In Review · Carstramon Cleugh & Wood

What an amazing week it’s been, and such fantastic weather; although a little too hot for some I imagine. 

Unfortunately, it was all change on Monday morning and it was a very warm, wet and windy start to the day. There were no clients booked on my Scheduled Group Walk to Carstramon Cleugh and Wood today, and maybe that was just as well given the weather. 

Had it gone ahead today as scheduled it would have been on an adjusted route as when I went out Friday morning to recce the route it was nearly impassable in places down the Cleugh due to bracken well above head height.

It was 4-weeks since I had previously been round the route so I went out Friday morning to re-check the route since I like to give my clients a good description of what they can expect on a trail.

I had expected the vegetation along the Cleugh to have grown, so was not surprised when I came to where the path leaves the forest road at the top end of the Cleugh to see that it was difficult to make out the trail due to heavy bracken growth.

I took the trail, the bracken was about mid-thigh height at this point and I was thinking that if it was like this all the way down the Cleugh, which is about a mile, then I may need to change the classification of the walk to a Hill & Moorland Walk as the underfoot conditions were more challenging that I would expect for a Countryside walk; although the trail was there, you could not see where you were placing your feet.

However, I hadn’t gone more than a few hundred meters when it steadily got higher, and higher!

Fortunately I know the trail well, and found my way through the vegetation to keep on track to find and cross each of the small wooden bridges over the side channels that flow into Carstramon Burn.

It was evident that I could not use this route for clients and still have them enjoy the walk! Due to the early morning fog the vegetation was heavy with dew and I was soon pretty damp.

Near the bottom of the Cleugh, I entered a small woodland section where the undergrowth cleared, before I reached the road. After a very short road section I entered Carstramon Wood where the paths were all open.

By now the heat (20c) and breeze had dried off my trousers and shirt.

The trees in this wood are just amazing and never fail to astound me with their variety of interesting shapes; each one unique. 

After a pleasant hour tracking through the wood, I rejoined the road for a short section then turned up the track that runs along the side of Lagg Burn to Lagghead Farm. This is a wide track/field path and a lovely walk.

Towards the top end of the track I saw the shepherd with his dogs bringing sheep across the fields towards the farm. He recognised me and gave me a friendly wave. (I’d seem him about 3 hours earlier when I was setting off on my recce from Knocktinkle Viewpoint; he and his 2 dogs were bringing over a hundred sheep down the road to the farm).

I just love watching a shepherd work his dogs; what skill and teamwork. But today was a very hot day for such work. 

I stopped for a short break just past Lagghead Farm to once again admire the stunning views of the Galloway countryside from the shade of a oak tree reluctant to bring my hike to a close.

How grateful I am to have such wonders on my doorstep. 

I reflected on my other adventures from earlier in the week:

A walk with the U3A Ramblers from Palnackie along the Urr Estuary with gorgeous view across the bay to Kippford.

And my drive up to Sanquhar to conduct a civil wedding ceremony at the Cosmic Collisions Landform at Crawick Multiverse ( Cosmic Collisions - Crawick Multiverse ).

Sanquhar is one of  the 9 Biosphere Communities in the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve.

It’s a lovely small rural town with just a ton of walking opportunities right on its doorstep (Sanquhar - Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere ).

Having good train and bus connections; it’s a great day out.

I’ve walked on the Southern Upland Way here and the circular route from Sanquhar out to Crawick is a lovely circular route of about 5 miles.

Bringing my mindful wanderings back to the present, I packed the remainder of my snacks away, gave the Postie a wave, then tracked (or skipped) my way back along the road to my car, with a revised plan formulated for Monday’s Scheduled Walk to Carstramon Wood.

If you’d like to explore Carstramon Cleugh and Wood and the Lagg Burn, this Countryside Walk will be re-scheduled for later in 2025 once the bracken has died back.  

Contact me by email with your note of interest and I'll be happy to keep you informed.

Otherwise, you may be interested in these upcoming walks later this July:

Sandyhills to Kippford Walk
Clints of Dromore Walk

Till next time.

Shirley G.