Day 7 Sanquhar to Wanlockhead

Had a lie-in (well, until 8 o’clock) as today’s walk was a short one – about 8 miles, though hilly ones, across to Wanlockhead – apparently the highest village in Scotland! After a good breakfast (full Scottish, of course!) I set off determined not to let water trickle into my dry(ish) boots so put my waterproof over-trousers on, even though it wasn’t raining. But after a mile or so down came the rain and it was full waterproofs on again which, in the mild weather, meant that I quickly became a sweaty, sticky mess inside my supposed ‘breathable’ and expensive Montane jacket. I wonder if there really is a jacket you can wear in warm weather which keeps the wet out and lets your sweat out the other way? I fear not!

I climbed and climbed over rough pasture, very wet underfoot again, passing a place marked on the map, though there was nothing at all there, as Bogg – rather appropriate, I thought. The wind got up and I was drenched and very uncomfortable. To be honest, at one stage I asked myself ‘why the fuck am I doing this?’, which was a reasonable question and one the landscape declined to answer. I saw another person with a dog walking towards me but she was just ‘going for a walk’ and having a couple of hours on the fells (moors?). I had yet to meet another SUW walker.

The views down the valley (Glengaber?) would’ve been spectacular today had it not been so rainy and I was glad to eventually reach a small road (all the roads in these parts are ‘small’) which followed an also small stream down another valley, past old mine workings to the small village of Wanlockhead. I sheltered in a bus stop opposite the mining museum and ate my butties whilst I waited for Noelene to pick me up for the short drive to the larger village of Leadhills (Scotland’s second highest village!) a couple of miles away and the rather splendid Hopetoun Arms Hotel, apparently the highest residential hotel in Scotland.

We received a warm welcome from the woman running the place and she even put the heating on to help dry my boots once I’d again stuffed them with newspaper.  And, yes, against all advice I did put them on the radiator.  If the leather cracked, so be it (it didn’t).  I just wanted dry boots to at least start tomorrow’s long walk to Moffat, which I faced with some trepidation – actually a lot of trepidation.

We had a so-so meal at the Hopetoun Arms and a couple of pints of something not so fantastic to drink.  But the Hopetoun Arms was great – in a very country hotel, retro way.

So, I had completed 7 days’ walking and covered about 103 miles, so I was halfway there in time and almost in distance.

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Click HERE to download the .gpx file of today’s walk

Some Photos From Day 7