Day 8 Wanlockhead to Moffat

Left after an excellent breakfast and back to Wanlockhead for the 23 miles to Moffat. It was raining, as it had been overnight, was dull and even if the weather had been good and dry underfoot, this was the day I had been dreading – a very long walk across rough terrain with a lot of climbing, followed by another 20 miler the day after. The itinerary, in short, had a sense of humour.

Noelene dropped me at the bus stop at Wanlockhead and the first few miles were very testing – squelchy, muddy moorland walking in driving rain and I was as wet inside my waterproofs from sweating as from the rain coming in.  I was very quickly soaked through.  I was walking through the Lowther Hills and there was, as you’d expect, a lot of climbing involved.  I went ‘off track’ a couple of times, especially over Lowther Hill itself and later crossing the appropriately named Cold Moss.  There were a few forest paths too, though none of them easy going.

I reached the post showing the halfway distance of 107 miles and beneath it was a waterproof box containing a book and pens for walkers to add their comments.  I wrote, ‘On the 23 mile in lousy weather stretch from Wanlockhead to Central Moffat and struggling a bit, to be honest.  Started on 27/06 – a week after my 77^th birthday.  Glad to be ½ way there though – john@gillatt.org’ and added as an afterthought, ‘Wish there were more walkers.  I’d like someone to chat to!’

Despite my downbeat comment I was glad to be at the halfway point, on schedule and with no serious aches or pains.

I came across a sign in a forest (possibly Little Shag – I don’t remember) which said that due to ‘maintenance work’ on the gas pipeline the SUW was diverted. I looked at the accompanying map and worked out that the diversion would add at least a couple of miles to my already very long walk and I reasoned that, it being Sunday, no-one would be working to maintain the gas pipeline anyway. So I thought ‘fuck that’ and carried on regardless, a decision-making process of which no official guidebook would approve, but which felt entirely sound at the time. After a couple of miles I came across where the work was taking place and, as I’d hoped, there was no-one about so I just squeezed through the fences, walked across the site and out the other side into a field.

The weather and the walk became easier and my spirits lifted.  But with about ¼ of the day’s walk to go I crossed the dam of Daer Reservoir and there ahead of me was another very steep climb.  So I had my lunch and coffee first and headed onwards and upwards across Sweetshaw Brae and over Hods Hill into more forests and then onto a small road which eventually crossed the A701 and underneath the A74(M) to a field and another small road beside a small stream to Drumcrieff Bridge from where Noelene eventually found me.

She’d already checked in at the Annandale Arms Hotel in central Moffat and a very nice room, with friendly staff who let me put my boots, again stuffed with newspaper, to dry in their laundry room, which was warm all night.

Had an excellent game pie, a couple of pints of Innis & Gunn IPA and then to bed for a restive night in one of the most uncomfortable beds of the route so far. It’s always good when accommodation contributes fully to the adventure!

The day’s walk was one of the toughest I’d ever done and I was pretty pleased at myself for completing it.

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

Some Photos From Day 8