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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 |
N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way. Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land(*).
*For information about access rights in Scotland see the ScotWays website.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass. Please quote the hill number and hill name.
Logged Descriptions (logged by 496 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all) | By | Date 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! | NorfolkPT21 | 18/09/2023 |
1 of 2: Parked at the start of the track on the north side at Green Well of Scotland. Hot and sunny. With Karen. | ChrisR | 05/09/2023 |
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. | PeterD | 02/06/2023 |
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. | DanTrig | 04/03/2023 |
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. | mproudfoot | 02/01/2023 |
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. | chillyman8 | 14/07/2022 |
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. | RobertP | 22/05/2022 |
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 B | 17/04/2022 |
Moorbrock, Keoch Rig, Dugland, Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and Beninner from Craigengillan | JimT | 12/01/2022 |
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. | mntainman | 10/12/2021 |
From Green Well of Scotland. Carsphairn I Beninner- Carsphairn and back to GWOS. | Longwojo | 14/09/2021 |
From Green Well of Scotland, over Willieanna and Dunoon. Warm but cool winds, visibility excellent when clouds lifted - saw to Kintyre and Arran | Rockdoctor | 30/08/2021 |
With L from Green Well, over Willieanna, Knockwhirn and Beninner to Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, then back down main route. | Janet M | 29/08/2021 |
Circuit from Green Well of Scotland. | thekirkie pirate | 25/06/2021 |
Simple out-and-back from Green Well of Scotland. | Gayle | 15/06/2021 |
From Clennoch, pleasant untracked ascent | Colin Crawford | 30/05/2021 |
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. | summitter | 02/05/2021 |
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. | jonglew | 29/04/2021 |
Warm and sunny and pleasant crisp dry underfoot conditions. | langskill | 24/04/2021 |
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. | SS | 02/04/2021 |
Windy Standard Round 11. 34.5km, 1834km ascent, 10.5hrs. One to forget | Huwel | 27/02/2021 |
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-7023 | 06/01/2021 |
From Green Well. Round of Willieanna, Black Shoulder, Cairnsmore, Benninner, Knockwirn, Craig of Knockgray. With B and R. | jenx | 17/10/2020 |
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. | ColB | 06/10/2020 |
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 Lee | 16/09/2020 |
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. | agentmancuso | 04/09/2020 |
dodd hill, cairnsmore of carsphairn repeat, beninner repeat, knockwhirn, willieanna, craig of knockgray repeat, from green well of scotland. | robertphillips | 21/03/2020 |
Start from Green Well nice day, with Chris. | Hutchie | 23/01/2020 |
From Knockgray: Knockwhirn, BenInner, Cairnsmore, Black Shoulder. Very few paths. Shame it was misty. | jigglybones | 05/10/2019 |
Along tracks from Green Well of Scotland acending from SW, descending over Black Shoulder and Dunool. With JAS. | kdbennett | 07/07/2019 |
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 night | rum 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 Down1 | 14/04/2019 |
From Green Well of Scotland returning by ridge to Willieanna. | Lionel Bidwell | 10/04/2019 |
With Rue, Davie, Graham, Sue and John - nice clear day | davechaffey | 04/03/2019 |
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) | gerrybowes | 28/02/2019 |
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 drizzle | N.Morters | 20/10/2018 |
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. | Frank | 14/10/2018 |
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. | iansm | 23/09/2018 |
From Green Well. With GN and MN. Straightforward and enjoyable walk | trimarc2 | 23/08/2018 |
Round of tumps from greenwell of scotland. Revisit | cjo | 04/08/2018 |
From near Carsphairn. Some patches of snow. Misty at about 600m and stopped soon after that. With Ben. | Victor | 09/04/2018 |
From Green Well of Scotland up track and wall, returning by Dunool. Tough going in softish snow on way up but beautiful day. | SS | 04/02/2018 |
With Brian R. Clagged in at the summit. Descended down the dyke to the track. | Play2End | 03/12/2017 |
Started from Craigengillan | justin999 | 30/09/2017 |
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!! | vegibagger | 24/09/2017 |
Wettest walk ever on my birthday, with Beninner | nickywood1 | 03/09/2017 |
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. | jacobus | 30/08/2017 |
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. | Roblex | 26/05/2017 |
A tranquil summit, the silence broken only by the electric generator for three men working on the wind machine. | Pete R | 25/03/2017 |