Cunninghame ramblers. Steygail to Lowther Hills circular. August 2012

Covenanters memorial stone.

One of the many valleys on this route.

It is normally shrouded in mist.

Trying to figure out where we were!

Heading up to the golf ball aerial.

Today's group.

The leader.

Yesterday Sunday August 19th I led a walk for Cunninghame Ramblers to Lowther Hill from the Steygail side which is near to the small hamlet of Durisdeer in Dumfries and Galloway,I was not the nominated leader but as the Kilmarnock Rocket is poorly at present I volunteered to help out. This is a walk I did back in April 2011 with Ayr and District Ramblers when Madam Vice was our leader. I must mention at this point as I was a last minute choice as leader and had no  time to do a full recce  Madam Vice provided me with all the waypoints and general guidance of the area to ensure a good safe walk and for all her help and  assistance we were all greatly indebted to her.6 of us went up the first hill on a clear fairly cloudy morning to Steygail (573M) where the views of the surrounding valleys started to open up. A very steep descent took us down to the Dinabid Linn with it's wonderful noisy waterfall. After a quick coffee stop it was up to Wether Hill and onto Lowther Hill with it's golf ball aerial for our friends in Air Traffic Control. After we had our lunch break the next hill was East Mount Lowther (631M) with it's viewfinder showing all the surrounding hills which were becoming hazy as we could see the rain moving up ever closer from the south. Once we reached the Thirstane Hill (583M) the rain arrived but it was more a nuisance than a soaking as it was fairly light. Another steep descent saw us over the Enterkine Burn and onto a track that took us back down to the cars to end this stiff 9 mile circular walk. Thanks to my fellow walkers today you all did very well on some of the very steep climbs and descents this walk is famous for.