Cairnsmore of Fleet

The earliest evidence of human occupation at Cairnsmore of Fleet dates to the Bronze Age: sites showing evidence of the cultivation of land on the southern side of the mountain and cairns on the summit all date from this period. During the 18th and early 19th centuries land use changed with the clearance of small tenants during the process of enclosure. The population in the area dropped as the main activity became sheep farming, with small numbers of shepherds looking after large flocks. Hunting also declined, and the mining of minerals (chiefly lead) commenced. The latter part of the 19th century saw the arrival of the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railway, which opened in 1860: the…

The usual route of ascent is the "Tourist Route", which is one of the most popular hikes in Galloway. It starts in the south-west, near Stronord, before climbing through the Bardrochwood Moor forest on to the summit. The Cairnsmore estate, near the start of this path, is the location mentioned in John Buchan's 1915 thriller The Thirty-nine Steps. Another route reaches the summit from the south, starting near the NNR visitor centre. This takes in the subsidiary summits of the Knee of Cairnsmore and Meikle Mulltaggart to form a circular route on the eastern side of the mountain. include Craignelder, Loch Grannoch and the Clints of Dromore. National Cycle Route 7 runs to the south of…