He’s been up hill and down dale for Dumfries & Galloway Life, sharing fascinating walks and cycle runs across the region, from the Lowther Hills to the Rhins of Galloway and everywhere in between. Here freelance writer and photographer Allan Devlin picks 12 of his all-time favourite walks for our souvenir 200th issue
For the special 200th issue of Dumfries & Galloway Life I have been asked to select 12 of the best walks in the region. It seems only a couple of years ago since I was writing for the 100th edition! I have always come away with something from every walk I’ve done for the magazine, even on the greyest and dreichest of days, when wild winter was at its worst. With a variety of landscapes to explore, as well as being rich in history, natural history, myths, legend and the odd national hero or three thrown in, Dumfries & Galloway is a wonderful place to explore.
HILLWAKER’S PARADISE - LANGHOLM
One of my favourite walks, and the furthest east, has to be in the hills around Langholm. It’s a paradise for hill walkers. Quite different from the other ranges, Langholm is surround by fine, relatively gentle, green rolling hills with way-marked routes heading off into lonely quiet hills in all directions.
One of my favourite circular routes climbs up to the 100ft obelisk on Whita Hill, with a small detour on the way to visit a huge metal book which is a memorial to one of Scotland's most important poets of the 20th century, Hugh MacDiarmid.
The route then drops down and crosses Skippers Bridge at the southern end of Langholm, before climbing to the top of Warb Law, from which there is a great view down on Langholm and the surrounding hills. On the way back, the route passes a battlefield at Arkinholm, where the Red Douglas, (for the King) fought the powerful Black Douglas. The battle, won by the Red Douglas, was a significant step to establishing a relatively strong monarchy in Scotland. Leaving the battlefield behind it's just a matter of heading across town to finish where the Ewes meets the Esk at Kilngreen.
GEOLOGIST’S PARADISE - MOFFATDALE
No set of walks of Dumfries & Galloway would be complete without exploring the U-shaped, glacier-sculpted valley of Moffatdale and its surrounding peaks. East of the town of Moffat, this area is especially beautiful in winter snow. The walk takes you up the steep sides of the spectacular Grey Mare's Tail waterfall; the fifth highest in the UK.
Clearly formed by powerful forces, Moffatdale is one of the finest glacier-sculpted landscapes in the country. A geologist's paradise, even the fossils (graptolites) in the area were used by geologist Charles Lapworth to give a timeline to rock strata.
Head up the well-trodden steep path to a lonely glacial moraine impounded loch: Loch Skene. Follow the fence up the east side of the loch and onto the ridge. From here, head westward to the cairn on Lochcraig Head, across Talla Nick onto Firthybrig Head, then up to the flat top of White Coomb. At 821 metres it is one of only seven Corbetts in southern Scotland and its lofty top can just be seen from as far away as the Eildon Hills near Melrose. From White Coomb head eastward, to the fence and then through a broken dyke and follow it down, (or ‘bum-slide’ if the snow is deep enough), to the Tail Burn and the path you came out on.
SPOOKY SANDSTONE SPECTACULAR – CRICHOPE LINN
A bit different from the rugged heights of Moffatdale, this walk in mid Nithsdale follows the Crichope Burn up through the shelter of trees to one of the most impressive sandstone formations in southern Scotland: Crichope Linn. Sandstone being a soft rock, the burn has, over time, created a spectacular 200m long, 30m deep gorge which has waterfalls, pot holes and even a shallow cave.
As well as all this, a natural sandstone arch provides the entrance to a very atmospheric carved, lichen-covered grotto with a small waterfall which cascades down from a narrow gap of sky above. Covenanters, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and Victorian tourists came off the train at Thornhill in their droves at one time, carving their graffiti into the sandstone. There’s a spooky, supernatural dimension to this great walk.
GOD’S TREASURE HOUSE - WANLOCKHEAD
Head into the Lowther Hills and Scotland’s highest village, Wanlockhead. Known as 'God's treasure-house in Scotland', over 60 types of minerals, including gold, have been found in the area, which has a rich industrial past dating back to at least Roman times.
There’s much to explore, including the Museum of Lead Mining, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. You can head down Lochnell Mine, read some books at the Miners Library, which was established in 1756, or visit Straitsteps Cottages museum which depicts the domestic life of the miners during 1750, 1850 and 1920. Just outside the museum is 'Bobbin' Johns', a beam engine which pumped water out of the Straitsteps Mine 200 meters below.
If you have the energy after that, a 10-minute walk takes you up to Glengonner Station and the Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway. It takes you along the 0.75 miles track through the Lowther Hills to Leadhills, passing the mine workings at Glengonner, all of which gives a fascinating incite to Scotland’s industrial past.
BIRDS AND A CASTLE - CAERLAVEROCK
This is a walk through Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve, south of Dumfries, along the merse where the River Nith widens to form an estuary before joining the Solway Firth. A bird watcher’s heaven, this area is alive not only with wild fowl constantly looking for food, but the movement of tides. With the granite lump that is Criffel as a backdrop, the play of light on the mudflats and the reflections in the water make this area stunningly beautiful.
The circular walk starts at Castle Corner and skirts the edge of the merse, which takes you along to Caerlaverock Wetland Centre, where you can watch the wildfowl being fed and enjoy some refreshments yourself.
Go inland to Ward Law Hill to see the remains of a Bronze Age fort and enjoy panoramic views across to the Lakeland fells, before heading down to explore one of Scotland most romantic red sandstone ruins, Caerlaverock Castle, on your way back to Castle Corner.
