For those of you with an adventurous spirit or desire to get away from it all, Scotland is about as good as it gets. Most though head north through the central belt until they reach The Trossachs or Highlands. There is of course good reason for this. The size and scale of the mountains here is unparalleled anywhere else in the UK. On this trip though, I discovered that south west Scotland also offers mountains, lochs and solitude in spades. Two days would be spent here, where I would stay at a bothy and wild camp in Galloway Forest Park.

So Where Is Galloway Forest Park?

It is fair to say that Galloway Forest Park is a long way from most places. Leaving the A74 soon after crossing the Scottish border, it is a good sixty mile drive west across Dumfries and Galloway. The road is fast though and the scenery great as you pass tidal rivers, sleepy villages and the open sea. Eventually the hills and mountains come into view as you approach the small town of Newton Stewart and the fun really begins.

Galloway Forest Park is huge. Covering just under three hundred square miles, there is more than enough space to escape other people should you so desire. It also happens to be the first park in the UK that was awarded dark sky status. The lack of close urban areas makes it an incredible place to view the night sky.

Day 1- The Bothy

When planning my trip, I noticed a small road ventured a good way into the heart of the park, terminating at Loch Troon. This proved a good move, as it shortened the walk needed to reach the White Laggan Bothy.

The walk in was one of the most straight forward I’ve enjoyed for a while, as I followed The Southern Upland Way. Being late Sunday, it was quiet, apart from a few local dog walkers and keen off-road cyclists putting their mountain and gravel bikes through their paces.

The route was gently undulating, crossing mountain rivers and streams until Loch Dee came into view. I knew the bothy was now close by studying my OS map. Sure enough at the next bend, I glanced right and spotted the building about half a kilometre away.

As I neared it across the squelching ground, the usual nerves and anticipation started to rise in me. There appeared to be no smoke rising from the chimney, but I wondered if there was anybody else at home or whether I’d have this home away from home all to myself. Either way, I couldn’t help but smile at the large Scottish flag painted on the side of the bothy. There was certainly no mistaking where I was!

Settling In

I was relieved to find the bothy empty upon arrival and took it upon myself to empty my pack and make myself at home. I was rather impressed with the condition of the interior. It was clean, well resourced and some wood had been left by previous occupants. Perfect!

Before long, the fire was lit, water was collected and boiled from the burn outside and it was time to settle down for the evening to enjoy bothy TV ( the fire ), peace and of course copious amounts of food and drink. I felt I had certainly earned it!

By 10:00pm I had decided that nobody else was going to turn up. It would just be myself, the resident mouse and perhaps bothy ghost for the remainder of the night.

Thankfully, nothing went bump in the darkness. It did take a while for me to drift off to sleep though. The silence was almost deafening to begin with if that makes sense. Living close to London and next to a hospital of all places, I am used to noise. Apart from the distant sound of tumbling water in the burn, there was absolutely nothing else to hear. My eyes soon adjusted though to the moonlight that streamed in through the window. It was actually remarkable how bright it was.

I woke the following morning feeling refreshed after a pretty good sleep. My head was banging though, a result of consuming a little too much whisky and not enough water. Breakfast soon remedied that! I signed the bothy book, gave the place a clean and then departed in the direction of my car. My stay at White Laggan had been a cracking one and my first bothy and wild camp in Galloway Forest Park a success.

Day 2- The Merrick and Loch Enoch

After filling my tummy and enjoying a lunchtime nap in my car, I loaded my pack again and headed off uphill. My first destination would be The Merrick, the highest mountain in Galloway Forest Park and in fact the whole of southern Scotland for that matter. At 843 metres, it is no giant, but still offers a good challenge and some awesome views at the top.

The climb begins near the car park and follows Buchan Burn. Its many waterfalls and plunge pools would certainly be very inviting indeed on a warmer day.

Before long you reach the very basic Culsharg Bothy and then the real climbing begins. It never gets overly steep, but it is relentless and the exposed nature of the mountain means wind can make it more challenging like it did for me. The earlier part of this section wasn’t very pretty if I’m being honest. There are many tree plantations in the park and this particular section crossed an area that was very much a tree cemetery. All around me were stumps and branches, mixed with trickling streams and mud. Luckily, this soon passed and I was heading up onto remote moorland.

The Summit Is Reached

It was a slog straight into the block headwind and the warmth from lower down in the glen had long since gone. Extra layers were put on and it was a relief to finally spot the trig point in the distance. I had to place both hands on the top of it of course and took some shelter behind the stone shelter, before enjoying the incredible views in all directions. Visibility was excellent and I’m sure I could see all the way to the central belt.

A Camp Spot Of All Camp Spots

The path ended at the summit and so I had to forge my own route down off of the mountain down to Loch Enoch. It was hard to miss with its huge size and islands. One of these even has a loch on it, which makes it one of the only lochs within a loch! A fountain of truly excellent information I am!

Eventually, I made it down to the shore and spent half an hour or so searching for the perfect spot to pitch for the night. It took a while, but I ended up being rather chuffed with what I found.

As you can see from the photos above, it really was an idyllic pitch. There aren’t many private white sandy beaches you can camp by legally in the UK. Of course, there wasn’t another soul around. The only sounds I enjoyed were the gentle breeze, lapping of water on the sand and occasional grouse. Perfect.

Temperatures soon started to drop with the clear sky, so it was into the tent and warmth of my sleeping bag to enjoy dinner and beer. I certainly felt like I had earned it with the summit of The Merrick earlier in the day.

The moonlight after sunset was insane. As already mentioned, Galloway Forest Park was the first place in the UK to be awarded dark sky status, such is its remoteness. Light pollution simply doesn’t exist in these parts. Tonight though the near on full moon illuminated the entire landscape around me. It meant I couldn’t get the awesome view of the cosmos that I was eager to see, but it was still stunning to witness.

I slept like a wee baby that night, a good 9 hours of unbroken slumber enjoyed. Clearly it was needed!

A Tough Journey Back

Once packing away the tent and of course leaving no trace of my stay, it was time for the off. I was expecting pathless hiking for a few kilometres, but I underestimated how challenging it would be. Blanket bog and tussocky grass was the name of the game. It was slow going and hard work. It would have been truly grim in bad weather, but the blue skies lifted my spirits. I also just appreciated where I was. It was truly wild out here and perfect wild camping territory. I’m sure many of the grassy clumps I balanced on had never seen a human foot before!

In Conclusion….

South west Scotland is well worth the visit. I certainly enjoyed the bothy and wild camp in Galloway Forest Park and especially loved the solitude the area offers. I can’t imagine this place gets overly busy even during the warmer months. If you are after tranquility, mountains and lochs at every turn, then you should consider paying this place a visit.