We alighted from the bus at Green Well of Scotland directly opposite the farm track, a popular access point for Corbetteers intent on bagging Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. The good track leads out along the attractive Water of Deugh, with the switchback of hills ahead forming the approach to Cairnsmore and a preliminary view of the Galloway hills behind.

The first hump is Willieanna and we left the track to slant upwards into the Nick of Disgee to meet the ridge at the foot of Dunool. Here the ascent began in earnest as the views opened out, particularly back to the Rhinns of Kells across the valley.

Ascending past Black Shoulder, a line of new ugly fenceposts appeared but the splendid views more than made up for the intrusion, at least for today. From the trig point and cairn, the Isle of Arran mountains stood out sharply and the distant outlines of the northern Lake District fells were added to the display, along with many hills in the northern and eastern segments that we cannot as yet identify reliably.

We descended the north ridge as far as Currie Rig and veered NE aiming for the right of the rocky outcrops of Craighorn. Only in the lower reaches did an intermittent path appear but it vanished in the rather wet environs of Bow Burn.

Clennoch bothy had been clearly visible for some time and the terrain down here had seemed straightforward from above, given our experience in these wild places, but it isn't. The presence of the bothy and the obvious human activity in planting and protecting areas of new tree saplings all suggested that reasonable beaten lines should exist, but there is no trace of any. The terrain is pretty awful throughout and after a considerable time we arrived with relief at the bothy.

On the flanks of the hills surrounding Clennoch Burn there are open bulldozed tracks not shown on the latest (2009) 1:25,000 OS mapping. Although they are scars on the hills they do facilitate the ascent if you choose to use them: we followed the main track as it slanted upwards around the slopes of Dugland, enjoying a grand view back over Clennoch Bothy to Cairnsmore and Beninner. At its highest point near Fox Yird we left it to gain the remaining height over easy slopes, aiming for the dip between Dugland and Trostan Hill where the wind farm track approaches the fence. We called it a day here and sought out a pitch in the lee of the wind.

The tent was bathed in silvery moonlight overnight and the flysheet was semi-stiff with thick frost under the clear skies. The white vegetation quickly greened up as the sun got to work and we enjoyed a grand promenade around Trostan Hill with the early sunshine on Cairnsmore and Beninner. Following the wind farm track around to the northern side of Windy Standard, an obvious quad-bike track can be seen ascending directly SE to the trig point. The views were superbly clear again and a little cloud inversion could be seen in a distant valley towards Galloway.

We descended southwards to the nearest turbine to rejoin the main track for a short way and left it to follow the fence running NE. Here we turned right to begin the undulating crossing of the heartland hills. The first bealach at 486m is extremely wet but is easily circumvented by a short detour SW to an easy crossing point, the only really boggy spot encountered.

The traverse of Alhang and Alwhat gave more superbly clear vistas, including a view of Afton reservoir below and the seemingly endless hills of the Southern Uplands to the east.

The small intermediate hummock between Alwhat and Meikledodd Hill is conveniently bypassed by a vague quad-bike track with a couple of marker posts to indicate the driest line across the wet ground. Blacklorg Hill dominates the skyline northwards and Meikledodd Hill affords a great retrospective view.

The SW ridge runs over the minor rise of Lorg Hill to a steep knee-wobbling descent by the forest edge to join the contouring Lorg path through the trees to Polskeoch bothy on the SUW.

Easy walking now on the SUW, crossing Fortypenny Burn and winding aloft on a forestry track to rejoin the burn higher up and giving a view back to Lorg Hill. The SUW is now signposted off the track directly uphill at NS 691013, cutting off a small loop from the line shown on the 2009 mapping. The way becomes a good path meandering through the forest to pass Allan′s Monument and emerge on the western boundary for an open undulating traverse over Black Hill and Cairn Hill to Benbrack, the highest point on this side of the route and site of one of the four Striding Arches of red sandstone.

The autumnal nights were drawing in quickly and we hastened our descent of the SW slopes to seek out a pitch before the light faded, finding a rough but reasonable patch just as the sun was setting.

True to prediction the surrounding hills were capped with grey mist at dawn and the sky was dull and overcast, but at this level it was clear and brightening up somewhat as we set off to ascend Manquhill Hill. The air was still surprisingly clear below the mist mantle and we could glimpse very distant hills near the horizon.

The remaining section of the SUW via Culmark Hill to Dalry is unremarkable but pleasant walking, mainly rough grazing pasture with pleasing local views. If we had a hill accolade called ′grandiosity of name per metre of prominence′, the prize might be awarded to the Old Hill of Mackilston, a low mound in a broad open pasture just off the minor road beyond Butterhole Bridge.