Loch Gower to Loch Trool via Merrick

7 NX444937 Pass Loch Gower and a dam wall to arrive at Loch Riecawr. Continue north-west on Forest Drive road past a couple of car parks. Turn left at a road junction and take the forestry road south. After about 600m, turn right up a break in the trees over rough ground, and turn left onto another break and follow it west until you emerge from the forest. The going is rough and overgrown. Arrive at 470m spot-height, turn right and pick up a trod heading north to Shiel Hill’s trig pillar. Return to the 470m hump, and take a trod heading south, skirting to the right of the rocky rib of Nick of the Strand. Pick your own line of ascent south-west and south to the summit of Craigmasheenie. Descend pathless slopes south-west to reach the boggy southern tip of Loch Girvan Eye. Head south-west, crossing an old fence as you go, and climb pathless slopes following the line of a small burn. Reach the 659m cairn of North Top. Descend south-southeast on a grassy trod to a col next to a small tarn. Climb relatively easily ahead to the trig pillar of Shalloch on Minnoch. Ascend south-east to the 775m true summit.

8 NX407905 Take the path descending south to Nick of Carclach and ascend ahead to Tarfessock. Descend south-east over rugged ground to a col and visit a minor cairned summit billed as Tarfessock South Top by the Ring of Fire founders. Continue south-east over land dotted with several lochans, where annoyingly the path seems to disappear, and arrive at the base of Kirriereoch Hill. You’re free to pick your own line of ascent, avoiding the craggiest of ground, with the crest of the north ridge proving a good option. Descend south-east to a wall and climb steeply south-east up Little Spear. From here, a good path takes you up the final ascent south to Merrick’s trig pillar.

9 NX427855 Head south-west over the broad summit plateau to Broads of the Merrick. Descend the Neive of the Spit ridge to a col and climb the path ahead to Benyellary. Follow a good path south-west along a wall. Where the main path veers south for Loch Trool, instead follow the wall south-west and south towards the final and 30th summit, Bennan. Go through a metal gate and cross a tall, ladder stile over a deer fence to pick up a service road. Follow this south-west to Bennan’s summit, next to a large pylon. Re-trace your steps to the open hillside beyond the stile and gate,

and veer east over pathless slopes to re-pick up the main Loch Trool descent. Follow the path south. Go through a gate at a deer fence and descend a steep rocky path through woodland and next to Whiteland Burn. Exit the forest, go through another gate and arrive at a gravel forest road. Turn right briefly, crossing a bridge, and turn left on a path down to Culsharg. Head south on a good path, running parallel to Buchan Burn, and arrive back at the car park. Lochan reflections at Craigmasheenie.

Views across Galloway Forest Park from near Benyellary.