I used to really love climbing mountains. It was one of those things I could disappear off and do without thinking too much about it, but after everything that happened and being unwell, I honestly didn’t know whether I could still do it anymore. I wanted it back in my life, but wanting something and actually being able to do it are two very different things. There was really only one way I was ever going to find out.

So Lora and I headed into Galloway Forest Park towards Drumjohn. The plan was to leave her there and walk towards Black Craig. I wasn’t particularly interested in breaking records or proving anything to anyone; I just wanted to find out what my body would let me do. If I got halfway and had to turn around, then so be it. At least I would know.

Lora Took Me Back

It was only about seven miles each way from home to Drumjohn, but there was something rather nice about arriving there on Lora with all my hiking gear strapped to the bike. I had some new gloves, a new jacket and a Viaterra 55 bag, which turned out to be quite handy for carrying everything I needed. Once Lora was parked up and I’d transformed myself from motorcyclist into vaguely convincing hillwalker, I was ready to go.

Drumjohn has what I jokingly called the world’s smallest hydroelectric power station, and from there the route heads into the forest. It was around 20°C, which is positively tropical for this part of Scotland, and the heat was already making itself known. There was also the usual reminder that some people apparently find taking their rubbish home an impossible task. Don’t dump rubbish in places like this. It isn’t difficult.

Into the Forest

The first part of the walk follows the forestry tracks, gradually gaining height through the plantation. There had been quite a bit of storm damage and forestry work, with whole areas of trees flattened or felled. At one point I looked across at the remains and announced that all the trees had been slaughtered, which was perhaps slightly dramatic, but there were certainly a lot fewer of them than there used to be. 😂

As I climbed, the views began opening up towards Craiglee and the Wee Hill of Craigmulloch, with Loch Doon sitting between me and the hills. It was really scenic despite much of the forest itself being plantation rather than natural woodland, and there seemed to be millions of birds making a racket around me. Eventually I ran out of intelligent observations entirely and settled for, “Nice trees!” There were plenty of them on either side, enough to keep everyone in Christmas trees for approximately a million years.

The track eventually gave way to the bit I’d been slightly less enthusiastic about. Looking ahead, it appeared distinctly steep. Still, there wasn’t much point coming all this way and then staring at it, so up I went with Sputnik, my little Neo 2 drone, following behind.

Can I Still Do This?

The path became steep and boggy as I climbed, and my legs were beginning to remind me that I hadn’t done this for a while. Then I reached a rocky spot where I could sit down, make a coffee and look back across the landscape. When I turned around properly, the view was magnificent.

That moment meant rather more to me than simply finding somewhere pretty to drink coffee. I’d honestly thought I might never be able to do this again, and that had been quite a sad thought. Yet there I was, sitting high above the forest looking down across Galloway. I hadn’t reached the top of anything particularly enormous, but I’d got myself up there under my own steam and I was enjoying being back in a place I’d missed.

After the coffee and the obligatory chocolate goodness, I packed everything away and left no trace apart from some slightly flattened grass where my backside had been. Then it was time to carry on. Carsphairn and Beninner were visible in the distance, Craiglee was basking in the sunshine and I could look all the way back down towards the glen where I’d started.

Eldrick

Eventually I reached the top of Eldrick at 396 metres. That alone felt like an achievement, and for a while I decided it might be sensible to leave Black Craig for another day. The sun was moving across the sky, I still had several miles to walk back to Lora and I wasn’t completely sure how much battery I had left for filming either. I’d already seen some beautiful views and, more importantly, I’d answered part of the question I’d come here with.

I even recorded what I thought was going to be my ending. I thanked everyone for watching, said I was going to enjoy the view for a while and then head back down. Lora had enjoyed her little run too, and her chain sounded better than it had previously, with rather less whining. Everything was sorted. Except apparently I don’t like giving up quite that easily.

