Are there few things better to see for any outdoor enthusiast than the welcome to Scotland sign? No matter how many times I spot the Saltire appear from around a bend on the M6 near Gretna, a burst of excitement enters my body. England is now in the rear view mirror and the finest landscapes this island has to offer lay ahead. What many new visitors to Scotland don’t realise though is just how much further on The Highlands are. Even Glasgow is a good ninety miles further up the now A74. Most folk head straight for the more popular destinations, ticking off the miles on the motorway as they go. This is a mistake. While Scotland’s most spectacular scenery no doubt lies north of the central belt, The Southern Uplands close to the border are well worth exploring. During one excellent trip to The Central Highlands, I decided to break the drive up by enjoying some walking in The Lowther Hills. They surpassed my expectations in many ways and ended up being the highlight of the entire trip.
A real sense of space and solitude awaits when walking in The Lowther Hills.
Where Are The Lowther Hills?
The Lowther Hills are easy to locate on an OS map and sit a few miles west of the A74 near Moffat. They are relatively straightforward to reach too, but they’re just far enough away from the motorway to help them remain hidden from the masses. This area of the Southern Uplands is extremely rural and it possible to drive many of the roads with very few other cars for company.
There are several options when it comes to accessing the hills by road. If travelling form the south, then it is a good idea to take the A75 to Dumfries, before continuing north on the A76. I couldn’t believe how quiet this road was what with it being a main route and the bonus is that it skirts the entire western side of the Lowther Hills.
Two excellent roads leave the A76 and take you deeper into the heart of the area. One is the A702 and the other is the B797. Both roads are very scenic in places and offer almost endless options when it comes to parking up in a lay-by and heading up into the hills. On my first trip to the area, I followed the A702 for a short distance, before taking the very minor road to Durisdeer. This small village is a lovely little spot and it was a mighty fine relief to reach it. Not only was my five hour drive now over, but my tyres and suspension had also survived the potholes and farm litter strewn across the tarmac.
Capturing a better-surfaced stretch of the road to Durisdeer. The Lowther Hills beyond make for quite the backdrop.
The view that greeted me right at the start of the walk. Not a bad view I’m sure you’ll agree.
My Route
As you can see from the contour lines above, the climbing started almost straight from the off. The track starts beside the cemetery and is an absolute joy to follow for the first few minutes. Sheep could be heard in the field beside me, water cascaded over boulders in the nearby burn and the hills ahead were steep and rounded.
It is possible to follow this track all the way through the glen until you reach the cosy little bothy at Kettleton Byre. I wouldn’t be visiting this open shelter until the end of this particular walk and instead took the track leading steeply uphill on the left-hand side. The temperature may have been around freezing point on the day I visited, but it didn’t take long for the sweat to start flowing and for the first layer to come off. It was also amazing how quickly the conditions underfoot changed too. Snow that had started as small patches soon turned into larger drifts that eventually turned into a relentless blanket. Here I was seeing just how much even a modest elevation difference can make to the conditions in the hills.
The steep ascent to Brown Dod is made all the better for the impressive views you earn on the way up.
It may have been mid April, but winter still had a firm grip on the landscape above the five hundred metre contour line. Deep unconsolidated snow made me work hard to earn every step of upward progress and it was with sheer relief that I eventually reached the six hundred and seventy two metre summit of Wedder Law. This was to be the highest point of the route and the views certainly didn’t disappoint. They were extensive in all directions and gave me a true sense of just how rural this part of Southern Scotland is.
You can clearly see the snow line below and my current location here and my sole set of footsteps in the deep powder.
I didn’t linger on the summit for long. Not only was there no summit cairn or shelter to enjoy, but the conditions were near Baltic. The icy wind was relentless in sending clouds of ice crystals off of the frozen surface and straight into my face. It was time to head down.
At this point I left the path behind and decided to follow a clear wire fence south. This made navigation easy and would allow me to reach the next summit of Gana Hill in the most direct way. It was incredible how quickly those punishing gusts abated once I had dropped off the highest ground. All the work I had already done had made me hungry and so I figured this was a great spot to enjoy lunch.
Not a bad view while enjoying some well earned food. The fence posts marched off into the distance like soldiers.
I had worried that this section would be horrifically boggy, but the heather seemed to make it easier going. Any bog was easy to dodge and in fact jump when it was needed. The far-reaching views in all directions were an excellent distraction anyway and I felt like the only person around for miles. In all fairness I probably was and it was wonderful.
Gana Hill
I had descended a fair way from the previous summit of Wedder Law and knew there was another hundred metres or so of elevation to gain once more in order to reach the top of Gana Hill. A track was picked up towards the summit, although I found myself skirting around the sides. The main track itself sat slightly below the height of the land surrounding it and had been buried in drifting snow. Being an overgrown child, there was of course a need to head straight into it to see just how deep it was. Plunging into drifts above my knees was all the confirmation I needed to stick to the moorland, which had seen more of the snow scoured by the wind.
The summit of Gana Hill was soon reached and the views were enjoyed once again. Looking south I could spot The Solway Firth and the Cumbrian Fells beyond. Gazing north showed some of the summits I’d already visited as well as one of the many wind farms that litter the area. The wind was thankfully more forgiving by this point and so it was an absolute treat just to stand in total silence to enjoy the moment.
After standing in silence for several minutes on the summit of Gana Hill, I was torn whether to head back towards my car or or press on into the glen to the south east. Buried deep within it is the bothy of Burleywhag, which I’d wanted to visit for ages. A look at my watch though showed me that it was later than I thought. Only two hours or so of daylight remained.I didn’t fancy navigating myself back across the fells in the dark, so left the bothy for another time. A perfect reason to go back!
The Eventful Journey Back
From Gana Hill, I followed the clear track across high rolling terrain until I eventually reached the summit of Garroch Fell. At just over six hundred metres in elevation, the views from the top were incredible once more. Lonely glens sat below me with a finger of light punching through the thickening clouds above like rays from heaven. It was a very special moment and one that I simply had to pause to take in fully.
It was after leaving Garroch Fell that things quite literally went downhill. Trying to save some time, I studied the contours of the fell and decided to forge my own path rather than following the meandering track down into the glen. Initially it was a wise move, as I made speedy progress. Sadly, this high didn’t last and the terrain steepened more than I had envisioned. There was a need to proceed with caution and I ended up losing a pair of sunglasses that had been hooked onto the top of my top. Such was my concentration on staying upright that I totally failed to notice this until I had nearly returned to the car.
It was with sheer relief that I did eventually reach the glen below and the walk down towards Kettleton Byre Bothy was an absolute joy. Several burns cascaded down from the fells above and gazed down into remote glens that most probably receive very little in the way of human traffic.
It is always tempting to head off the beaten track and into remote glens like this one shaped by Glenleith Burn.
A couple of kilometres further on, I was very pleased to finally catch my first view of Kettleton Byre Bothy. The weather had deteriorated very quickly and cold rain and sleet blew straight into my face. It might only be a one room affair, but Kettleton Byre Bothy is a great place to seek refuge and even spend the night. Equipped with a large sleeping platform, wood burning stove and a couple of comfy chairs, I can well imagine it becoming quite toasty and cozy once darkness falls.
