Introduction Craignaw has probably the best and most accessible winter climbing in the Galloway Hills. This page was compiled by John Biggar, a professional Mountaineering Instructor and member of the AMI, who lives locally and was involved in a number of the first ascents on the icefalls of Craignaw. Contact me (details above) if you want to know more about climbing in Galloway. This page was compiled with care, but it is not guaranteed error free.
Conditions. Snow is not required for any of these routes, just a good hard freeze of at least 3-4 days duration. The routes face east and catch quite a lot of morning sun by March, so the more open routes like the Dow Spout are best after a good freeze; in December or January. Well hidden routes like Silver Flowe and Drainpipe Gully are not affected much by the sun and are often best later in the year. It is generally possible to find good rock protection on the routes, so bring lots of wires and cams rather than ice-screws. Even the Dow Spout requires very few, or no, ice screws.
Access The climbs are on the east side of Craignaw. Access is pretty long, but very worthwhile. Park at Craignecallie at the end of an unmarked public road around the west side of Clatteringshaws Loch. Then bike about 5km to just before the Backhill of Bush bothy to where the forestry road comes nearest to the Cooran Lane burn. From here follow a very short spur track to reach the Cooran Lane, cross this and the large floating bog of the Silver Flowe beyond. From here you have your first real view of Craignaw. If formed the Dow Spout at the south end of the crags is very very obvious..... Cross the bog more or less directly westwards to reach the Dow Spout in 30mins, the other routes in about 45-60mins.
Dangers This is a remote mountain cliff. Winter climbing is inherently dangerous. However on Craignaw it is generally possible to find good rock protection on the routes, even the Dow Spout requires no ice screws.
Descents The easiest descent from all the climbs on Craignaw is down ramps and little walls starting about 50m south of the top of the Dow Spout finishing back near the lower part of the Spout. It's also possible to descend the wide gully of Shot Cleugh with care, grade I. Traverse hard left (northwards) once you are on the more open hill below the narrowest part of the gully, to avoid the steep direct descent, otherwise known as a tumble.
Craignaw in winter from the approach, showing the three main climbing areas. There is a more detailed view of the summit gullies below.
Pictured below is the Dow Spout in March 2006, on a pleasant and sunny day (yet the climbing was still excellent!). The Dow Spout is easily the best route of many good ones on Craignaw, and probably the best ice climb in the whole of southern Scotland. It is much safer, more reliable and much more fun than the more famous Grey Mares Tail at Moffat. The route is given II/III, 3 and worth at least **** on our rating system. In fact the ice-fall is so wide you can climb by a variety of lines, and it is quite easy to find fun, well protected climbing up to grade 5 technical.
North of the Dow Spout the next major feature is the recess of Shot Cleugh, grade I which can be used in descent. There are a number of other good short grade III and IV routes on the walls near here too, see the SMC guidebook for details.
Further north and under the summit of Craignaw are three recessed parallel gullies, pictured above. All three are good climbs. To the left of them is the easy Broad Gully. The first and shortest of the recessed routes is the 80m Silver Flowe ice route, a classic grade IV 4, which forms fairly readily because it is hidden in a gully. About 50m to the right is Drainpipe Gully which makes a good III, 4 winter route, with a hard start. It is easier if there has been some snowfall. The third and longest gully is Goat Track Gully, mostly grade II but with an optional IV finish. Pictured below are two of these three routes. (thanks to Stephen at Needlesports for the picture of me on the first ascent of Goat Track Gully.)
Silver Flowe in good conditions, March 2006.
The top (optional) grade IV finish to Goat Track Gully, about 2003.
Pictured Below :- Giant tussock grass in Galloway, Winter 2006....known locally as "Dougals" ...think of that wee dog in the Magic Roundabout... these ones which we found on the way across the Silver Flowe towards Craignaw were the deepest yet!
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