Ring of Fire

December 10th and 11th 2024

 Since moving to Galloway I have had the Ring of Fire round on my radar. Traditionally it is a unsupported, solo round although I don't think there are any hard and fast rules and to date there is no list of Completions (however I am now compiling one). I think it's a classic route and I've been on the hills a lot as they are my nearest. It's a tough round with a lot of unpathed or faintly pathed routes on the ridges and especially getting up onto and off all three of them.

When the Cheviot Goat was cancelled at the last minute because of a named storm and then the weather looked perfect for three days the following week, I decided I should get myself organised and go for a winter round. It was very daunting to me, even though I've done 14 or so rounds (including the two Joss Naylors), and countless very long days reccing on my own, the idea of setting off on my own, carrying everything I needed and responsible for myself was still one I hadn't attempted before. I wanted to take both Bruce and Flynn and I was carrying food for them too. I decided to ask Steve to meet me halfway (well after 12 hours) with more supplies but also in case the dogs couldn't do the whole round then he could take one/both of them home.

I had a 19 hour schedule prepared as I had compiled one for Phil Anderson when I supported him on it earlier this year. I tweaked it with our actuals and thought it would be a good guide. To work out a start time I decided that I would take the darkness first and finish in daylight - hence a 22:00 start. Plus the weather forecast was less good on Wednesday night and I would finish by then.

It was -5C as I drove the van to Bruce's Stone carpark and I was late setting off as the roads were icy. So it was 22:08 when I set off with the dogs who were very excited. I was wearing my Inov8 base layer, Inov8 Performance Jacket  and then an Alpkit Heiko jacket  as well as Inov8 Venturelite jacket On my feet I wore the XTalon Ultras and a pair of Dexshell waterproof socks . I carried waterproof trousers, buffalo mitts, an emergency bag, spare head torch and a load of food for me and the dogs in the Inov8 Racepac 20 I was soon too hot and so took the Heiko off and stored it away.

The first hill Mulldonach came bang on schedule but in the clag! Heading off I found the trod over to Lamarchan which peters out as you get to the plateau, leaving you on spongy moss. I tried to contour to Larg rather than doing it as an out and back but was soon regretting my decision as it just seemed slow and I couldn't tell how far up or down I needed to be. Hitting the main path was a relief and we all ran happily down it. Underfoot conditions were good but I had realised that the mossy / tussocky stuff was partially frozen so my foot would sink so far, and then as I lifted the other foot up, I would suddenly break through and sink some more. This meant that the best way was to do small stompy steps rather than try to stride out. I text Steve from Lamarchan and also got a Whatsapp from Carol, who was then distraught as she thought she had woken me. It was midnight by now! I sent a quick photo and then headed off. I like the route across to Curleywee and even in the clag I know this well now. From Curleywee I found the reasonable route to the fence and then it's off across to Red Gairy across the indistinct ups and downs. I am getting to know the various dips and lochans though. From Red Gairy it's a ridge of sorts to Millfore. Another text sent as I was now heading across another featureless section. This went on forever before we eventually found the fence and the stile. Bruce can leap nearly anything now but Flynn is just learning so I needed to lift him, wriggling, over the fence.

Up to Cairngarroch and then a rubbish line down to the forest road. It was pretty cold up high but warmer down in the valley so I ran round and began the ascent of Darrou before stopping to eat my wraps and give the dogs their second tea in the warmth of the trees. We then floundered our way up Darrou through deep heather and steep bankings. I reassured the dogs and me that it gets easier. It was a nice line up Little Millyea and onto Meikle Millyea that we found and the dogs discovered frozen snow so that was a delight. They ate rather a lot of it and rolled and played in the rest. The clag was so thick at the top that I ran stright passed the trig and stopped when the ground started to fall away, retracing my steps and shining my torch around. There it was!

