Cairngarroch to Loch Gower
4 NX491775 Descend north over ankle-jarring, pathless ground, sticking to the left of Droughandruie Strand burn. Arrive at a wide foresty road. Turn left, fork right and cross the bridge over River Dee. Taking advantage of a break in the forest cover to the west of a quarry, pick a line ascending north-east over rough terrain. Veer right, crossing Puldow Strand, and climb to Darrou. Descend north-east to a col and climb again to Little Millyea’s cairned top. Descend north to a drystone wall and follow it north and north-east to Meikle Millyea’s trig pillar, located to the right of the wall. Descend northwest, with a muchwelcome trod now appearing to the left of a wall. From Lochans of Auchniebut, ascend north-west along a wall to Milldown. Descend north-west, depart from the wall where it turns on a east-west axis, and veer north to the 716m summit of Millfire. Descend north-west to a col and climb the good trod north over broad, grassy slopes to Corserine.
5 NX497870 A good trod guides you easily down to a dip before climbing again to Carlin’s Cairn, which is adorned (as the name implies) with a huge cairn. Continue north along the long Rhinns of Kells ridge down to Goat Crags and then up to Meaul’s trig pillar. Ditch your bag here if you prefer, and complete an out-back north-east and east to Cairnsgarroch following a wall. Back at Meaul’s trig, turn right and follow a fence north down to a grassy col. Ascend gently north-east alongside the fence to Bow, and beyond via yet another down and up to the summit of Coran of Portmark.
6 NX509936 Head south briefly, which feels incorrect but enables you to pick up a farmer’s quad bike track descending north-east to the southern base of Knockower. Turn off the track and ascend north over pathless slopes to the summit of Knockower. Descend north-west over energy-sapping pathless ground to a col dissected by a wall. Cross the wall and pick up a faint trod ascending north-west to Black Craig.
Pick your own line of descent south-west over pathless ground to meet a wall beyond Polmeadow
Burn. Cross the burn and wall, and pick up a path heading south-west through forest. This soon becomes a gravel logging road guiding you south-west, crossing Polrobin Burn and continuing to Loch Head at the southern tip of Loch Doon. Veer right to cross Gala Lane burn. Head north on the road, now on the western side of the loch, to the large house at Starr. Continue north-west on the looping road, cross Carrick Lane (a river, not a road) at a bridge, go past the vehicle barrier and fork left beyond a car park onto Forest Drive. Follow the road in a general westerly direction, running broadly parallel to Whitespout Lane (again, a river not a road). Arrive at Loch Gower.