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Name:Cairnsmore of Carsphairn
Hill number:1739
Height:797m / 2615ft
RHB Section:27C: The Glenkens to Annandale
Donald area:Carsphairn Hills
County/UA:Dumfries and Galloway
Catchment:Dee (Kirkcudbright)
Class:Marilyn, Hump, Simm, Corbett, Donald,
Yeaman
(Ma,Hu,Tu,Sim,C,D,DN,Y,P500)
Grid ref:NX 59441 97999
Summit feature:embedded boulder 12m NW of trig point
Drop:582m
Col:215m  NX513988  
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 77
(1:25k) 328S
Observations:boulder is higher than base of trig point and base of cairn
Survey:Abney level
Change log:show changes for this hill entry
GPS data:show GPS entries for this hill

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*For information about access rights in Scotland see the ScotWays website.
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Logged Descriptions  (logged by 496 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all)ByDate of Ascent
1h 40m to ascend fr Green Well; LRT goes a little beyond end shown on map, and easy (if wet in places) path goes straight up beside wall to summit. Good views fr top!NorfolkPT2118/09/2023
1 of 2: Parked at the start of the track on the north side at Green Well of Scotland. Hot and sunny. With Karen.ChrisR05/09/2023
From parking near Green Well of Scotland up track then to Willieanna and Dunool, on way up to Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, and back via Beninner, Knockwhirn and over Craig of Knockgray. Great views from top.PeterD02/06/2023
11.1 mile walk from the entrance to the Moorbrock Estate on the Water of Ken road. We followed the good track up to the very well maintained but spookily quiet Moorbrock farm. From there we followed the obvious track around Green Hill to the 4th firebreak down to Poldores Burn (very easy to cross). Not mentioned on the comments on here; we had to scale a gateless deer fence before ascending quite steeply up to Nick of the Lochans. From here we followed a small trail up to the slightly snow-sprinkled summit of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. We headed back to the Nick and easily ascended grassy Beninner. From the summit cairn we descended back to the annoying deer fence and burn and followed the easy trail up to Moorbrock Hill. Descending the same way through Moorbrock back to the car. 1042m ascent. High cloud but amazing views today as far as Ben Lomond, Arran and Ailsa Craig. We saw one person from a far all day.DanTrig04/03/2023
With John & wee Islay from A713 bridge-end near Carsphairn. Took the track up to a new tree plantation, then up Willieana --> Dunool --> Black Shoulder --> Cairnsmore. Descended SW back down the dyke to re-join the track back to the A713. Blue skies and sunny, but very cold at the top, with a light crust of snow above 700m. Total time 3h 16min.mproudfoot02/01/2023
Parked on the old section of road next to the A713 bridge at Well Green of Scotland, North of Carsphain, with Kevin Woods. Headed up the track then cut off up Willieanna, then Dunloop before contouring around to Beninner and up to Cairnsmore of Carsphain. Descended alongside the stone dyke and back out on the track. Mist on the summits early on but lifted once we got up some wind, giving good views all around, 5hrs.chillyman814/07/2022
Revisit of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, this time taking in some nearby tops. Willieanna, then on to Cairnsmore of Carsphairn via Dunool. Continued to Beninner, then Knockwhirn. Returned to bealach and then a rising traverse WNW to reach ridge W of Dunool and then descend from Dunool to track back to road. Some rain, cold and windy on the high tops.RobertP22/05/2022
Space to park at entrance to Craigengillan. Good track to Moorbrock, then forestry track NW then west. Easy forestry break to Poldores Burn. Rising traverse round the NE side of Benniner to Nick of the Lochans, then an easy plod along a fence to the summit.Owen B17/04/2022
Moorbrock, Keoch Rig, Dugland, Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and Beninner from CraigengillanJimT12/01/2022
Parked at Great Well of Scotland on trackside opposite Bridge-end. Set off at midday following track for approx. 2.33 miles to a wall, where it has been extended around to the right, finishing soon after. Turn left at end of track following wall all the way to the summit. Snow on ground gradually increased with elevation, but never hard enough to support a boot until the summit area. Note to self - add snowshoes to Xmas list. Wandered around summit in brief snowstorm making sure to visit 'embedded boulder 12m NW of trig point', though trig still looked highest point. Set off for Beninner in zero visibility of SSE bearing, wishing I had managed n earlier start, thinking there may not be enough daylight to go on to Knockwhirn and Craig of Knockgray.mntainman10/12/2021
From Green Well of Scotland. Carsphairn I Beninner- Carsphairn and back to GWOS.Longwojo14/09/2021
From Green Well of Scotland, over Willieanna and Dunoon. Warm but cool winds, visibility excellent when clouds lifted - saw to Kintyre and ArranRockdoctor30/08/2021
With L from Green Well, over Willieanna, Knockwhirn and Beninner to Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, then back down main route.Janet M29/08/2021
Circuit from Green Well of Scotland.thekirkie pirate25/06/2021
Simple out-and-back from Green Well of Scotland.Gayle15/06/2021
From Clennoch, pleasant untracked ascentColin Crawford30/05/2021
Along the recently resurfaced track from GWoS, then up to Willieanna, Dunool, Blackshoulder and Cairnsmoreof Carsphairn. We returned via Beninner, Knockwhirn, and up-n-over Craig of Knockgray. 3.5hrs.summitter02/05/2021