Then onto the right wall (there are a few as we found out on the Bruce's Crown race in April as I headed off on the wrong one!) - and thankfully a good path however covered in ice! Bruce again is well experienced in ice and sort of glides across it. Maybe he just doesn't mind the odd crash at the other side every now and again! Flynn decided he didn't like it and avoided it like I was. Heading up Corserine I was looking around for daylight but there was no sign of it. I had planned that at 7.30 it would get light. It was 7.30 and it wasn't light! However the clag seemed to be lifting as I could see the trig from 50m away. After reminding myself it's hard to get off Corserine the right way I ran off the wrong way! I soon realised and corrected myself but it was things like this that meant I was never up on schedule for long. Up Meaul I took a path I haven't taken before which was good as it led me to the trig which is usually easy to miss. Then I forgot about Cairnsgarroch and headed off on the ridge before checking the schedule and realising. More contouring over to the right line and then down and back on the fence line. Sunrise was happening now as I could see the summit in the gloom and almost didn't need a headtorch. Coming back I was able to turn it off and on Bow I got a beautiful sunrise that the GoPro didn't pick up. Life was looking up!

All the time I had been eating well but I was looking forward to soup if Steve had made it to the track. That was still a few hours off and seemed a long way away! I took an ace bit of GoPro between Knockower and Black Craig and then photos of me and Bruce (Flynn is camera shy) on the summit. Decision time as to whether to follow Phils line or mine and I went with mine. It was good for a while then the usual rubbish. Head to the wall when that happens I knew ! Across the stream and onto the atv track.

We were quickly down onto the forest road and trotting along. I'm never fast on this stuff but I aimed to get into a consistent jog and maintain it for the full six miles. The dogs seem to be enjoying the track too and soon were bouncing off the sides into the forests. I had thought about leaving them but they were so full of energy I thought they would be ok on the next section too. The forest track just goes on and on. You just think you'll nearly done and you round a corner and remember some more of it to come. Steve was there and the soup was delicious. I fed the dogs again and packed a few more bits into my rucksack. I was just about on the schedule so a 5pm finish looked do able.

Heading off up Sheil Hill the clag was back which was a shame. I got my poles out for this ascent to help me in the rougher stuff and also to keep the dogs from just being right in front of me which they did when they don't know where I'm going. I just used the poles up Craigmasheenie (yet another line - is there a good way up this thing?) and over the North Shallock. Again a rubbish, floundery line. We were all glad to get to the summit which was in sunshine and have a little rest. I was conscious of time though so chivvied the dogs and on we went. It was amazing now to have a full cloud inversion and I just had to take photos , not knowing if the clag would be back. I looked back from the South top and saw the only person I had seen on the hills all day, coming up behind me.

It was about here I did something to the GoPro and didn't know if it was taking a video or changing the settings. I ended up with about 100 shots of me peering into the camera. Hence I took one video of the dogs curled up asleep together and it contains me peering into the camera!

We ran on though, trying to make the most of the better terrain although it was partially covered in snow and ice. It was so good to have the line of sight ahead of me and be able to pick my lines across the snow to the paths in the lower sections. Tarfessocks are nice and easy tops which give you time to prepare for the steep slog up Kirriereoch. The dogs were tired now and Flynn was telling me he needed to sleep. He's got very expressive eyes and would stop, curl up, and then look at me as if saying "I am going to sleep right here". But I would carry on and he would get up and follow me. Bruce is more used to this and just plodded on in front but I could see him encouraging Flynn along.

Over to the Merrick and Bruce's spirits lifted immensely. He knew the way off from here. I stopped to take it all in and be proud of myself. Now just two hours to get down and it would be done. It's nice running off Merrick and over to Benyellary and then a steep drop to Bennan which was poking out the cloud inversion. This is a once in a lifetime experience as the conditions are so rarely like this. Onto Bennan and photos of everyone (except Flynns were rubbish!). And now down the Merrick race route to Bruce's Stone. I only just made it without needing a head torch and we all flew passed the van to touch the stone at 16.37. so a total time of 18.29 hours.

All the Go Pro videos and photos are here -  Dec 2024 0 Ring of Fire