Calkin Rig
Andrewhinney Hill (677m)
I parked the car at the NTS car park near the Grey Mare’s Tail, and started walking at 11.15 am. It was very windy, even at the car park, and higher up I was fighting to stay upright and had to force my body in the direction I wanted to go. Frequent heavy showers came rolling in and it was quite unpleasant. At times I had to turn my back away from the rain, as it stung and felt like needles in the face. There were great views to White Coomb and the Grey Mare’s Tail but I couldn’t really appreciate any views with the wind and rain, although it was drier for part of the descent. Andrewhinney Hill is a steep hill from this direction, one of the steepest I have walked up, and it was hard on the legs. I reached the summit cairn after an hour of battling against the wind and I was relieved to get there. There were views of the Ettrick Hills and of Hart Fell, as well as of White Coomb but I didn’t stay long due to the wind. It was so strong my hat was blown off my head and my rucksack had 3 and a half litres of water in it and it was blown along the ground when I put it down. I retraced my steps to the car, reaching it at 1.20 pm.
White Coomb and the Grey Mare’s Tail
Calkin Rig (451m)
I had lunch in the car and drove via Moffat, Lockerbie and Langholm to the starting point for the ascent of Calkin Rig, near Bentpath. I parked the car at the edge of the wide entrance of the track to Old Hopsrig farm, at NY318888. I started walking at 3.20 pm along the track and at NY305885 and I took a track that climbed the hillside. Calkin Rig could be seen from here, as could Crumpton Hill and Bombie Hill, and they looked lovely in the sunshine with their golden hillsides of bracken. The track ended at NY304884 and I then followed some atv tracks up Shaw Hill which went up Calkin Rig. There were gorgeous views of the Ettrick and Eskdale hills and the extensive forestry sheltered me from the wind. At NY291875 there was a gate, over which lay the summit of Calkin Rig. I reached the unmarked top, located at a large firebreak, at 4.40 pm and admired a number of rainbows as a shower came over. I started the descent at 4.50 pm by following the NNE ridge, and enjoyed the beautiful views to the Ettrick and Eskdale hills and the hills above Langholm, despite the heavy shower that blew in. I got to the track, where I saw and heard a solitary buzzard, and followed this back to my starting point. I got to the car at 5.50 pm, a total of 2 and a half hours.
The Eskdale hills from the slopes of Calkin Rig
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