12-13/01/24 Weekend Meet: Loch Ken Outdoor Centre, Dumfries and Galloway

January’s Weekend Meet was based at the Loch Ken Outdoor Centre, NX 65816 73510, www.lochken.co.uk. About 10 x miles NW of Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway.

Loch Ken looking north from the outdoor centre.

Our bunkhouse accommodation.

Taking full advantage of the good weather on the Friday, KH & BR bag Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, NX 59426 97992, in frosty and beautifully clear conditions. Pic taken from the top looking east. 

From the top none of the wind turbines to the NE were visible under the blanket of cloud covering the hills.

Also on Friday MMcE & GB nabbed a quick hill on route to the Loch Ken meet, Blackcraig Hill, NS 64730 06479, a Fiona in Glen Afton, due south of New Cumnock. Robert Burns's Country. Pic shows view of Glen Afton looking south soon after the start.

They ascended the hill from Blackcraig, via Quintin Knowe on a good track, then a sharp right turn along a fence.

With the trig point just visible they reach the summit over frozen ground. Back down the same way.

On Saturday MMcE & GB climbed the Fiona Millfore, NX 47795 75443. They started out from the Black Loch, NX 49909 73006, to the south east of the hill. Pic shows a nearby art installation ‘The eye of the needle’.

Passing the quarry with Millfore to the NNW in the distance.

View east with the Solway firth glimpsed.

The view to the north over Loch Dee with Corserine, NX 49768 87080, mid pic far right, where their fellow walkers were walking that day.

Looking to the WNW they see Lamachan hill, NX 43492 77076, Curleywee, NX 45466 76973, an attractive prospect but too far for that day.

Back to the car at the Black loch, with Caledonian pine trees growing on the far side. A fine but cold day out.

As mentioned earlier a group of about six folk went to do a circuit of Corserine and the Rhinns of Kells, including Carlin’s Cairn, https://consumerplatform.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/20496000/240112--corserine-circuit--loch-ken-weekend-meet?lat=55.144184&lon=-4.339586&zoom=12.6756&style=Leisure&type=2d

This was a mixture of Donalds and Corbetts:

Corbett / Donald, Corserine, NX 49776 87071.

Donald, Carlin’s Cairn, NX 49692 88374.

Donald, Milldown, NX 51125 83958.

Donald, Meikle Millyea, NX 51684 82576.

Note that this Meikle Millyea grid ref represents what is considered to be the actual top and not the Trig Point as indicated on the OS 1:25k and 1:50k maps, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meikle_Millyea. Pic shows the view looking NW towards Corserine, capped in cloud from the descent route traversing NE over Meikle Lump, NX 52686 83494. A fine day out in good company covering 19km and 1130m of ascent.

On Sunday GB, MMcE, AS, CS & Harry the Dog climbed the sub 2000ft Criffel, NX 95728 61859, near Dumfries. Cool weather with amazing views. Pic shows group heading up the start of the track. 

Views opening up on the ascent.

Solway Firth in the east looking pink.

Cairn Knockendoch, at the end of the ridge, their route down after the summit.

Crowds at the summit cairn and trig.

Huddle at the trig.

A flock of wind turbines!

Heading off towards Knockendoch.

At Knockendoch cairn.

Arriving at Loch Kindar at the foot of Criffel, where they found a track that led them back round the side of Loch Kindar to the farm and the car park. An end to a grand weekend.