Bongo Fury

After a chilly weekend at the Tan Hill Inn, and a rather frosty reception by some of the staff, we've decided that our next mission should be the highest pub in Scotland, the Wanlockhead Inn. Now before anyone jumps up in complaint, we know there was an argument about the highest pub in the UK between the Tan Hill Inn and the Cat & Fiddle (now closed) in Cheshire, but the Wanlockhead Inn is the proclaimed highest in Scotland, not The Allargue Arms Hotel in Strathdon, so that's our plan.

I've checked with the pub and they're happy for us to use their carpark overnight. I'll give them numbers in due course once we've gauged interest. It's not that far into Scotland, so all you northern England types can easily make it as well as the Borders Scottish contingent. Address is Wanlockhead Inn, Wanlockhead, Dumfries & Galloway ML12 6UZ, phone 01659 74535, 55.398160, -3.781720 (55°23′53.4″N 003°46′54.2″W) for your SatNav. It's about midway between Carlisle and Glasgow, close to the M74 so easy to get to, although for a scenic drive I'd go through Dumfries and up along Mennock Water.

There are a few places worth looking at in the area, sadly at this time of year most of them are closed but you still might be able to poke a camera through the fence to have a look:

Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway, Britain's highest narrow gauge adhesion railway (as opposed to rack & pinion mountain railways)
ML12 6XS
http://www.leadhillsrailway.co.uk/

Drumlanrig castle
DG3 4AQ
01848 331555
http://www.drumlanrigcastle.co.uk/

Ae, the shortest placename in the UK but also home to some excellent mountain bike trails, you can hire bikes there if you don't fancy taking your own:
DG1 1QB
http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/visit/forest-of-ae

Right across the road from the pub carpark in Wanlockhead is the lead mining museum. Now they're officially closed at the time of our visit but are prepared to open for us if there are a few of us interested in making it worth their while. See http://www.leadminingmuseum.co.uk and let me know, if there are enough we can get them to open on the Saturday afternoon.

Check the first part of THIS link for some points of interest in Dumfries such as Robert Burns' house & mausoleum etc, and a rather nice photo of Drumlanrig castle which you still might be able to replicate even though they'll be officially closed

Watching with interest.

And straight back to the Golden Swan.

Having had to take 7 of next year's annual leave in November and December this year, I won't be able to take enough time off to make this one. Maybe another year.

So it may be The Golden Swan Bob.

Watching with interest also. I was up by Lockerbie and Boreland a little over a week ago, trying to rediscover the precise location where I had some rather legendary adventures in my mis-spent youth (as opposed to the other mis-spent portions of my existence ) The once bare hills have been forested up since 1972 hey ho

We're in, and for the lead mining museum.

Bongy should all be finished by March Paul,so I`m up for this

Brian

A little more info from the museum to tempt any stragglers. The area around there is owned by the Duke of Buccleuch (who lives in Drumlanrig castle) and he doesn't mind camping anywhere on his land (hence the abundance of wild-camping spots along Mennock Water). The toilets at the museum are beautifully clean with hot water 24/7 and always open. Just a thought if we need hot water.

The Museum of Lead Mining is a Visit Scotland 4 Star Visitor Attraction set in the picturesque village of Wanlockhead, which at 461m / 1531 feet above sea level is the highest village in Scotland. The village is set amid the Lowther Hills, directly on the Southern Upland Way (Brian & Chris, bring your walking boots!) just minutes from the amazing Mennock Pass, which offers some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland and only 8 miles from the M74.

Come on - you know you want to

This might be of interest if the car park is full its just down the road from Wanlockhead .....

http://www.plenderleith.com/lettershawsnew/

teenmal wrote:This might be of interest if the car park is full its just down the road from Wanlockhead .....

http://www.plenderleith.com/lettershawsnew/

Now thats worth jotting down for an future visit.............all facilities and £10 with a hook up !!

Count me in. Just 58½ miles from us and I have done most of the route loads of times. Should have some winter wheels sorted by then and the kitchen refurbishment finally finished.

Up for a walk too but Brattleburn Bothy is a wee bit far away along the Southern Uplands Way for a visit on such a short day. I would have liked to see what condition it is in these days. I was the maintenance organizer for this bothy for ten years during the late 1980's and early 1990's.

The area around there is owned by the Duke of Buccleuch (who lives in Drumlanrig castle)

Not quite correct MUZ. The Duke does own loads of land in Southern Scotland and Drumlanrig Castle is one of his many piles. But he actually lives at Bowhill House, another of his piles just outside Selkirk, which is around ten miles up the road from us.

We'd also be interested, but being in early march, would need hook-up. Lettershaw farm at £10 fits the bill.

ken &Marilyn

Lettershaw farm is 7.6 miles away from the pub. We are going to need a non drinking driver for members who stay at this campsite.

Hi

It's a maybe for us (depends on work, weather and kids behaviour).

Sara

MountainGoat wrote:Lettershaw farm is 7.6 miles away from the pub. We are going to need a non drinking driver for members who stay at this campsite.

What, a non drinking driver at a Bongo meet Tony, are you mad
It'll be nice to see you again, any chance of June coming along as well??