Cairnsmore is a mountain in the Galloway Hills. It is 493m high and with a prominence over 150m it is classified as a Marilyn.
Cairnsmore may be seen easily from the A712 to the north and east but not from Clatteringshaws to the west.
The most common ascent approach is via the Hump Benniguinea to the west, which can be easily reached via forest tracks and paths.
The onward route to Cairnsmore looks straightforward but is more challenging in practice. It is considerably easier if you can locate the start of the path on the track bend just before Benniguinea's summit. This path is faint and indistinct in places but following it is massively better than plowing your way through the bog and tussocks. We never could decide if the path had been created by hoards of hillbaggers or herds of hoofless animals. There are a few strategically placed prominent stones and small cairns to help you find it. Losing the path can be demoralising.
Cairnsmore is also a very good viewpoint.