Moffat Roundup

Our sojourn to Moffat ended today with the weather forecast being wrong again. It rained the whole way home.
Driving south, the Howgills looked bad as did the Eastern and Northern Lakeland fells. The Southern Fells looked ok from the car.

It has been a good trip despite the lousy weather. (Although it would be possible to dispute the weather from the photo’s but i assure you it was bad).
The photo’s of the trip are here. Sorry there are 145 of them.

So, what a beautiful area the Southern Uplands are. Moffat is a good place to spend some time with plenty of walks available, both high and low depending on the weather. The campsite is run by the Caravan club but non members are welcomed. No kids allowed so that was very pleasant.
The hotels and pubs seemed to be doing well and there is a good coffee shop culture.

The walk from Moffat to Ettrick head is pleasant with fine views but the Ettrick Glen was magic in the rain and the wildlife such a pleasure to see and hear. The path from the bottom of the Glen over to Tibbie Sheils Inn is clear and well marked and even in bad conditions is easy to follow.

The camping facilities at Tibbies are basic but adequate although there is no way they can cope with the volume of weekend campers. The ground is good but i hear it can be liable to flooding occasionally so be warned.
Once we got the tent up i was in need of a warm shower, i grabbed my soap and stuff and once in the shower, which was barely warm,  squeezed what i thought was soap on my hair, only to find out when it didn’t lather that it was Gerwhol foot gel. Back out to the tent for what i thought was shampoo and repeated the event with clothes wash. It was not my day. But we had a laugh later.

Tibbies itself is a great place, good bar and food and warm wood burning stove to dry out those wet clothes. Very helpful staff.

We managed to get a walk in up to Loch Skeen and the Grey Mares Tail in between the low cloud. This is a lovely walk and should not be missed. The surrounding hills were begging for us to walk them but it will have to wait until next time.

What about some of the gear we took.
Well before we went i couldn’t decide what to take regarding footwear. It was going to be very wet, we knew that. I decided to take my Meindl Softline Ultra GTX boots which have a membrane.
Big, Big mistake. I obviously had forgotten why we moved to trail shoes. They got wet and took on the guise of lead divers boots.
Yes, my feet were dry but back to the trail shoes asap! Boots are now redundant.

Sealskinz socks.
I have called these socks for ages because when i bought a pair years ago they leaked after about 1 hr and i never got over it. I bought Gore-Tex socks ever since.
However Sheila bought a pair against my better judgement but they turned out be slightly too big so i had them and wore them a couple of times through the week with my Inov-8’s. They were wonderful and didn’t leak at all. I take back my comments about them and i will wear them on future walks.

Optimus Crux gas stove.
I gave this stove another chance and to see if it could redeem itself to me after i was very harsh about it’s regulator. I thought that in a warmer clime and with full gas cylinder it would perform better but alas no.
The regulator is bad and only stays stable when full on.
Another piece of kit destined for redundancy.

Inov-8 130 Mistlite Overtrousers. 
We both wore these for most of the week and they did a really good job. I have no complaints about them whatsoever and they have had a hammering.

Tarptent Scarp 2
Love this tent. The inner space is huge for 2. I don’t know a better 2 man tent. It’s a bit awkward to pack up with having fixed poles but you learn to get by with it.
It developed leaks at the very ends of the 2 roof vents where the vent is final stitched to the fly. All 4 places were found vulnerable.
It was easily resolved, i bought a tube of silicon and spread a little onto the stitching and underneath. Problem resolved until we get home, then i am going to add a circle of silnylon under the ends to give it some extra re-inforcing. I know you shouldn’t need to do this and it may have become worse if i hadn’t been base camping but i will live with it.
I had previously sealed the seams but this area is a vulnerability in my eyes and needs to be changed.

Icebreaker base tee.
I have always liked this base layer and it excelled this week. Warm when damp and fast drying. It didn’t smell after 4 days of wearing it and that included the smoky atmosphere created with the bothy wood burner. I am so impressed i am going to look for a polo neck type with a front zip.
Those 2 items will then do all my walks.

