Stroanpatrick to Sanquhar: E2 Day 43

A fine day's walking with empty mountains in all directions, somewhat spoilt by tiredness, a snivelling nose and a complaining knee.

I rose early as dawn is one of the most beautiful times of day, and today was a great example. Streaks of pink cloud to the east caught the sun beyond the horizon, highlighting wind turbines lining the mountain tops. Above the clouds the sky was a deep blue, promising a sunny day. After packing up my tent, wet with a heavy dew despite a good wind overnight, I hurried up the steep slopes of Benbrack to catch the morning sun as it shone through the large arch constructed on the moorland summit. Whatever meaning was intended by this sculpture, it looked impressive in the morning light. Another arch echoed it, on a summit some miles away. A fine ridge walk took me near this sister summit but veered off down into conifer plantations. 

Dawn.

Sculpture on Benbrack with the rising sun shining through.

Among the trees I found Allan's Cairn, a monument to George Allen and Margaret Gracie who were shot by Dragoons at an open air prayer meeting of Covenanters in the 17th century. Covenanters were Presbyterians, protestants who rejected a church governed by the king, believing people could have a direct relationship with God.

My next milestone among the trees was the Chalk Memorial Bothy. Resting a while inside, I was almost fooled in the dim light by the bookcases painted on the walls. 

Leaving the forest it was a long walk up a green valley, bare of trees. Interlocking spurs on the upper part were a good example of the geomorphology of a valley created by a river in the mountains. There were a few remote farmhouses, but despite being a long way from any settlement, broadband was in the process of being installed, which will make life a little more convenient for the occupants of this sparsely populated area.

Interlocking spurs of a mountain river.

The Southern Upland Way climbed out of the valley and into the next. Near the top I met a Southern Upland Way Ranger installing a gate. He was the first person I had seen all day. The gate replaced a stile and would allow access by horse riders and mountain bikers. We discussed the condition of the trail and the type of trousers we were both wearing. Responding to my comments on the boggy nature of the trail over the last day or so, he said he hoped to place a small digger in the area next year to improve drainage. Getting materials like gravel to remote locations was a challenge. He said he was currently being funded by a wind farm, which I thought very generous of them and a different attitude to the wind farms I had come across in Ireland, which wanted to keep walkers out. I should have asked about the painted posts. Throughout the route posts with a stylised thistle symbol marked the Southern Upland Way, but in this area many have been painted with patterns and pictures, with a few words added to encourage the hiker such as "On and on you will hike and I know you'll hike far".

Sanquhar was now on the horizon which relieved me greatly as I was feeling more tired than I should have for the distance walked. My left knee was painful and I was limping as I walked the last stretch into town. However I am booked into a hotel here and am hoping a bit of rest (I arrived just after 2:30 pm) and good food will restore me. I have walked down the main street to buy a few items of food for tomorrow. Typical of a Borders town it is lined with terraced buildings with some small shops, it also has another memorial to the Covenanters.