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Walking the Galloway Hills

35 wild mountain walks including the Merrick

By Ronald Turnbull

Guidebook describing mountain walks in the Galloway Hills of southern Scotland, covering Trool, Minnoch, Doon and Talnotry. Offering solitude and rugged natural beauty, this rocky, heathery wilderness presents some great hiking opportunities suitable for experienced hillwalkers. Includes summaries of longer backpack/bothy trips.

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
ISBN
9781786310101
Availability
Published
Published
15 Jul 2019
Edition
Second
Pages
208
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.25cm
Weight
230g
Overview

This guide covers 34 day walks and one long-distance route in the wild and remote hills of Galloway. Although there are some shorter and easier routes, many of these hill walks are long and on rugged terrain, so are more suitable for experienced walkers. The walks cover the evocative areas of The Merrick, The Awful Hand, The Rhinns of Kells, the Minnigaff hills and Cairnsmore of Fleet, among others.

The guide uses OS 1:50,000 maps with detailed route descriptions and photos accompanying each route. Key information such as distance, time, and ascent are given. A harshness grade gives an indication of how rough the ground is expected to be, and suggestions of variants, shortcuts and ways to extend each walk are also given.

The Galloway Hills are small, but special. They stretch just 15 miles from west to east, and 25 miles north to south almost as small as Snowdonia. Within this largely pathless area there are 28 summits over 2000ft (600m) including four Corbetts. Plenty of background information is given on the region's fascinating and important history.

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Ronald Turnbull Cicerone author TURNB

Ronald Turnbull

Ronald Turnbull writes regularly for TGO, Lakeland Walker, Trail and Cumbria magazines. His previous books include Across Scotland on Foot, Long Days in Lakeland and Welsh 3000ft Challenges. He has written many other Cicerone guides, including Walking in the Lowther Hills, The Book of the Bivvy and Not the West Highland Way.

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