Carn Cobra shoe.
Sheila wore her Cobra’s throughout and found them excellent. Comfy, good grip and supportive.
She finds that they do take longer to dry than her Inov-8’s but with wearing Sealskinz socks it didn’t matter on this occasion.

Well enough of gear. It can get a bit boring and we don’t want that do we.
Thanks for reading.

Friday, our last day. Loch Skeen.

It hammered down during the night but it has stopped raining for the moment.
Decided to go back down the glen and stretch the legs with a walk up to Loch Skeen.
3 cars in the car park and Mr Ranger is there.
It is certainly a steep pull up to the level of the Grey Mares Tail waterfall which was flowing spectacularly. (Photo from Google Images as i left my camera data cable at home)

 It took an hour and 15 minutes to reach the Loch which almost hits you full in the face as you arrive. It is a beautiful spot and we had blue skies at last with some sun.

All the tops were clear, first time this week. Absolutely stunning.
We soaked up the tranquility for a little while and took some photo's which i will post when we get back home.
As we turned to depart the first shower came and went. Nothing much thankfully.

Quite a few people were now on the way up the track and we were pleased to have got up there early as we had it more or less to ourselves. ( there was 2 guys fishing).
Reaching the main road we disturbed a hare and it shot off along the tarmac at a fair rate of knots.
A lovely day. Hurrah.

Thursday 23rd June. Peebles.

Checked the pubs out last night and cask bitter is hard to find. The Annandale hotel is serving Merlin Bitter and the Star (hotel bar not the back bar) has one cask beer.
The others have only keg beers. The Stag has Old Specled Hen in keg form. Yuk!
The Annandale bar closes at 11 pm and that means stop drinking and leave, please.
So the Star has our vote for best pub in Moffat.

Getting up this morning was in sunshine, yes, sunshine. It must have lasted 10 minutes and then the black clouds covered up the sun and that was that. Raining again.
We decided over breakfast in the Rumblin Tub Cafe to do a tourist run to Peebles. It's a lovely drive.
There was blue skies breaking through as we arrived but again it was just a blip.

Waterproofs donned we checked out the high street and into the outdoor shops. This was fatal and the old card took a bashing with Sheila getting a new Tilley Hat and a pair of sealskinz for her webbed feet.
We had a walk up through the estate in Glensax and they were still burning brush wood as they were in April.

A leisurely drive back to Moffat via St Mary's loch was taken and the car got another drenching. It is looking clean though.
Stopping for 5 minutes in the empty car park at the Grey Mares Tail we looked up but couldn't see the fall for mist. The ranger must have been fed up because his trailer was all shut up.
The forecast is a little better tomorrow.

Wednesday. Moffat Town.

Never stopped raining today and frequently very heavy.
No thunder and lightening thankfully so the weather men got that one wrong.
 We are now camped at Moffat Camping Site.
Locals say they have not seen the sun for 6 weeks. The only thing to do is check the pubs out.

Oh and the Scarp has developed 4 leaks. It is leaking where the roof air vents end. So off to the hardware shop to get some silicon seal. Forecast no better for Thursday.

Tibbies to Moffat

Had a good night in Tibbies. Watched the forecast which said heavy thundery showers, great.
Offered a lift back to Moffat in the morning if we wanted it, so we said yes.
Had a good chat with the landlord about windfarms and with a geologist aboUt the local hills which was very interesting.
The morning was lovely, have they got the weather wrong? No! It started to rain and then it lashed! It didn't stop for 24 hours.
Mist down to around 200 metres. You would think it was november.

David, the secretary has been sacked. To many wines.

Over Phawhope to Tibbie Sheils

I have noticed that my mobile blogging dates are incorrect. Probably due to lack of signal.

Awoke tuesday morning to be greeted with light rain. Cleaned the bothy, collected wood for the next people and left about 9.20am.
Mist was right down to the intake walls with no views what so ever.
Rain got harder and we made good use of the brolly in the downpours.
The walk down the Ettrick glen is wonderful however the track soon turns into a minor road. The walking is easy .
Lots of wildlife seen and heard including Curlew, Snipe, Oyster catcher, Meadow Pipet.
Eventually the signpost was reached that heads off into the hills and over to St Mary's loch.
Again visibility was poor, still raining quite heavy.
Within the hour Loch of the Lows was spotted just after the path splits from the Southern Upland Way. we made our way down to the Loch and then walked shore side to Tibbie Sheils.
Did we have a beer and Aberdeen Angus burger? You bet your life we did.

