The Glebe Blog

Wigtownshire Ramblers - Wigtown Circular March 2012

2012-03-04T14:35:00.000Z

I've been over the other side of the country in the Kingdom of Fife this last week.( post to follow )

Back now for this week's walk which will be led by the 'Weaver'.

Her report to follow the photographs (thanks to Scoop for her contributions)

It's a circular around the environs of Wigtown.

The County Building Wigtown is our start point....

....and we're off

Our first point of interest is at the local church graveyard to see the graves of the Wigtown Martyrs

The church is dedicated to an obscure British saint known as St Machute

This period was known as 'The Killing Time' in Scottish History

A time of unbelievable savagery

Moving down to Wigtown Bay we're greeted by thousands of geese out on the wetlands

We leave the old railway track at the Old Station House

I don't think the thermometer works

Lot's of birds near the harbour

Now we're following the Bladnoch riverbank.

Now there's a pretty pair of legs

Nearing Bladnoch Bridge

Bladnoch Distillery

As the 'Weaver' says in her report, it's fortuitous that we bump into the owner

I must remember to re-upload some video I have.

The 'Weaver' points out her handicraft

I wouldn't have objected if the walk had concluded at this point...

......but it didn't happen and we're on our way again

Lunchtime by an old broken tree

Now we're on a field trip

A view over to the Galloway Hills

A track leads from Hollybush to Glencarse

The Wigtownshire Ramblers Drum Majorettes

A view over Kirkland

Passing the old Ferguson tractor brings us to Lovers Walk back into Wigtown

Outside the Wigtown Motor Company

A slice of meringue pie finished the walk for me. Very tasty

Ramblers walk Saturday 3rd March 2012

The promise of wet and misty weather did not put 16 ramblers off their Saturday walk, and their constancy was rewarded with a fairly warm and sunny day.

A circular walk around Wigtown began at the County buildings and proceeded down Bank Street, out through the portals of the old east gate, to the churchyard where many viewed the pre reformation church which was used until the mid-1800s. The inscriptions on the graves of the martyrs, Margaret Lachlane and Margaret Wilson, caused great interest. They endured a watery death at the stake in 1685, for adhering to their Covenanting faith and refusing to swear allegiance to the king.

Interest on the opposite side of the road was found in a stone carved with a cross in the garden of ‘Croft-an-Righ’. This is thought to be the site of a Dominican monastery, founded in 1247 by the mother of John Baliol, Devorgilla. The only lingering memory of this now is in the names of the surrounding area - Friarland, Monk Hill, and Friar’s well.

Passing to the end of the lane, the walkers took the path by the former harbour, where a stone memorial was erected in 1936 to mark the spot where the martyrs died. This area is no longer subject to regular tides; the river has altered its course and the harbour is now situated further south. The route for the walk went along by the old railway line and past the site of Wigtown castle where eyes were strained to see the remains, in the lumps and bumps of the marsh grass.

Leaving the old railway track by the former station house, it was interesting to see a thermometer above the door; the warm day surely was not one degree above freezing!

A newly flooded piece of wetland provided good bird watching with swans, coots, moorhens and mallards in evidence and a great flock of geese which took to the air as the walkers passed. The path skirted the reeds and arrived at the river Bladnoch , where the high level walk along the bank allowed a good view of the flotsam left by recent tides, a pair of dummy legs seeming to have got stuck in the act of climbing over a fence.

The old Bladnoch railway bridge caused an obstacle in the river walk, but all negotiated it with alacrity, and the distillery was approached with many wishful thoughts of a dram. Although the building was closed, a fortuitous meeting with the owner, well known for his Irish hospitality, provided a warming taste of twenty year old amber liquid.

The company now jollied along a narrow path between the river and the leat which provides water for the distillery. This leat allows sweet water, from above the tidal limit and therefore uncontaminated by the briny sea, to be brought about a mile and a half to the works. It was dug in 1830 by the same navvies who were also paving the streets of Wigtown.

Half way down the leat the ramblers crossed a narrow walkway and Cotland woods were entered. The promises of bluebells were much in evidence, but willow catkins were the only flowers seen here today. Not far from gate where the woods were left, some fallen trees provided a good seat for lunch, with a view back to the distillery and the surrounding countryside, pretty and green in the weak sunshine.

Onwards and upwards the refreshed company strode, with ever expanding views over the water to the hills beyond. A few days earlier this had been the route for the Junior Cross Country Championships for Dumfries and Galloway, and the way was still just as muddy as the runners had experienced, sometimes with mire oozing right over boots.

Sheep and lambs were a distraction as fields were crossed, past Cotland Loch and over the brow of House Hill until at last the Kirkcowan road was reached, crossed, and a newly cleared lane taken, still deep with mud, skirting Kirvennie Hill and linking with Broadfield farm track over more muddy fields. By Hollybush house, Common Moss Lane was entered, a grassy track which soon brushed some of the mud from the boots.

