Wigtownshire Ramblers-Torrs Warren

Saturday the 18th of October,and todays walk is a woodland walk round Torrs Warren Plantation.
Torrs Warren is situated west of centre of the top of Luce Bay.
Besides being a bombing practise area(rarely used these days),it's also an SPA (Special Protection Area)
Torrs Warren contains important examples of dune slacks,and support, in winter, important numbers of Greenland White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons flavirostris) and wintering Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus).

Only nine walkers today.The drop in numbers is probably due to a number of ramblers walking in the Lake district through the week.

Lily is our canine companion today.
The first part of the walk takes us through the conifer plantation.We were talking to a local gentleman at the start of the walk who remembers it being planted in the early 1950's.

This picture wasn't supposed to be in soft focus,I don't know how it got like this.

After a couple of miles through the woods we emerge where the Piltanton Burn flows into Luce Bay.

There are lots of seagulls around.It's beginning to cloud over a bit more.

Now we're walking alongside Ringdoo sands.If trees could talk i wonder what this ones story would be.

Another gathering of birds here,perhaps Oystercatchers.We've reached Ringdoo point where we turn west again.We shelter in the trees from a heavy shower of rain-a chance to take refreshments.

Now we follow the path along the southern edge of the plantation.The next few miles are undulating over sand dunes.For some reason a picture of Sean Connery in 'The Hill' comes into mind.Over there to the right is something called the Devil's Meal Chest,perhaps it's a group of dunes.

We're on one of the higher dunes.Here we're looking over to the Mull of Galloway...

...and here over Luce Bay to Stairhaven.

Some of these dunes seem like mountains.

There are warning notices at regular intervals along here.

Lily keeps making sure i don't get too far behind.

Coming towards the end of this westerly section,Lily's owner who walks here regularly remembers this flooded area a few minutes before we reach it.

Lily's happy to take the direct route while giving sideways glances to the carefully treading bipeds.

The golf balls of the MOD establishment and airfield at West Freugh come into view.There's a bird of prey looking for it's tea.

Now we turn north alongside the farm at Mid Torrs.There's a mixture of cattle here,with some of the calves probably no more than a few weeks old.

More floodwater to negotiate.


From here to the end of the walk we begin to see strange objects hanging from the trees.

We learn that there is a lady who walks her dogs here who puts these up when she's spotted some creature-animal or animal tracks.


She must go to a lot of trouble cutting old milk cartons or lemonade bottles into such a variety of shapes.Some might find them attractive-I'll reserve judgement.


Just a short walk back to the car park now.
Not a lot of spectacular scenery on todays walk,but very satisfying nonetheless.