Getting the tent up now while we have a break in the weather and then we might try a few more beers.

Moffat to Over Phawhope bothy.

Sent from my HTC



Started 9.15am with a grey overcast sky.  Within the hour, we were in the forestry track following Cornal burn.

Once out of the forestry below Croft head, there was some blue sky showing through.  The track to Ettrick head is splendid with great views across Moffat dale.  At this point we decided to take the route to Over Phawhope bothy as this was new to us.

Again the view down the Ettrick valley is also splendid.
 Tomorrow we have a campsite booked at Tibbieshiels which is only 11 miles away.

As the bothy was empty we have decided to stay here tonight.  Just watching 2 deer as the sun starts to sink, below White shank.


Sent from my HTC

Moffat Arrival.

After a pleasant drive up the M6 (Ha) in a deteriorating weather front we arrive in Moffat.
Martin, the cloud over Appleby was very black and cloud base low.

It had rained off and on for most of the journey from Lancaster. This was a taster for the absolute downpour that greeted us as we got out of the car.
A local lady said the main street was flowing like a river last night. Oh Joy.
Another local is trying to rod the drains adjacent to our parked car. Currently the puddle is about 4" deep and rising.
Off for some eats now. More later. Probably more rain too!

Moffat Again

I did the Moffat to Peebles backpack earlier this year with Mike, Laura and Louise. Unfortunately Sheila couldn't get the time off work and so missed the trip.
So now that she has a week off it was decided to do a few days hiking a circular route from Moffat so that she could appreciate what a lovely area it is.
The likely hood route wise is that we will head across to Tibbie Shiels by the route we previously walked and then turn round and return by Ettrick or on the Southern Upland Way. I am not casting the route in stone.

The intention is to amble rather than march and get to know the area a little better. So it's all packing today because we are off to Moffat tomorrow and the walk will start on Monday. I hope the weather is not too wet.

We will try and blog our progress from the mobile but we havn't got a spare battery so once it's died that's it.

Moffat to Peebles Day 3

I heard the wake up call as the lady started her car and drove away.
I stuck my head out from under the condensation and looked upon a beautiful red morning.
This is supposed to be bad news for shepherds, i hoped it was good news for us.
It was 6.15am or thereabouts and getting up had to be done.

Others were starting to stir and i could see the steam from Laura’s boiling water rising over her MSR Hubba tent.

Before packing up the tent i gave it a good wipe down to remove as much condensation as possible. It always amazes me how much water a J cloth will soak up.

Away we went at roughly 7.30 am following the SUW.

 Remains of Dryhope Tower.

Tower info board.

Another lovely day, calm and what cloud there was, high and scattered.
The rise was so far gentle and easy walking although a field full of inquisitive young bulls had Laura a little ponderous. Fortunately the path skirted round them.
Along the path to the bridge over Hawkshaw Cleuch we heard Curlew, Snipe and Oyster catchers and occasionally caught a glimpse.
Crossing the Douglas burn the advance party was heading up the SUW but Mike with the map put the reins on and we headed past the old Blackhouse Tower and farm buildings towards the forestry.

Blackhouse farm with old tower 

Once we hit the forestry path Mike announced that this was were it all goes wrong.

Forestry are notorious at moving footpaths and planting new trees across them or chopping down lumber without re-instating the paths.

It did happen. Mike said we take the 2nd path left. We did. Mike said this is wrong. It was!

We backtracked and took the first which was the original second if you get the drift of all this.

Onward and upward through boggy ground and high tussocks until we came out into the open at Whiteknowe head. Hooray.

The fence line was in front of us and the path crossed the fence 1/2 mile ahead. It was the longest, boggiest 1/2 mile i have done for a while and it took an age. Many times i thought i was going to disappear into the morass of peat.

