Get Lost Mountaineering

Garelet Hill, Garelet Dod, Great Hill & Molls Cleuch Dod

from Talla Linfoots

Start/Finish

Verge parking near footbridge near Talla Linfoots which is at the eastern end of Talla Reservoir. This can be reached from Tweedsmuir on the A 701 between Moffat and Broughton or fromYarrow via the A708 then the minor road past Megget Reservoir. Note that the road from Yarrow may be impassable in winter conditions.

Distance/Time

16 km.    About 7 – 8 hours.

Peaks

Garelet Hill, 680 m, NT 124 201.

Laird's Cleuch Rig, 684 m, NT 125 196.

Erie Hill, 690 m, NT 124 187.

Garelet Dod, 698 m, NT126 172.

Din Law, 667 m, NT 124 156.

Cape Law, 722 m, NT 131 150.

Great Hill, 774 m, NT 145 163

Molls Cleuch Dod, 785 m, NT 151 179.

Carlavin Hill, 736 m, NT 142 188. Explorer 330: Moffat & St. Mary's Loch

Introduction

This is a very strenuous walk around the Ganmes Hope Valley with a very steep ascent at the beginning and steep descent at the end. There are excellent views to other hills especially Talla Cleuch Head and Broad Law across the A 701. There is much up and down on this round even though all the hills are either Donalds or Donald Tops. Under snow, most of the paths and tracks disappear and progress will be much slower.

Route

(1) Cross the obvious footbridge and start the brutally steep ascent up Garelet Hill. There is a faint path most of the way. Eventually the angle eases and one reaches the trig point which is the summit of Garelet Hill, 680 m.

(2) Follow the wall SE then S. At its highest point, leave it and go W up on to Laird's Cleuch Rig, 684 m, which has no cairn marking the summit.

(3) Walk off S to rejoin the wall and follow it down then up to where a fence/wall goes off right. Follow this to its highest point. A small cairn across the fence marks the summit of Erie Hill, 690 m, which is proably the most distinctive peak in this round.

(4) Return to the main wall and follow it down to a col then up onto Garelet Dod. When the fence turns due S, go W and look for the highest point which is Garelet Dod, 698 m. There is no cairn marking the summit.

(5) Return to the main wall/fence and follow it down to a col to the W of Gamehope Loch then up more steeply. When the wall/fence turns SE, go SW and reach a tiny cairn which is probably the summit of Din Law, 667 m.

(6) Rejoin the wall and follow it SE down to a col then up on to the top. When the fence turns ESE, this is very close to the summit of Cape Law, 722 m. There is no cairn at the highest point.

(7) Descend roughly NE down pathless terrain aiming for the S side of Ether Cleuch. A rough path traverses the hillside before the cleuch and this helps one gain some height before crossing the cleuch then picking a way up on to the crest of Great Hill which has some old wooden fence posts running along it. There is no summit cairn but the highest point seems to be close to the highest post so this is Great Hill, 774 m.

(8) Follow the line of fence posts ESE to reach the wall/fence at Donald's Cleuch Head and follow this NNE to Firthybrig Head where another wall goes NW. Follow this up onto the top where a medium cairn by the wall seems to be the summit of Molls Cleuch Dod, 785 m. Note that there is also a smaller cairn about 100 m to the NE which should be visited although it seems slightly lower than the cairn by the wall.

(9) Continue along the wall and ascend up to the next top where there is a small cairn to the right of the wall which is the summit of Carlavin Hill, 736 m.

(10) Do not attempt to follow the wall down to the valley floor as it becomes dangerously steep. Instead go right at right angles to the wall, roughlyNE, and pick a way down the moderately steep but grassy slopes. Gradually drift N and eventually reach a track which leads to the road. Descend along the road, steep in places, to reach the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 7^th March, 2017, and about 15 years earlier.