Ward Law

Ward Law 594m. Ettrickdale , Section 28b

OS grid reference NT262159

10th November 2002
Baggers Album ->Scotland->28b->Ward

Ward Law from the slopes of Cacra Hill.

A cairn below the summit, and Cacra Hill(centre).

The Jubilee Cairn on the summit.

Black Spout.

View of Cacra Hill.

Map: Ward Law

Donald baggers finish at Herman's Law, but the end of the Ettrick ridge is a big hill on the wrong side of two thousand, and well worth a morning's stroll. This trip on a bright autumn morning, immediately after heavy rain was very rewarding.

Being the 'village hill' it is not surprising that there is a big cairn up there, and the summit is marked by a cairn commemorating Queen Victoria's Jubilee (Diamond or Golden, I am not sure which). The cairn is still in good shape and was a welcome shelter from the wind.

The hill is an easy deviation from the Southern Upland Way, but I went exploring, past the Napier stronghold of Thirlstane Tower (The original Thirlstane!) and up through a lovely broadleaf woodland, before an easy ascent up a quadbike track. The return trip was enlivened by a detour to the awkward Black Spout, a very fine fall that Stott failed to find. If you want to see the fall, go in the winter months, it is well shaded by trees and hard to see even without leaves. Take care,you will need to slither down some slippery slopes above a big drop. Its a wild place, in an area with few waterfalls.

Ward Law can be combined with Law Kneis and Cacra Hill as a circuit. I was hung over after an MBA meeting the night before and took a single ticket. Cacra was done as a quickie in the afternoon.

A cairn below the summit, and Cacra Hill(centre).
The Jubilee Cairn on the summit.
Black Spout.
View of Cacra Hill.
	Map: Ward Law
	Donald baggers finish at Herman's Law, but the end of the Ettrick ridge is a big hill on the wrong side of two thousand, and well worth a morning's stroll. This trip on a bright autumn morning, immediately after heavy rain was very rewarding. Being the 'village hill' it is not surprising that there is a big cairn up there, and the summit is marked by a cairn commemorating Queen Victoria's Jubilee (Diamond or Golden, I am not sure which). The cairn is still in good shape and was a welcome shelter from the wind. The hill is an easy deviation from the Southern Upland Way, but I went exploring, past the Napier stronghold of Thirlstane Tower (The original Thirlstane!) and up through a lovely broadleaf woodland, before an easy ascent up a quadbike track. The return trip was enlivened by a detour to the awkward Black Spout, a very fine fall that Stott failed to find. If you want to see the fall, go in the winter months, it is well shaded by trees and hard to see even without leaves. Take care,you will need to slither down some slippery slopes above a big drop. Its a wild place, in an area with few waterfalls. Ward Law can be combined with Law Kneis and Cacra Hill as a circuit. I was hung over after an MBA meeting the night before and took a single ticket. Cacra was done as a quickie in the afternoon.