor |
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| the path through the forest of Bardrochwood Moor |
 |
| the Rosemary Pilkington memorial bench |
The
path continued steadily uphill through a wide forest ride and emerged on to
open hillside giving a clear view of the way ahead. The breeze was at my back but no extra layers
were needed as long as I kept moving.
Due to my relatively late start I saw quite a few people heading
downhill but nobody else was in sight moving uphill.
The
path was part pitched and was pleasant underfoot, especially up the zig-zags
leading towards the summit plateau. The
gradient eased and the obvious block of a memorial to eight crashed aircraft
and their 25 aircrew came into sight above the horizon. The true summit is ground at the base of a
nearby large cairn with the trig pillar just a very short stroll away, situated
next to a small walled shelter.
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| memorial to 25 aircrew |
 |
| the summit - memorial, cairn, shelter, trig point |
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| summit triangulation pillar |
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| summit cairn, shelter & trig point |
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| Cairnsmore of Fleet from Cairnsmore |
The
way down was simply the reverse of the ascent but despite this, the walk
reinforced to me that guidebook descriptions are written through a judgemental
lens of the author and a rewarding day out can be had on unfamiliar terrain if
you keep on open mind and have half-decent weather.
The
lesson to be learnt is – tread your own path.