We did a slight detour having achieved the fence line crossing point but quickly picked up the track contouring south of Stake Law. It was good to find running clear streams all along here.

Gaining the ridge, the decision was taken to head down into Glen Sax avoiding the ascent to Birkscairn Hill and into Peebles along the old drove road.

This was taken in light of the pending bus departure. As it turned out the descent was quite arduous and it may have been quicker to use the drove road.

 On the way down to Glen Sax

Lunch was had when we crossed over the Glensax burn and the path down through the estate was easy but hard on the feet with the small sharp stones.

 Smoke in the valley. Had Mike left the car running in Peebles?

The smoke turned out to be the burning of mass coppicing. Hope this isn’t bad news. Are things starting to turn we wondered.

 The bothy in Glensax, locked and not part of the MBA.

The start of civilisation, on the large Haystoun Estate said you are now in Peebles. A nice walk through the estate grounds brings you to the main road and the car park in centre of the town.

We were 1/2 hour early for the bus connection and time to get a coffee before our goodbye’s to Laura and Louise and our drive back to Moffat.

A couple of critters along the estate path. I didn’t get a photo of Laura with the cows!

This leg was 12.5 miles and 1635ft of up’s although the downs were definitely harder than the up’s in this case.

I had been a wonderful trip. Thanks for the laughs, the company and everything else. 

The photo’s of the 3 days can be found here.

The maps of the trip are on Mikes blog which is here

Moffet to Peebles Day 2

Up from Camp to Bodesbeck Law.

After a chilly night, we departed camp1. The contours were reached immediately, in fact Judith had probably done them already 2 or 3 times in search of a loo with a view. The incline warmed us up and the fleece layer came off quite quickly. This top was Bodesbeck law at 665 metres.

Black Hope

 Again, stunning views all round and especially up the glacial valley of Black Hope, Carrifran Gans and along the valley floor of Moffat Dale. This was going to be a superb day, we could see all the route ahead.

We made easy progress along the ridge following the fence line and each top opened up new vistas.
Whiteyaud Head on the way up to Nowtrig head at 608m

 Looking back towards Bodesbeck Law.

Mid Rig came next 616m and we caught the first glimpses of Loch Skene.

Loch Skene (centre)

The top of Bell Craig 623m is just off the fence line so while some had a bite to eat Mike and i walked the short distance upwards to the top of hill. No cairn or marker even. 

The highest top of our ridge Andrewhinney Hill 677m, then Mid Rig 657m, Trowgrain Middle 625m and Herman Law 614m offered great views and easy walking on this dry clear day. 

We actually met 3 people going the other way. That made the grand total of 4 people seen so far.

Following the fence line east from Herman Law the prospect opens up to reveal Loch of the Lowes and St Mary’s Loch, today with the blue sky they looked wonderful.

After Peniestone Knowe at 551m we left the fence line and descended via Pikestone Rig to rejoin the SUW for a very brief encounter before it turned towards Earls Hill and we descended to the Loch of the Lowes.

We chose a particularly bad route to get to shore line, my fault for being in front i suppose but the rush was on as we could smell the beer and chips at Tibbie Shiels Inn.

A table was empty in the sunshine and the rucksacks dropped to the floor.

Pints ordered and drank and food ..... No chips etc we had missed the time by about 15 minutes. But we could have sandwiches, which all but Mike did. Another beer and we were ready for the final leg along the loch to find a camp site somewhere near the weir at Dryhope.

 Along the loch we came upon 2 of these strange beasts.

Camp 2 at the weir.  Dryhope.

During making tea, or dinner depending on where you come from, a lady who had a car close by said that she would disturb us at about 6 am in the morning as she started up the car. We had to be up early to enable Laura and Louise to make the connecting bus from Peebles to Up North, so that was seen as a good alarm call.

Again we had a chilly night but not quite as cold as the previous one. There was no breeze at all so we had plenty of condensation in our wigwams..

Distance 13.4miles and 1775ft ascent.