From Green Well of Scotland. Good parking SW side road (NX 5572 9440). Excellent farm road for 2.2km, then up to Willieanna and continued over Black Shoulder to here. On to Beninner -> Knockwhirn -> Craig of Knockgray for a pleasant 10 mile round.jonglew29/04/2021
Warm and sunny and pleasant crisp dry underfoot conditions.langskill24/04/2021
From GWoS over Willieanna and out to new DD of Knockwhim then up south ridge of Beninner. Over to Cairnsmore of Carsphairn then down by the wall and back along track.SS02/04/2021
Windy Standard Round 11. 34.5km, 1834km ascent, 10.5hrs. One to forgetHuwel27/02/2021
A very snowy walk up. 1-2' of snow from the end of the road. Easy enough until final ascent, but great views from the top. Descent steep one ridge is crossed, could be very boggy. 7.5 miles in 5 hours, 2000ft ascent.RO-702306/01/2021
From Green Well. Round of Willieanna, Black Shoulder, Cairnsmore, Benninner, Knockwirn, Craig of Knockgray. With B and R.jenx17/10/2020
Solo from Green Well of Scotland. Up from track via SW shoulder and back down Ridge over Dunool and Willieanna. Mist at top but good day rest of time.ColB06/10/2020
Overnight camp at Green Well of Scotland. Cycled up newly lain track, steep in places but fast going. On foot from end of track to summit. 'White knuckle' descent on CX bike, must get some fat tyres!John Lee16/09/2020
From Green Well via Willieanna & Dunool. Autumn arrived with a vengeance at c13:00 on Black Shoulder; the temperature dropped about 10 degrees in as many minutes, iron grey clouds blotted out visibility beyond a few metres and a vicious squall of horizontal near-frozen rain battered me about for an hour or two. Quite entertaining. Back down via Beninner & lower tops.agentmancuso04/09/2020
dodd hill, cairnsmore of carsphairn repeat, beninner repeat, knockwhirn, willieanna, craig of knockgray repeat, from green well of scotland.robertphillips21/03/2020
Start from Green Well nice day, with Chris.Hutchie23/01/2020
From Knockgray: Knockwhirn, BenInner, Cairnsmore, Black Shoulder. Very few paths. Shame it was misty.jigglybones05/10/2019
Along tracks from Green Well of Scotland acending from SW, descending over Black Shoulder and Dunool. With JAS.kdbennett07/07/2019
fa,solo, sunny but cool on tops, wet underfoot, 12km, 5hr, from green well of scotland to clennoch bothy via cairnsmore of carsphairn, nick of lochan, beninner, nick of lochan then down into the glen across to a landrover track, over some boggy ground first, and to the bothy for the nightrum doodle 06/06/2019
Parked at Green Well of Scotland, following the main Cairnsmore track to the SW slopes of Willieanna, going over the wall to the summit at a barbed wire free section. Over Dunool and the Black Shoulder to the Cairnsmore, buffeted by a strong south-easterly. Down and up to Beninner and down again and briefly up to Knockwhirn, where an embedded stone seems to be the summit. Across some fairly rough terrain and along a persistent electric fence before crossing where the wire is a single strand by a low point in a wall, and up the rocky slopes of the Craig of Knockgray. A final barbed wire wall defence persuaded me to follow the wall down to North Liggat and walk back through Carsphairn.Nick Down114/04/2019
From Green Well of Scotland returning by ridge to Willieanna.Lionel Bidwell10/04/2019
With Rue, Davie, Graham, Sue and John - nice clear daydavechaffey04/03/2019
Plenty of room to park at start of track at Green Well of Scotland. Up to end of track & then a decent path up alongside wall to trig point & large summit cairn. Continued to Beninner. (S)gerrybowes28/02/2019
Beautiful sunny day, no wind, views for miles all round. Easy walk with paths most of the way apartfrom ascent of Willeana andfinal pull to summit. 4.5 hours total.Alone.Langbank 09/01/2019
From Keoch Rig ...low cloud and drizzleN.Morters20/10/2018
With Sue from Green Well of Scotland followed track then up shoulder to summit. Return same way though bit boggy at end of track till start of climbing. Sunny calm day for time of year.Frank14/10/2018
Did this one on the same day as Shalloch on Minnoch. Somebody coming down advised me to go the longer way round that proved to be a mistake. Should have gone straight up the way I planned. Very windy on top.iansm23/09/2018
From Green Well. With GN and MN. Straightforward and enjoyable walktrimarc223/08/2018
Round of tumps from greenwell of scotland. Revisitcjo04/08/2018
From near Carsphairn. Some patches of snow. Misty at about 600m and stopped soon after that. With Ben.Victor09/04/2018
From Green Well of Scotland up track and wall, returning by Dunool. Tough going in softish snow on way up but beautiful day.SS04/02/2018
With Brian R. Clagged in at the summit. Descended down the dyke to the track.Play2End03/12/2017
Started from Craigengillanjustin99930/09/2017
On Munro society weekend, with Maggie, not cold and minimal wind but clagged in, and gentle steady rain. Any self respecting Quagmire would turn its nose up at this terrain as too very wet to bother associating with!!vegibagger24/09/2017
Wettest walk ever on my birthday, with Beninnernickywood103/09/2017
Solo from A713, Green Well of Scotland, up NE track to end then followed wall to summit of CoC where there is radio and generating gear on a small trailer, held down by guys and concrete blocks. (First visit was on 18/02/2004 with W&M Beattie.) Lunched behind cairn to shelter from cold W wind although the sun came out occasionally. Left S/SE, avoiding CoC gairy, to go to Beninner.jacobus30/08/2017
Heatwave. Started at Craigengillan / Water of Ken and climbed the east side of Beninner, Cairnsmore, crossed to Keoch Rig and Moorbrock and then down via Moorbrock Estate house. The climb over tussocky grass going up Keoch Rig was torturous. SMC guide route.Roblex26/05/2017
A tranquil summit, the silence broken only by the electric generator for three men working on the wind machine.Pete R25/03/2017