Introduction to Galloway and Minnigaff Hills
Awful
Hand Walk - Awful
Hand Maps - Dungeons
- Merrick
by Buchan Ridge
Merrick
by the Lochs - Rhinns
of Kells - Maps
of other routes
Cairnsmore
of Fleet - Wolf
Slock Home - Cairnsmore
of Dee
Craignaw
and the Dungeon Hills - Lamachan
and the Minnigaff Hills
Rig of
the Jarkness, Craiglee and Glenhead Lochs - Site
Homepage
The map on the right gives some idea of the general layout of the Galloway Hills, their heights, and the ranges which make up this large wilderness area.
The "Awful Hand" runs north/south from Shalloch on Minnoch to Glentrool and passes over the Merrick which at 843m is the highest hill in the south of Scotland.
The "Rhinns of Kells" also run N/S from alongside Loch Doon to near Loch Dee and have 2 hills on them over 800m, Corserine and Carlin's Cairn.
The "Dungeon Hills" lie between these 2 ranges, are not so high but much more rugged with some excellent rock climbing.
The "Minnigaff Hills" lie south of Glentrool and run eastwards beyond Loch Dee. They present some excellent views into the other ranges.
"Cairnsmore of Fleet" (711m), is the highest hill in a wee range of it's own and "Cairnsmore of Dee" at 493m also lies in it's own even smaller range but it has nevertheless an interestingly rugged approach from the south and excellent views north from the top.
The lower slopes of the third "Cairnsmore" in this area (Cairnsmore of Carsphairn 797m) can be seen at the north east corner of the map, but this hill lies in the Scaur section of our site.
For a good website on rock climbing
in the Galloway Hills try
www.needlesports.com/galloway/gallowayindex.htm
The area covered by the map is nearly 21k west to east and 35.6 north to south. Notice that the only towns/villages are Newton Stewart and Carsphairn both on the periphery of the area, and that public roads are few and far between - to Glentrool - from Newton Stewart to Clatteringshaws - and the one which passes through Carsphairn village, are the main access roads. Notice also how much forest there is in this area. Most of the parking points marked on the larger map are at the end of narrow forest roads. The most common access point to the Awful Hand, the Dungeon Hills, and the Minnigaff Hills is from the car park near Bruce's Stone at the east end of Loch Trool. This stone commemorates Robert the Bruces' first victory (1307) in the wars of independence - which culminated at Bannockburn in 1314. The "battle" was in fact more of a guerilla type ambush where stones were rolled down the hill on soldiers trapped between cliffs and the loch. See the pictures below.
