Moffat Dale, Saddle Yoke, Firthhope Rig, White Coomb, Carrifrans Gans, Dumfries & Galloway
[ 13.6 km] Tue 21 Jun 2011

NT 1538 1047
As I set off to climb Saddle Yoke above Moffat Dale the first thing I noticed was a sign saying Shepherds memorial. Over the stile and on a boulder by Spoon Burn was the plate. That’s the only information there was so I have no idea who they were.
 

REMEMBER
TOM & TOMMY MURRAY
CHARLES & ROBBIE JOHNSTONE
SHEPHERDS AT
CAPPLEGILL & CARRIFRAN
1938 – 1972

The weather was very grim and the cloud base wasn’t much above the road level. A faint animal track headed up the ridge and as I crossed the first fence a better track seemed to appear from the left. I was soon in cloud and when I reached the south summit of Saddle Yoke all I could see was a few metres of wet ground ahead. It was a very interesting sharp ridge connection to the north peak and it’s unfortunate I can’t see any of the surrounding landscape to appreciate it.

Over Priest Crag the ground became very rough, boggy and featureless. It took some navigating to get across the cloudy area and up the climb on the far side. Over the top a steep descent took me down by a wall and a brief break in the cloud revealed a horrible wet bog of Rotten Bottom ahead and the dark shape of Games Castle. It isn’t a castle but a rock outcrop. I half walked and half waded through the area and was thankful to start the climb by the fence up to Firthhope Rig where the ground became much better to walk on. The map shows an altitude of 800m and the spot is marked with a small cairn. I followed the fence to White Coomb and thankfully the good ground continued.

The fence continued over and down towards Carrifran Gans but there wasn’t much of a path on either side. A better track appeared and then a small dark tarn. Over Carrifran Gans the track vanished and I had a very steep and unpleasant descent ahead. The rain and wet ground made it even more difficult and I would only recommend this way as an ascent route.

Fortunately the fence was substantial and I could use it as a hand rail on the steepest bits. The last half mile to the road seemed never ending and the deep ferns and rain made things even wetter. I was so thankful to reach tarmac and the easy walk back to the car.