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Dungeon Hill, Location and Advice

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Removed User 16 Jan 2020

Dungeon Hill

Hi Just wondering if anybody has been climbing at Dungeon Hill if so what is the best way to drive there to minise walking? Also I heard there was a bothy near by it if anybody has the name or location of the bothy that would be great. Also any advice on about the climb is more than welcome. Thanks

 Mike-W-99 16 Jan 2020
In reply to Removed UserHCWind:

Here http://www.johnbiggar.com/galloway-climbing-index/dungeon-hill-rock-climbin... or Lowland Outcrops https://www.smc.org.uk/publications/climbing/lowland-outcrops

Its very boggy at the bottom of the crag but don't let that put you off the routes could use some traffic.

Post edited at 21:28
 Iain Thow 16 Jan 2020
In reply to Removed UserHCWind:

The bothy is Backhill of Bush (480 843), about 45 mins from the crag, across the valley to the east. It's an easy walk in from Craigencallie (503 779), about an hour and a half on a good track. As mentioned above, John Biggar's website is excellent - and if you buy the Lowland Outcrops guide it will give you lots of really good coastal cliffs to retreat to if the weather is minging.

Removed User 16 Jan 2020
In reply to Mike-W-99

Thanks very much. Great Site with Top Info.

 Lankyman 17 Jan 2020
In reply to Iain Thow:

Do they still have problems with drunken meds at Backhhill? Some while back they'd been driving in on the forest tracks for parties and the MBA had given up on the place I think.

In reply to Removed UserHCWind:

It's a great crag in the spring before the wee biting beasties emerge - take a double rack of cams from Camalot 0.3 to 3 and maybe a 3.5 too for Cyclopath, and cut back on wires. Jamming gloves would be nice on some routes. The quickest approach is to cycle from Craigencallie (reached by a very long single track road from just west of Clatteringshaws dam) to just prior to the Backhill of Bush bothy. Park at the forestry gates at Craigencallie, cycle north and take the major right turn across the Dee, turn left and keep bearing left on the main track. The final bit of the approach has changed for the better since the last edition of the SMC Lowland Outcrops guide. Just before the bothy, the "old track" forks left over a concrete bridge. Cross this and take a new track to the left again which ends a few hundred yards from the Silverflowe (a huge floating bog). Stash the bikes here and stumble though tree stumps and brash to the Cooran Lane (a stream) which can be crossed via boulders at various points. There are ways straight across the Silverflowe but it is a maze of hidden pools and other mantraps so it is better on first acquaintance to skirt it to the north in a curving arc to the south end of the Round Loch of the Dungeon. From here the way to the crag is obvious if a bit unrelenting. This approach can be done in 1.5 hours with a bike, or add a further 45mins if on foot. Walking poles and stout boots are highly recommended for the walk in as the Silverflowe is very boggy and is covered in huge tussocks which mean it's a bit like walking in deep wet snow. Top tip, look back on the approach now and again and mark where to return to, or take a GPS, as you'll stand a good chance of getting lost if you don't!

The bothy sadly has a long history of use by local "neds" (who may well be on meds!) who use it to hold drunken parties. I was in it once when they dragged in a goat they'd shot which they proceeded to butcher and try and barbecue on the pot bellied stove. Personally, I gave up staying there after that, and just cycled in each time.

A very good alternative would be to take a tent and walk in from Glen Trool to the northern end of Loch Neldricken where there is a lovely sandy beach. From here, the Dungeon of Buchan is about 45mins and there are two other excellent but smaller crags close to hand, Memorial Crag and the Point of the Snibe. See: https://www.needlesports.com/Information/Features/Galloway-Climbing/Craigna... for full descriptions of these crags - this isn't working at the moment but should be fixed in a week or so.

Must do multipitch routes at the Dungeon include:

Traitor's Gait MVS, Monkey Puzzle VS, Heir Apparent E1, The Colonel's Corner HVS (top end), Cyclopath E1, Horns of a Dilemma HVS, Saddle Tramp E2, plus there's a load of good shorter stuff.

It is remote, so sees little traffic, but the majority of the climbs are clean and nearly everything is worthwhile and the whole area is fabulous, if hard going. For pictures see: https://www.needlesports.com/Information/Features/Galloway-Climbing/The-Dun...

 lpretro1 17 Jan 2020
In reply to Removed UserHCWind:

FWIW Recent report said :

"4 of us up at Backhill of Bush at the weekend. For the first time I can really understand why the MBA had to let this one go.

Piles of rubbish and old food left inside, furniture tossed outside. People with overactive bowels have left their mark outside round the far end of the bothy, and toilet roll lashed all over the place. Disgraceful.

We swept the place out, carried out as much of their rubbish as we could, and left a full bag of coal. Coal bag is sealed so hopefully nobody shits in that "

Better to take a tent and wild camp if you ask me....

 pec 17 Jan 2020
In reply to Removed UserHCWind:

I called by the bothy on a walk last year and it was in an acceptable state to use but have read of a number of thefts of gear from it while the owners were out walking or climbing. So as per other people's comments, probably not worth using.

Removed User 17 Jan 2020

Thanks very much everyone all good stuff to know. Hoping to go pretty soon so hopefully nobody has shat in the bothy yet.

 W3 19 Jan 2020
In reply to Removed UserHCWind:

We climbed there during August Bank holiday last year.

Came back to bothy after a day climbing to find sleeping bag, stove, pans torches and waterproof jacket stolen.


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