Get Lost Mountaineering

Cairnsmore of Fleet from near Graddoch Bridge

Start/Finish

The parking lane at about NX 463 633 which lies immediately N of the small wood to the north of Graddoch Bridge. Turn off the A75, between Palnure and Creetown for Muirfad then follow the minor road to cross Graddoch Bridge. Take the left fork and within 200 m, reach the large parking sign. There is no proper car park but plenty of spaces on the lane which is a right turn at the P sign.

Distance/Time

16 km     About 6 hours

Peaks

Cairnsmore of Fleet, 711 m, NX 501 670.

Meikle Mulltaggart, 612 m, NX 512 678.

Knee of Cairnsmore, 656 m, NX 509 656.

OS Explorer sheet 319: Galloway Forest Park South

Introduction

Cairnsmore of Fleet is a typical moorland hill of which there are many in this area. It dominates the view to the north east from the A75 between Creetown and Minigaff. There is a good path through the forest to the main summit and minor paths to the subsidiary tops. On a clear day, there are good views to Wigtown Bay and to the Merrick range to the north.

Route

(1) Walk to the bottom of the parking lane and go through the gate to join a track. Turn left and walk up the track until a sign, on the right, directs one along a short footpath to reach another track. Turn left and follow this track to Cairnsmore Farm which is actually a modern bungalow! Continue ahead and soon reach the end of the track. Go into the field and cross diagonally to reach an aluminium gate where the path proper starts. The path is very easy to follow and leads through the forest then up the SW flank of Cairnsmore of Fleet. When the angle eases, a few small cairns mark the route before the memorial cairn is reached. The large summit cairn, shelter cairn and trig point are a little further. The large cairn marks the summit of Cairnsmore of Fleet, 711 m.

(2) The continuation to Meikle Mulltaggart is obvious in clear weather but in mist, head ENE down the broad ridge. There is a faint path. The wall shown on the map to be to the E is actually a line of old fence posts which one could “aim off” for to be sure in mist. Lower down the ridge, there is a stile by a gate and the path is a grassy ATV track. Continue down to the col, known as Nick of the Saddle, then up the other side. The grassy track passes to the west of the highest point which has no cairn and, even in clear weather, it can be difficult to decide exactly where the summit of Meikle Mulltaggart, 612 m, lies.

(3) Retrace to the col then gate. Continue on the track until quite high then drift left, SSE, to pick up the line of fence posts and a faint path. Alternatively, follow the fence posts all the way from the gate. The path becomes more distinct as it swings towards SE, probably because it has joined with the path from Cairnsmore of Fleet to the Knee of Cairnsmore. Continue down to the col known as the Nick of Clashneach where the fence posts turn SSW. The path continues on and up on to the crest of the Knee of Cairnsmore then leads S to the large cairn which many think marks the summit of Knee of Cairnsmore, 656 m, but the grid reference puts the highest point further N along the crest. Making visual observations on the ground is fairly inconclusive as to where the highest point is. Apparently, there is only 1 m between the heights of the tops. If you walk along the top of the crest from the cairn to the drop to the col, you will cover all possibilities!

(4) Retrace to the Nick of Clashneach and follow the path back up the SSE ridge of Cairnsmore of Fleet. Continue ahead on the path when the fence posts drift to the right. The path meets the main ascent path below the memorial. One can easily revisit the summit with little extra effort or just turn left and descend the main path back to Cairnsmore Farm and then back to the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 27th March, 2016.

(b) Other routes are well described in the excellent “The Grahams and the Donalds” published by the SMC in 2015. This book is the final part of the “trilogy” with “The Munros” and “The Corbetts” being published previously. All of these books are well worth buying.