After sitting there for another ten minutes and having a drink, I changed my mind. Sod it. There was no harm in trying. If I failed, I failed. I still had some daylight, and even if I only got halfway up Black Craig I would have gone farther than I had expected when I left home that morning.

A Wee Bit Steep, Aye

Black Craig immediately made it clear that it wasn’t going to make things easy for me. I lost the path, found it again and eventually realised it seemed to go more or less straight up the face. The gradient was somewhere around 35 to 40 percent for roughly 400 feet, and before long I was using both my hands and feet to scramble upwards.

I kept going because I wanted to see what was at the top, but the shadows were getting longer and eventually common sense won. I had made it more than halfway up the face, but I still had the walk back through the forest afterwards. Another hour might have got me there, but getting to the top wasn’t worth turning the return journey into something stupid. So I stopped. Not because I couldn’t climb any farther, but because I knew I shouldn’t. That distinction mattered.

Back Down Again

Coming down was hardly effortless. The slope was steep, muddy and occasionally rather dodgy, although having Sputnik with me meant I could finally show just how steep some of these sections actually were without trying to hold a camera at the same time. I was being attacked by midges, my jeans decided to fall down and at one point I had to stop, restore some dignity and then carry on as if nothing had happened.

Looking back from farther down gave me some context for what I’d actually done. I’d climbed Eldrick, crossed over and made it to within roughly 100 metres of the top of Black Craig. Across the landscape the evening light was picking out the cliffs of the Dungeon Hills, with Merrick visible on the horizon. Wide-angle cameras have a habit of making mountains look much smaller and farther away than they really are, but standing there looking at them with my own eyes was quite spectacular.

By then I was wondering whether forgetting my extra can of energy drink had been a tactical error. Perhaps it would have provided the final burst of energy required to reach the top. Then again, probably not. 😂

Apparently That Pile of Rocks Meant Something

Once I was safely back on the main path, I discovered something particularly impressive about my navigation. I’d spent ages earlier trying to work out where the route went, only to realise on the way back that the path up had been marked by a cairn. I’d walked straight past it because I’d simply thought it was a pile of rocks. Wonderful.

Still, I was safely down, there was enough light left and I could stop for another posh coffee before tackling the remaining two or three miles back to Lora. It had turned into considerably more of an adventure than I’d originally intended, but I wasn’t complaining.

I Did It

Eventually I reached Drumjohn again, tired and very ready for food, an energy drink and a proper cup of tea. Then, through the trees, there she was: Lora waiting where I’d left her. After nearly seven miles on foot, she genuinely was a sight for sore eyes.

I’d set out that day wondering whether I could still climb hills and mountains at all. I didn’t reach the summit of Black Craig, but that wasn’t really the important bit. I’d walked 6.7 miles, climbed nearly 2,000 feet and reached 1,713 feet above sea level. I’d got to the top of Eldrick, continued onto Black Craig and, perhaps most importantly, I’d turned around when I knew there wasn’t enough daylight to continue safely. I’d surprised myself.

There would be other mountains and other days to reach their summits. What mattered was that something I’d thought might have disappeared from my life hadn’t disappeared at all. I could still get out there. I could still climb. I could still stand high above the forests and look across the mountains.

Lora had taken me back to the hills, and I’d discovered I could still do the rest myself. 💞

Adventure Details

Location: Galloway Forest Park
Motorcycle: Lora, 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R C1
Route: Dalmellington to Drumjohn, then Drumjohn towards Black Craig
Date filmed: 14 June 2026
Published: 20 June 2026
Ride distance: 14.2 miles
Walking distance: 6.70 miles
Total ascent: 1,942 ft
Total descent: 1,942 ft
Highest point: 1,713 ft
Lowest point: 650 ft
Total ride time: 0.40 hours
Total time out: 7.50 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Total cost: Approximately £7.50
Items forgotten: One extra can of energy drink 🌚

Filmed using my DJI Action 4 at 4K25fps with Wide Angle and Rocksteady, with additional footage from my other cameras and drones, and edited in Premiere Pro 2024.