The streets of Wigtown were found again via Lovers Walk and Kirkland road. Wigtown Motor Company was the final place of interest to be passed, with its huge pile of spare car parts. This firm was originally begun as Wigtown Engineering Company, by Ronald McCutcheon, known locally as the ‘King of Speed’. From 1946 onwards he won races on his motor cycle, including the Isle of Man TT races, he developed the ‘Buckler Special’ racing car, and also competed in power boat racing, winning the Daily Express Cup.

Once back at the county buildings and boots changed, a warm welcome was given to the ramblers at the Wigtown House Hotel where the company repaired for tea.

Next week’s walk is a 7 mile coastal delight from Corsewall to Lady Bay. Meet for car sharing at Riverside Newton Stewart, 9am, Breastworks, Stranraer, 9.30am or at the walk start, Corsewall lighthouse (NW 982 726) 10am. If going straight to the start please contact walk leader 01671 403351. All are welcome.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Castramont Loch Whinyeon February 2012

2012-02-26T14:30:00.000Z

Saturday the 25th of February.

Today's walk will be a tester for me after being incapacitated.

It's a 'B' walk north of Gatehouse of Fleet.

Today's leader is the 'Weaver', and I'll leave it to her excellent writing style for the report.

It will follow the images as per usual.

We number 18 today.

Knocktinkle Car Park

The car park was erected in 2005

Betty Murray Usher founded the Drystane Dyking Association of Great Britain

( being a Murray descendant, I wonder how far back in time I'd need to go to find a connection ?)

Grey Hill and Benfadyeon

Views to Gatehouse and Fleet Bay, and east towards Cairnsmore of Fleet

Top of Benfadyeon

Loch Whinyeon

The old sluice gate and pipe that once pumped water through the hill to Gatehouse

Heading north

Top of Craigtype

Heather, bog and tussock towards Fell of Laghead

Fell of Laghead

Downhill to the Laurieston Road

Following the Castramont burn.

View of Rusco Castle

Culreoch

Charolais

The wood as you can see, is spelt different to the hill and burn. According to the Canmore website the big country house (no pictures, sorry) goes by either Castramont, Carstramon or Castramon. Very confusing !

Some gorgeous trees in the woods

Odd looking fungi covering nettles

An array of trees. Bottom right tree seems to have returning visitors if the carvings are to be believed

The oak trees of Carstramon Wood were once managed to produce charcoal for iron, copper and brass smelting

Lagg farm at the Doon of Castramont

Back to the cars

Well, I completed the walk, but boy did I ache later

Here's the Weaver's report

Ramblers’ walk Saturday 25^th February

Fair weather greeted 18 ramblers when they met at Knocktinkle car park, Gatehouse of Fleet, on Saturday. This was a welcome change from the dreary wet walking days of late, but still there was no sunshine.

The car park is a fairly new facility dedicated to the memory of Betty Murray Usher who died in 1990, and whose family were the proprietors of the lands through which the day’s walk would explore.

The immediate steep climb up Grey Hill and Benfadyeon caught out those who had not walked for some time. The way across the wet lands was not too boggy and the extensive views from the top were worth the effort. A 360 degree panorama was laid out, covering many of the hills the company had walked in the last year. In the west, from the Mull of Galloway peeping out behind the Isle of Whithorn, to Ben John, Cairnharrow and the masts of Cambret Hill, the view continued through Cairnsmore of Fleet, before taking in bronze moorland and the forests of the Grobdale walk. To the east, with Loch Whinyeon in the foreground, it was easy to trace an earlier outing through the Glengap forest.

The route now descended to the shores of Loch Whinyeon, and the sluice gate and remains of the tunnel which used to take water to the mills in Gatehouse, were explored. The modern outflow could be seen on the opposite shore, where the water now flows eastwards, to the works at Glengap.

Two more hills were climbed, Craigtype and the Fell of Laghead, the highest of the day at 292metres. Now the hardest work was done and the company approached the Castramont walk by crossing the Lauriston road and following a forest road for some way under the Craig of Grobdale.

Once on the rather muddy path, energy was restored by a lunch break overlooking Castramont Burn, before continuing by bridges and walk boards to Culreoch farm road. The sound of rushing water accompanied the walkers and a rather fine waterfall fell picturesquely through the trees. A new dry stane dyke, bounding the fields above, was a fitting reminder that Mrs Murray Usher founded the Dry Stane Dyking Association of Great Britain.

