Dalreen Pass to Moffat: E2 Day 45

A wet and windy day with some unexpected mountains and good paths through forestry.

Heavy rain and high winds had been forecast for today starting at 7:00 am, so I prepared to sleep early last night, lying in my sleeping bag listening to distance sounds. Cars drove by on a road now a kilometre or so away, geese gaggled, a bird whose strident call was familiar, but which I could not place, was a little nearer, then moved farther away. Comforted by these sounds I was asleep well before 9:00 pm.

By 6:30 am I was packed and on my way, my tent wet from overnight showers, recalled during brief periods of wakefulness. Although not raining at first the sky was overcast with dark clouds, so dawn was a muted affair, a gradual grey lightening rather a paparazzi pink horizon. Leaving a forest path for a gravel track I read information boards about archaeological finds; heaps of stones burnt 3000 years ago, and a more recent ruin of a fortified "Bastille" house, dating from when the Scottish borders was a lawless area. A post also informed me that I had reached the half way point of the Southern Upland Way.

On the approach to the Daer reservoir there was a path diversion. The route should have gone over the dam but work of some kind was underway. There was a map of the diversion with many coloured dots, in the morning half light it was difficult to see exactly where they wanted walkers to go. However it looked as if they were referring to an older route of the Southern Upland Way which went below the dam. I had a GPS track of this older route so I followed it.

Looking down on Daer reservoir.

This led me up some mountains on a rough path. When I had glanced at the guidebook earlier I did not recall this mountain moorland climb, it referred to today as "something of a come-down". However in good weather this climb would have resulted in excellent views. Today's weather was not good. High winds and an exposed location meant my climb was a struggle, my runny nose not helping. There was a path but it was rough with water logged patches. In addition it was one of those hills with many summits so it seemed like I would never reach the top. I consoled myself that at least the strong, southerly wind, now armed with raindrops, was machine gunning my side. Although it was unbalancing me, pushing me sideways at least my waterproof's hood stopped my face being attacked by high velocity pellets of rain.....then the path turned into the rain. A steep descent and steep ascent immediately after, hard on the knees, at least gave me a period of shelter from the wind. Despite the wind the turbines in the nearby wind farm were not turning. Too much wind maybe for the turbines? (Later: or maybe too much power being generated, according to the National Grid 54.7% of UK's electricity was produced by the wind for this day).

With much joy I entered forestry, where the trees provided some shelter and the path, located on the line of a buried gas pipeline, was well made and maintained allowing a good speed. I decided against a diversion to a nearby bothy for shelter, thinking instead of the warm hotel room that awaited me in Moffat. So I pushed, on admiring the red leaves of the willow herb now dying back for winter and the russet of the dying bracken. 

Path through forestry.

Joining the "Crooked Road" into Beattock was good as it meant I was nearing my destination but bad because I lost the shelter of the trees. Rain and wind showed no mercy as I trudged over the open moorland. I consoled myself that the wind driving the pounding raindrops and the cold, wet, dampness that was spreading around my loins from some gap in my waterproofs, would make a hot bath at the hotel more luxurious than any scented candles or bubble baths.

After crossing the transport corridor of road, motorway and railway that passes Beattock I turned off the Southern Upland Way onto the Annandale Way for the last few kilometres into Moffat. The man on the hotel's reception told me check was not until 4:00 pm (2 1/2 hours later) but maybe took pity on me as I stood there dripping on his floor and showed me my room. No bath but a hot shower, dry clothes, lunch and a phone call with my wife put me in a cheerful mood. The room is a good size, as I would expect for what they are charging. Apart from a hostel someway out of town it seemed the only place with vacant rooms. Maybe that is because there is a "Walking Festival" this weekend, offering several guided walks. Tomorrow is a rest day, so I have just booked onto a short one...