I’d love to say that all my trips work out as planned, but it just ain’t true… This little session in the Galloway forest is just one example of many that go awry!
My plan was simple enough – hike and fish my way up one of the many burns, camp overnight at a hill loch, followed by fishing down a different burn on my way back.
I knew the ground would be difficult, crossing a largely trackless mix of forestry, bogs and moorland. Nothing too off the wall, however. What I hadn’t appreciated was just how low the water levels were in my target river.
Most of the burn was just isolated pools connected by trickles. I flogged away in the deeper sections but had very little interest.
Trout or a Minnow?
First victim was a tiny brownie about the size of a large minnow. Very pretty but I’ve seen bigger fish fingers.
I progressed very slowly indeed, trying little sections here and there and baking quietly in the growing heat. Much of the ground is very tussocky stuff, with thigh deep holes in places, and I’d to be careful how I moved around.
More trout obliged as I went, but all were small fish and quickly returned.
What Next?
By mid-afternoon I’d covered all of 4km and needed a break and a rethink. I was still 6km from where I wanted to be and the ground would not be getting any easier. I’d plenty of time, and a decent chance of fish at the loch, but next day’s return trip would be a repeat – low water, hard going and few fish.
I decided to detour to my alternate campsite – another loch and only about 1km away over a hill. A little later, and even more red faced and sweating, I looked over the ridge. To my dismay, virtually all the lochside had been clear felled. 🙂 All that remained was the usual impassable, unattractive debris field of stumps, bog and sharpened stakes.
I could have found a spot to pitch easily enough, but this rather took the wind from my sails. Part of the joy of fishing and camping in out the way spots is the feeling of being in the wilds. Nearly always an illusion in a crowded little country like Scotland, but well and truly shattered when the area has been bulldozed! I decided to cut it short and scuttle off home – there’s always next time!
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I had a campsite denied me only last week, so I know the feeling. Great looking trout though.
Hi Ash, there’s been quite a lot of logging in Galloway over the past few years, so the number of secluded wee sites alongside sheltered lochs is reducing. Obviously I understand why but it’s a little frustrating to find your perfect campsite demolished after you’ve spent a couple of hours to get there!
Can’t win them all Doug – but annoying when you put all that effort in!
Can’t win them all, but my, that looked hot!