Wigtownshire Ramblers-Knockquhassen and Dindinnie

It's Saturday the 4th of January 2009 and it's our first group walk of the year.
We meet up at the Breastworks Car Park in Stranraer,which is where we'll start todays walk from.
We number 21 walkers today.The weather is overcast,but fair.There's quite a few boats in the marina.

Looking up Loch Ryan we can see Ailsa and Arran in sunlight.Arrans hills are capped with snow.

We're leaving Stranraer in a South Westerly direction.The first couple of kilometres take us the same route as last week.

Past the Glebe cemetery and again up Gallows Hill.

For much of the walk we can view the mouth of Loch Ryan and from up here Ailsa Craig appears like a sentinel guarding the entrance against invaders.

Rolling hills probably best describe the land we're on.Again we're on a section of the Southern Upland Way.

A change of direction now as the SUW follows the southern edge of Loch Knockquhassen,we leave it and head along the northern shore.

Here we take a break to enjoy the reflections and the quietness of the loch.There's no wind today but it remains fairly cold.

Both Knockquhassen and Dindinnie are well stocked with fish,and any interested anglers should look here
Stranraer Fishing

Now leaving Knockquhassen we're climbing the interestingly named Slewtrain Hill.There's no reference on the internet as to where it's name came from.Be interesting to find out.There's a Slewscinnie hill nearby,so perhaps it's nothing to do with a train coming of the tracks.

It's not a hard climb.I'm having no calf muscle problems today.

An interesting looking radio and TV mast adorns the top of Slewtrain hill.

Heading north,it's nearly all downhill from now.The 'Craic' is good today,maybe some ramblers are still under the influence.

Alongside Dindinnie there's a working quarry.Heavy machinery sits amid piles of graded rock aggregate.

Alongside the reservoir our walkers reflect and are reflected.We'll have lunch here.

As we settle to enjoy our refreshments we can see that the northern part of the loch is nearly all frozen over.

The damside wall is the perfect height for use as a table and chair.

Here's a colourful array of headgear.

Back on the move again and here at Dindinnie Farm the odd shapes of a couple of the outbuildings brought some interesting comments and theories.


Still going downhill as we head through Auchneel...

...and across the A718,where a comedian's had a little fun with this footpath sign.

It still looks bright to the north.

Now we're heading down to Loch Ryan shore.A P & O ferry sits across at Cairnryan.A path across part of Stranraer golf cub brings us to the beach.There's no golfers about-the course is probably closed due to the frost.

Another short break to enjoy the surroundings.It's quite tranquil at the moment,but the Stena HSS is due in soon.

Now coming back into Stranraer on the last stretch.There's quite a contrast between some of the houses and buildings.Parts of Stranraer front have a distinctive Balamory look about it.


Our most junior walker today finds some bread and checks out whether the swans are hungry-it looks like they are,or maybe just greedy.

Our walk finishes just as the Stena fast ferry turns in the harbour.Over on the Ayrshire coast a mist has descended and Ailsa is no longer visible.I'll let the ferry traffic depart before heading back along the A75.
A most enjoyable walk to begin the year.