The Southern Upland Way has 13 kists to find, spread out along the trail, collectively called The Hoard. When Eve and I hiked the Southern Upland Way, we found the first kist quite easily. But when it came to the second, to be honest, I forgot all about it. Then, the next Kist we didn't find due to a slight diversion on the trail we had to take. However, amazingly we managed to find all of the rest! So we decided we must return to collect the two we missed to complete our hoard.
So, we packed an overnight bag and returned to Portpatrick in Dumfries and Galloway to hunt down the missing Kists.
The very first Kist, located close to Knockquhassen Reservoir, was easy to find! Sarah dropped us off and we walked the short distance to the area where we suspected the Kist was located. We would have walked past it if it wasn't for Eve spotting it lurking in the heather and ferns. It was so lovely to return, and we even saw the area where we had spent the night in the tent!
First kist close to Knockquhassen Reservoir
Because of the distance we had to drive to get back to the start of the Southern Upland Way (3.5 hours) and the time of year, we we’re only able to get one just on this first day. The second would have to wait until the following day!
This gave us the perfect excuse for a night on the coast in the lovely wee coastal village of Portpatrick.
Portpatrick, located on the Irish Sea, is a hidden gem. It’s a small, cute, coastal village with a stunning harbour and rocky coastline! Our hotel, the cheapest we could find in the area, was outstanding. When we arrived, we checked in and went to our room to realise they had upgraded us to a room with a coastal view! We had all taken reading books expecting to be in a box room sitting out of the cold or rain… we couldn’t have been more wrong!
What was even better was the stunning weather. It was warm and dry, and hardly anybody else was about! We had Portpatrick all to ourselves. We couldn't have wished for more.
We spent the whole evening walking around, exploring, and sitting on the wall watching the sunset. As the sun went down, we could even see Ireland in the distance!
Evening walk around Portpatrick
The following day started slowly. We all had a lie-in and made the most of the hotel room and stunning views over the Irish Sea from the hotel window.
The second kist we had to find was close to the Glen Trool Visitors Centre. The plan for getting this Kist was Eve’s idea and involved a change of roles. Sarah and Eve would be getting this one! Eve was very excited to share an adventure with Sarah, who all too often misses out!
We thought we could get quite close to where we thought the kist was hidden using the car, which allowed Sarah to go with Eve instead. But it didn’t quite go to plan!
Sarah and Eve headed off, leaving me in the car. I wasn’t expecting to be left for long, so after 30 minutes, I was getting concerned. That's when Sarah phoned to tell me they hadn’t found the kist… and worse still, Sarah had fallen over!
Sarah had slipped on wet grass, hurting her back as she hunted in the undergrowth. But they were not giving up and persisted with the hunt. After 60 minutes, they returned empty-handed and feeling deflated. We re-studied the map and I headed off with Eve this time.
We chose to go in the opposite direction to Sarah and Eve. After about 20 minutes of walking, we found the kist!
In Sarah’s defence, all the information we had found on the internet was totally incorrect. The Kist was nowhere near where we had expected it to be. Ironically, the Kist was right on the trail and very noticeable! If Sarah and Eve had only gone the opposite way, they would have fallen over it! I genuinely felt bad for Sarah and Eve. It was a hollow victory for her not having Sarah there.
We returned to Sarah, who was relieved we had found it. She had been concerned we might have to return again at some point to get this elusive Kist!
Second kist close to the Glen Trool Visitors Centre
At this point, I would love to include a picture of all 13 kists. However, we are still missing one! This was from an empty kist that we did find.
One of the good things about the kists on the Southern Upland Way is if they are empty when you find them, the local rangers will send you the kist in the post! We are currently awaiting this last one. As soon as we have it, I will, of course, let you see the collection!
There you have it—a short, sharp, fun adventure! Portpatrick is beautiful, and seeing the sea, albeit briefly, was wonderful.
Take care folks and speak soon.
Ian, Sarah & Eve
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