MUST-CLIMB – SCREEL HILL
Screel Hill is one of those hills which has to be climbed at some point in your life. It is one of three distinctive hills along the Solway Coast formed from a hard intrusion of granite that was forced out of the earth's crust as molten magma, about 400 million years ago. Since then, being harder than the surrounding rock, which has been worn away much quicker, these well-rounded granite lumps of Criffel, Cairnsmore of Fleet and Screel stand proud, waiting to be climbed.
The walk up Screel can be done in a number of ways, either as a circuit, taking in Bengairn, or, if time is short, just straight up and back down roughly the same route. Screel Hill’s bare rocky top might not be the highest or most challenging walk, but for its size, the views down on the Solway coast and across the Solway Firth to the mountainous Lake District are quite something.
COASTAL GEM - KIPPFORD
The coastal walk from Kippford to Rockcliffe is perfect for a warm summer evening and has a bit of everything in it: a small sculpture park, access to a tidal island, and a Dark Age hill fort with connections to the legend of King Arthur.
After exploring Kippford, its small sculpture park and its Tree of Year 2021 at the far end of the village, head along the Jubilee Path to the small village of Rockcliffe. The Jubilee Path is particularly lovely in the spring, when the land is carpeted in bluebells. If the tides allow, walk out to Rough Island before you head back to Kippford on one of the many paths.
WILDLIFE WONDER – CASTRAMONT WOOD
Castramont Wood is nationally recognised as having one of the best displays of bluebells in the UK. The wood forms a small part of the Fleet Valley National Scenic Area, which stretches from the wild moorland at the edge of the Galloway Hills to Fleet Bay and its small sandy beaches. This wooded valley, with the little town of Gatehouse of Fleet at its centre, is a scenic area full of wildlife.
The walk starts at Knocktinkle, goes down through Castramont Wood, which is lovely at any time of year but especially stunning when carpeted with bluebells and under a blue sky. Look out for red squirrels before the real work of the walk starts, as you climb the Fell of Laghead for a very fine 360-degree view of the surrounding area. From Laghead it's just a matter of following the Laurieston road downhill to Knocktinkle and the end of a pleasurable day out.
WAR TIME PAST - GARLIESTON
The Isle of Whithorn is the starting point for a fascinating coastal walk up the east coast of the Machars of Galloway to Garlieston, through Galloway's secret war time past. The area around Garlieston was used during World War Two to trial and build a prefabricated artificial harbour, codenamed Mullberry, which was used during the D-Day landings. Today there is still some evidence, along the walk, of what took place here, all with strange codenames such as Hippo and Crocodile.
Along the route there is also Galloway House Gardens to explore, as well as the cliff-edge ruinous remains of Cruggleton Castle. And if that’s not enough, in the right weather conditions the richest variety of butterflies I have ever seen.
This walk starts and finishes at Isle of Whithorn, which is almost entirely surround by sea, and heads up the east coast of the Machars on a waymarked path to Garlieston.
WEIRD WORLD OF STONE – THE GALLOWAY HILLS
Experience the rugged heart of Dumfries & Galloway with a walk in the Galloway Hills. This walk explores the Dungeon Hills, described as a “weird wild world, new, strange, not out of chaos - not yet approved of God” and you soon realise why.
It starts at Bruce's Stone and takes you up the Gairland Burn and along the Dungeon Ridge to Dungeon Hill itself, where the bare bones of the Galloway Hills are exposed.
Huge well-worn lumps of granite litter the landscape here. Some stand precariously alone, while others are piled up on top of each other, almost like a giant's child has been playing with his building blocks. In among this fantastic landscape there is even a wee loch, which looks more like a giant's stone bath tub, and then there's ‘The Diel’s Bowling Green’, where the goat god Pan and the Devil are reputed to have fallen out over a game of bowls.
From Dungeon Hill it's just a matter of heading back via the Buchan Ridge to Bruce's Stone and out of the .weird world of stone’ to the end of a very special walk.
FAVOURITE PORT - PORTPATRICK
One of my favourite walks is in the Rhins of Galloway and starts from the busy scenic little port of Portpatrick. Called ‘The Port’ by locals, it was, at one time, the main port for Ireland. Eloping Irish couples would also come here to get married, in same way English couples would elope to Gretna Green.
This walk follows the Southern Upland Way out of the Port and along the rugged coastline of the Rhins of Galloway to Killantringan Lighthouse. As you climb up and down into various bays, look out for the hexagonal huts at Port Kale: they are not beach huts but are, in fact, cable houses. A telegraph cable was laid from Port Kale to Donaghdee in Ireland in the 1850s.
Further along the coast is a small cave, Ouchtriemakain Cave, which, according to legend, was named after Uchtred, the Lord of Galloway, who was blinded by his younger brother in about 1173 and left to die in the cave.
At Killantringan Lighthouse, explore Killantringan beach, where if you’re very lucky, you might spot an otter, before retracing your steps back to the Port.
LIFE ON THE EDGE – MULL OF GALLOWAY
Scotland’s most southerly point, the Mull of Galloway is a magical place not only for its remote location, but also for its wildlife, wild flowers and its legends.
Legend has it this is where the Picts made their last stand against a high King of Ireland. As well as being a nature reserve there is also a lighthouse to climb, and from the top, on a clear day the distinctive peaks of the Mourne Mountains in Ireland can be seen.
This is a tourist hotspot and there are plenty of paths to follow, but one of the best is the way marked Core Path, which takes you around the headland then up the east coast of the Rhins of Galloway. Before long, you cut across country to the west coast and head southward back along the cliff tops back to the Mull.
A visit to the Mull makes for a great day out, which can be finished off by a nice cup of coffee at the impressively situated Gallie Craig coffee house.
