The Galloway Hills are southern Scotland's best-kept secret, a vast, roadless granite wilderness of heather ridges, peat bogs, dark lochs and ancient oakwood that sees a fraction of the footfall of the Highlands yet rivals them for rugged natural beauty. At their heart stands the Merrick, the highest point in the Southern Uplands at 843m, alongside 27 other tops over 2000ft, four Corbetts and the UK's first designated dark sky park.

This trusted Cicerone guidebook by Ronald Turnbull covers 34 day walks and one long-distance route across the Galloway Hills, with walks ranging from 4 to 33km (2 to 20 miles) and graded 1 to 5 to suit a range of experience levels. Route descriptions are paired with 1:50,000 OS mapping and downloadable GPX files, with detailed planning information, bothy locations and the fascinating history of this little-known corner of Scotland throughout.

• 34 day walks and one 82km (53-mile) long-distance route across the Galloway Hills are included, covering Glen Trool, the Awful Hand, Loch Doon, the Glenkens and Talnotry, with walks taking between 2 and 11 hours
• Walks are graded from 1 to 5 to reflect the full range of terrain of Dumfries and Galloway, from well-laid paths to rugged, pathless granite ground, making this guidebook useful for walkers of varying experience
• 1:50,000 OS mapping and downloadable GPX files are included for every walk, essential for navigating terrain where paths are faint or absent, and remote ground demands good map and compass skills
• Bothy information and longer expedition options allow routes to be combined into multi-day backpacking trips, with a dedicated appendix covering bothy locations across the area
• Rich historical and natural context throughout, covering the geology, wildlife, ancient oakwood, Galloway Forest Park and the area's remarkable medieval history as a centre of guerrilla warfare

For experienced hillwalkers seeking a lesser-known alternative to the Highland crowds, the Galloway Hills deliver in every way. From the summit of the Merrick to remote corners, this guidebook is the ultimate companion for exploring one of Scotland's most rewarding and underrated hiking areas.

Walking the Galloway Hills - Quick Facts

Area: Galloway Hills, Dumfries and Galloway, Southern Scotland 
Designation: Galloway Forest Park; UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; UK's first designated dark sky park 
Total walks: 35 (34 day walks and one long-distance route) 
Walk distances: 4 to 33km (2 to 20 miles) 
Walk duration: 2 to 11 hours 
Long-distance route: 82km (53 miles) over 3 days 
Grades: 1 to 5 (1 = good paths; 5 = rugged pathless ground) 
Difficulty: Suitable for experienced hillwalkers; some shorter and easier routes included 
Summits: 28 tops over 2000ft including the Merrick (843m), highest point in the Southern Uplands; 4 Corbetts 
Areas covered: Glen Trool, the Awful Hand, Loch Doon, the Glenkens, Talnotry 
Walk highlights: Merrick and Rig of the Buchan, the Awful Hand, Craignaw, Cairnsmore of Fleet, Cairnsmore of Carsphairn 
Bothies: Dedicated appendix covering bothy locations across the area 
Mapping: 1:50,000 OS maps included for every walk 
Digital navigation: Downloadable GPX files included 
Best time to visit: March to June and September; winter walking possible but requires experience and appropriate equipment 
Centres: Newton Stewart, Glentrool village, Loch Trool, Dalmellington, Carsphairn, St John's Town of Dalry 
 

Author Highlight

“If you like your lakes to have whooper swans in the middle and no ice-cream vans around the edge… If you like to have one foot on bare rock and the other one deep in a peat bog… If you like your granite with goats on… Then Galloway is the place to go.”

- Ronald Turnbull, author of Walking the Galloway Hills

Map key

Overview map

Introduction

Harshness and heather

Geology of the Galloway Hills

Wildlife and wet

Free Forest of Buchan

Forest park and biosphere

Climbing and scrambling

When to walk

Getting here, getting around, staying the night

Maps and GPS

Safety in the hills

Using this book

Section 1: Glen Trool

Route 1 Water of Minnoch and Glen Trool

Route 2 Water of Trool

Route 3 Around Loch Trool

Route 4 Fell of Eschoncan to Bennan

Route 5 Merrick and Rig of the Buchan

Route 6 The Three Lochs

Route 7 Craignaw

Route 8 Craiglee and Rig of the Jarkness

Route 9 Mulldonoch to Curleywee

Route 10 Caldron of the Merrick

Section 2: The Awful Hand

Route 11 Kirriereoch Hill and Merrick

Route 12 The Awful Hand: Shalloch to Benyellary

Route 13 Shalloch on Minnoch

Route 14 Craigmasheenie and Shiel Hill

Section 3: Loch Doon

Route 15 Craiglee of Doon

Route 16 Hoodens Hill and Mullwharchar

Route 17 Northern Rhinns of Kells from Loch Doon

Section 4: The Glenkens

Route 18 Garryhorn and the northern Rhinns of Kells

Route 19 Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Route 20 Craig of Knockgray

Route 21 Corserine from Forrest Lodge

Route 22 Southern Rhinns of Kells

Route 23 Mulloch Hill

Route 24 Waterside Hill

Route 25 Dunveoch

Section 5: Talnotry and the south

Route 26 Larg Hill to Curleywee

Route 27 Curleywee by Stronbae Hill

Route 28 Millfore

Route 29 Cairnsmore of Fleet from the north

Route 30 Cairnsmore of Fleet from the south

Route 31 Clints of Dromore

Route 32 Knockman Wood

Route 33 The Thieves Stones

Route 34 Wood of Cree

Section 6: Expeditions

Route 35 Not the Southern Upland Way

Other routes

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B The bothies

Appendix C Information points

Seasons

January to December. Ideal months March to June, and September. Winter can be serious with untrodden snowfields, but good for those suitably equipped and skilled.

Centres

Newton Stewart; Glen Trool (Glentrool village and Loch Trool); Dalmellington (Ayrshire); Carsphairn and St John's Town of Dalry (Glenkens).

Difficulty

The hill ground has small paths or none at all. The higher ridges give good grassy walking. Mid-level granite ground is rugged with bare rock and peaty grass, and is remote. Lower ground has some well laid paths. Walks are graded from 1 (good paths) to 5 (rugged pathless ground).

Must See

Galloway Forest Park; Merrick, high point of Southern Uplands; 28 tops over 2000ft (600m) with 4 Corbetts (2500ft / 750m); Granite heartland with 31 lochs and lochans; Rivers ancient oakwood; UK's first dark sky park; Guerilla warfare centre of the 14th century

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).

Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.