Moffat to Peebles. Arrival and Day1

The area locating Moffat and Peebles is the Scottish Borders or Reiver country. 
I was going to join a small group of folk whom i had only got to know through blogging apart from Judith from Wirral whom i didn’t know.
The plan was to meet up in Peebles friday night, have a beer or two, camp at Rosetta camp site and then drive to Moffat on the saturday morning leaving a car in Peebles for the return journey.

Rosetta campsite

A swift walk into Peebles, a few beers in the Bridge Inn and a good meal in the Italian restaurant next door concluded Friday night.

The drive into Moffat, quickly over and through beautiful scenery. This is not an area i know at all and so there was much to discover. Mike as ever the tour guide and lots of info about seismology and the names of the passing tops and glens.

Parked in a busy Moffat market place, it was nice to see a place which invites you to park for free, we could feel tummy rumbling and low and behold a cafe called The Rumbling Tum.

Breakfasts demolished and gear donned we set off through Moffat to pick up the Southern Upland way.

At the first Southern Upland Way guide post we passed Knipe Towers. Locally known as Dumcrief Estate.

From here the SUW as i will now abbreviate the name, is a very pleasant meander through woodland, farmland and forestry plantations.

The miles on the forestry roads are tough on the feet with them being rough stones, man made for the transportation of logging trucks.

At one point we seemed to have a "where are we now" moment! But it turned out that our track had left the 1:25,000 map and we soon realised the route.

At this point we decided to stop for a lunch break as plenty of good water was flowing.

Louise and Laura nearly had there gear run over by a women RAC rally driver practicing coming home from the supermarket in her 4 x 4. This laughing lady had no intention of allowing more than 2 seconds to shift the gear before shooting past in a cloud of dust. 

The path was rising gradually and once through the very pretty glen up to Ettrick Head we had a 90 deg turn to follow the fence line up to Capel Fell at 678 metres. This was the first close contours of the day and it took it’s toll with being so warm.

This was our start of a lovely ridge line which we would remain on for today and most of tomorrow.

We got our breath back and looking North set off for the next few tops. Smidhope Hill 644 m, White Shank 622m and finally for the day Fauldside Hill 568m. 

From here we were looking for a place to camp so headed off for what looked like a water source at the head of Bodesbeck Burn.

On the way down to the Bealach i spot this little beauty asleep in the grass. Mike told us it was the rare 4 eyed red tipped moth but on closer inspection, ie the internet, it turned out to be a female Emperor moth.

The bealach reached, the water source was not evident, Mike went one way, i went the other. Mike found a small stream about 500m away and so camp 1 was pitched at the first likely spot.

The site was a bit bumpy but good enough and whilst Mike went to fill his water bottle i investigated a clump of forestry 100m away from the tent and found a nice running slate stream. Now marked on the map for future reference.

It didn’t take long after meals were eaten for Mike to start filling the glens with ZZZZZ’s and some singing in between.

The others chatted for a little while but it wasn’t long before we joined Mike in the evening chorus.

The sky was clear and the moon full and so bright. 

It got cold, although not freezing, it woke me a few times and the last time i looked it was 3 celsius. It could have dropped a degree cooler later but i felt the cold in my -3 bag.

What a fantastic day we had.
My counter said 11.4 miles and 2700of up’s. I like Mikes better.

Moffat to Peebles or (Morefat to Peebellies)

Great trip,
Thanks ever so much Mike, Judith, Laura and Louise for making the walk such a fantastic trip. The weather helped of course, but the company was excellent..
More to follow..

Moffat to Peebles packing

This weekend will see a small group daunder from Moffat to Peebles in the Scottish Borders. The intention of this walk apart from the views hopefully, is for those who are doing the TGO challenge to gain some fitness prior to the off.
I am not one of those doing the TGO but i do need the fitness, so i thank Mike Knipe for the invite.

So today is packing day. I am trying to find all the gear that has been moved around the house, shed, loft etc over the winter months. I know it’s going to take longer than usual and it will include packing and repacking at least 6 times.

On this walk i will be appraising the Tarptent Moment tent from Henry Shires.
The Helvellyn fleece that has kindly been sent to me for a review by Millets.
And one of my home made beer bottle stoves.

And a pair of over mitts from Outdoor Designs.

Better get on with the packing.