Moffat and Brattleburn

This is night No 26/2019 living in my caravan. Its my second night at the Moffat C&CC Site in the town of Moffat.

Got up very early, around 0545, and took the dogs for a good walk along the riverside in Moffat, on the banks of the River Annan. It was a nice morning, cloudy but mild and hardly a breath of wind.

After a shower and some breakfast, I was keen to go and walk a stretch of the Southern Upland Way from nearby Beattock to Brattleburn Bothy. Quite a nostalgic trip, as I'd walked from the Bothy to Beattock back in 2006 (?) when I walked the 212miles of the SUW.

Started off with the short drive to Beattock, then up the hill to Earshaig. Stopped for a picture looking at Moffat.

Parked up at Earshaig and followed the very familiar signs.

The route first passes these lochans which have been turned into a fine picnic area.

The path rises offering fantastic views across the Galloway Hills.

A fine area with some great hillwalking and staggeringly massive forests.

One one stretch of the SUW, only 200m or so, the route passes over a sheep field. I recall these posts, erected on humps on the ground.

The locals.

Looking back as we re-entered the forest and the dogs could run off lead again.

Some of the cut timber was glistening in the sun.

The path takes you over Craig Hill, 361m, with views down to the forests below.

A zoomed shot of a lorry loading sticks.

These forests are just enormous, especially when viewed from up here.

After descending, and taking a short detour from the SUW, I got my first look at the little Brattleburn Bothy. I stayed here a night when walking the route.

It's in a cracking location with water nearby. Like all bothies, there is no power, water, or drainage.

Mountain Bothies Association plaque on the door.

One change since I was here...no piano!! This was back in 2006.

Piano now gone.

Really irresistible treats left for folk to use.

It took us around 2hrs to get here. It is a bit of a wet grunt in places, especially in the sun. Really worth the effort. Left the bothy for the initial climb back up and over Craig Hill.

This forester was a long way off, a 30x zoom shot!

The return trip was absolutely brilliant. This must be what Canada is like, following firebreaks through these huge woods. The weather was great.

All in, it's about an 8mile walk which took us just short of 4hrs. Never met a soul!

After lunch, and a bit of a rest for me and the dogs, we took the short drive north on the A701 to visit the 'Devils Beef Tub'. It's a dramatic and deep corrie created by a ring of steep hills.

Notice the white dot in the lower, centre slight right, of the picture.

Zoomed in, its a van. This van was being driven by a woman who had an accident driving along the A701. The van left the road and plunged 500ft down the hillside. The woman escaped with a broken arm, but otherwise was fine! The council decided that it was far too difficult to recover the van and its been there ever since.

There is sheep in the tub, so took the dogs for a walk in the neighbouring woods. Near the summit of Flecket Hill, the expanse of wind farms in this area is clear to see. There are hundreds in this area.

Looking north towards Tweeds Well.

On return, I stopped in a lay-by for another look into 'The Tub'. On the floor is one of these circular sheep pens, common in this area.

Last look at the monument overlooking the Devils Beef Tub.