The White Rose Walking Group of Pickering visit Newton Stewart

A short while back the group secretary of the Wigtownshire Ramblers received some correspondence from a North Yorkshire walking group based in Pickering.
Basically they were asking assistance to set up a walk or two since it was going to be their first time in the area.

Their itinerary was to arrive the afternoon of Monday the 13th of September and for us to guide them on a shortish walk,Tuesday to climb the Merrick with another guide and Wednesday for us to guide them on another walk.They'd also arranged to watch the stars with the Wigtownshire Astronomical Society Observatory

The weather forecast for the week wasn't a good one,but we looked forward to making new walking friends.
The first walk we'd arranged was the Newton Stewart Circular which I'd lead.
There are quite a few groups calling themselves White Rose,but the founder of this group is also the owner and driver of Red Fox Travel Minibus hire,and can be contacted via this webpage Red Fox
Walks can be found here Pickering Beacon

After meeting up with the group,and members of our own group we set off.Because of the lateness of the day the walk would be cut short.

It didn't take long before we were all chatting along as if we were old friends...it might have been that Lancashire playwright Colin Welland that stated "Yorkshire people are real people"
The weather stayed fairly kind to us until we were above Old Hall farm and the rain became persistent.Luckily we'd almost completed what we'd planned.
Making a wish at the Queen Mary Bridge, Minnigaff

Crossing the King George V Suspension Bridge

A wet finish to the day,but these folk were all still very upbeat.
There'd be no stars to see tonight either.

From what we were told when next meeting the group,on Tuesday they'd managed to climb up to the dyke that runs up to the summit of Benyellery when the weather again turned nasty.Not only rain,but high winds made their guide prudently decide to abandon the rest of the climb.They were quite awed by the views that they did manage to see.

Wednesday the 15th of September.
Todays walk with the group (Including five of our own),is the popular three hills walk from Kirkdale Bridge to Skyreburn.
31st of July Walk

Climbing Barholm Hill

Views from Barholm

Climbing and reaching Ben John

Ben John views

Lunch on Ben John

Ben John Descent

Grass of Parnassus ?

Mill Knock Ascent

View from Mill Knock (Large drystone wall to cross)

Panorama of The Fleet Estuary from Mill Knock on CleVR.com

A steep and slippery descent from Mill Knock

Various ways to cross the burn at Lagganmullan !

Stone Triangle

Skyre Burn Tributary

This walk went beautifully despite some inclement weather to begin with.

As with our own group the good folk from Pickering have their own 'Characters' and the quieter ones.
Having resided in the northern half of England for a great many years,as had some of the others,we had lots in common and plenty to talk about.
A visit to Cairn Holy with the visitors concluded my day.Hopefully they got a good look at the stars later.

A trip down to the North York Moors in 2011 is looking good.

Here's hoping you had a good run through the Galloway Forest Park on your way home folks.
Cheerio the noo.

Added the 19th of September

A few pictures from my good friend Scoop.I'm in these !