Millfore trig point at 656m, in The Rhinns of Kells
© Copyright Walter Baxter and licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence.

The Ring of Fire, previously known as the Gallo Way, is a 24 hour peak-bagging round of approximately 45 miles and some 13,000' of ascent.  It starts from the Bruce's Stone, Glen Trool in the Galloway Hills the finest wilderness area in Southern Scotland.   The evocative sounding ranges of the Rhinns of Kells, the Range of The Awful Hand and the Minnigaff Hills are traversed taking in a total of 30 summits, 21 of which are Donalds (hills over 2000' generally with a 30m/98' descent).  Much of the terrain is trackless, remote and exceptionally arduous making access difficult for both support parties and rescue services!  Local hill walker Andy Priestman came up with the idea for the route but it was Glyn Jones a local crofter and former orienteer who first completed it prompted by the onset of his fortieth birthday and imminent demise!  This was a leisurely solo, unsupported outing of some 22 hours in 1990 but he later went on to reduce that time to a more serious 14-44 during April 1996. While most runners will simply assume the title of the challenge is a metaphor for the epic ordeal which it surely is, The Ring of Fire does, in fact, refer to the geology of the area and to the metamorphic aureole which surrounds its granite core!   

Between 1992 and 2006 a low-key organised race took place called Bruce's Crown. This was a reduced round of some 42 miles based on the Gallo Way, which together with the 25 mile Heart of Granite, made up the Rings of Fire.

Glyn has compiled a route sheet for The Ring of Fire which includes a schedule of summits and some background history on both the Ring of Fire (Gallo Way) challenge and the related organised races - see below.

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Route