South-west Scotland 2- Tor of Craigoch

 16 September 2024

Where: Tor of Craigoch, 125m/410', P 38m, Tump, OS 82, NX 008 646

After Dow Hill, I carried on south to Stranraer and as it was still early, decided to continue through the village of Leswalt to bag the Tor of Craigoch. It is an Iron Age hillfort site estimated to be around 2,500 years old. The site is occupied by the Agnew Monument which was built in 1850 to commemorate Sir Andrew Agnew, the 7th Baronet of Lochnaw who was a Wigtownshire MP.

 There was a small car park and a path which went through the gorse to the base of the monument and the Tump summit and trig. Unfortunately the thick gorse obstructed the view but it was still an interesting hill.

South-west Scotland 1: Dow Hill and Shalloch Hill (Girvan)

 16 September and 19 September 2024

Where: Dow Hill, 159m/522', P 34m, Tump, OS 76, NX 193 961 and Shalloch Hill, 71m/233', P 33m, Tump, OS 76, NX 184 958

An Indian summer had arrived so I decided to tick a trip off my list. The main objective was the Mull of Galloway but I had identified a few other Tumps that could be bagged on the way. First stop was Girvan parking in the south car park and following a track which went over the railway line and round the west side of Dow Hill. Where it turned sharp right I took to the hill slopes and soon reached the summit which is the site of an ancient fort and a good viewpoint. I returned the same way.

Dow Hill from the car park.....

Heading up.....

View of Girvan.....

Ailsa Craig.....

Looking south to Byne Hill and the Marilyn, Grey Hill.....

I decided to leave Shalloch Hill for the return journey. It lies to the west of Dow Hill and can be described as an upland grassy field. The approach.....

Girvan from the summit.....

Cloud breaking off the top of Ailsa Craig.....

View to Dow Hill.....

Wee Hill of Craigmullach

 

12 September 2024

Where: Wee Hill of Craigmullach, 427m/1,401', P 49m, Tump, OS 77, NX 482 959

A rare sunny day! This hill had been on my radar for a while, I had climbed the neighbouring Marilyn, Craiglee, some years before but was almost certain that I had not included this top. So it was off to Loch Doon and the car park at the old castle.....

The path up the hill started from the side of the castle and was signposted. It was a bit overgrown initially but once past a small forest everything opened up and there were good views down to the loch with the main Galloway hills beyond......

There was also a view north to Craiglee as I got higher.....

It was a fairly gentle climb to the summit on a good path and I was soon approaching the substantial cairn.....

The Galloway Hills- The Merrick in the centre with the view spreading north to Shalloch on Minnoch.....

It was a great view and I sat at the cairn for a while taking it all in. And I was now sure that I hadn't visited this top last time I was in the area.