Once on the farm road, bordered by old sessile oaks, it was downhill to the Carstramon woods entrance, where the walkers once again endured a steadily rising path. Through fallen beech leaves and increasingly wonderful gnarled old coppiced beeches, the way meandered through the woods, which are maintained by Scottish Nature. After a brief view of Castramont House well below the path, the destination of the coppiced wood – charcoal platforms - were examined. A low wall and a cleared grassy circle are all that remains of this ancient craft.

Laghead Burn was crossed when the road was once more reached and the farm track past Lagg was taken for the homeward stretch of the walk. Here a heralder of spring was spotted; a lone, shiny, golden celandine glowed by the path.

A gentler walk, gradually uphill, past unused pheasant pens, and many fords crossing the burn, was followed, until the cars could be seen and approached across grassy fields, to end a varied and pleasant walk. The ramblers then retired to Galloway Lodge in Gatehouse to replenish their energy.

Next week, a 6 mile circular walk round Bladnoch and Wigtown, is planned. Meet for car sharing at the Breastworks, Stranraer, 9am, Riverside, Newton Stewart, 9.30am, or at Wigtown Town Hall (NX 434554) 10am. If going straight to the start, please phone walk leader, 01776 840636. All are welcome

Straiton - The Monument and Bennan Circuit

2012-02-22T21:18:00.000Z

Tuesday the 21st of February.

I've taken my last penicillin tablet to finish my course of antibiotics.

I'm hopeful of completing a little walk today.

I'm away up to the conservation village of Straiton in South Ayrshire to walk with a rambling friend.

There are a number of walks on the Ayrshire Paths website in this lovely little village.

After meeting up in the car park, and getting geographically acquainted with the area layout we decided on the Monument and Bennan circuit.

(We obtained an illustrated leaflet and map of the walks from a weatherproof holder in the car park)

We begin by walking through the village's Main Street.

To the north is the Fowler's Croft Development which won an award for architectural design in 1984 from the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland in honour of the thoughtfully designed properties which complement the existing village architecture.

It's a colourful start in the village.

Nice enough for a macro.

I feel a bit of a traitor uploading this picture of McCandlish Hall. The others in Google Images don't show up any cracks. Maybe it'll be re-plastered for the summer....

....but even on this dull day it still looks lovely and quaint.

The route takes us a little way down Newton Stewart Rd. The primary school is just a short distance out of the village. Just beyond the school we begin to climb.The monument is our first target.

My fellow blogger from Ayr did this walk last December with the Cunninghame Ramblers

As we begin to gain height the view behind us is of the school.

I'm optimistic of better weather but it turns out my walking partner has heard a truer forecast.

We get quite a few mini showers throughout the day.

The path is easy to follow with regularly spaced way-markers. Through Barbellie woods we reach the upper slopes of Craigengower (The hill of goats) and onto Highgate Hill. It's a short but steep climb to the monument.

It's a bit raw at the top.

The monument is a memorial to Lt. Col. James Hunter Blair mortally wounded at the Battle of Inkerman in 1854.

The family seat of Blairquhan Castle lies a little to the west of Straiton.

From up here we can look west to the triangular plantation on Bennan which will be our next climb.

The path now takes us in a southerly direction over undulating slopes to bring us down to the road at Culdoch. After crossing the road we follow the Water of Girvan a short way to reach Craigfad bridge.

Over the bridge is the quite impressive house of Craigfad. It too needs a fresh coat of plaster and whitewash. We mistook a crumbling patch of plaster as a coat of arms.

Just beyond here the path/track turns back towards Straiton.

I got the above collage of pictures before the rain came on again.

The path, a little way back, is running parallel to the Water of Girvan.

Upon reaching the triangular plantation of Curroch Wood we stop for a bite to eat.

Because of the light rain showers, my camera was in and out of it's carrying case all day.

We took the path up Bennan Hill to the viewpoint. Here's a passage from Gordon's Blogpost " The leader explained at this point there used to be a view finder explaining all the local landmarks but health and safety have decreed the area unsafe as it can get quite wet and slippery where it once stood."

It was a bit of a drop the other side of the fence, but the path up to the top was a bit of a liability anyway.

It is a bit of a disappointment after the climb.

I took the last pictures of the day up here.

I zoomed in to take this one of Bennan Stables.

There's been a substantial conversion since W.F. Millar took this picture for Geograph in 2007.

In this last picture the Water of Girvan takes a big loop round the edge of the village.

Our path back to the car park is off this picture to the left and beyond Bennan Stables.

A fallen down tree at the bridge we crossed is almost the width of the river. Any-more heavy downpours and I'd suggest this bridge was in danger.

Since it was my first real walk since being ill, we decided to call it a day. I couldn't have gone much further anyway.

It may have been a dull day but it didn't detract from the beauty of Straiton and it's surrounds.

This is a future Wigtownshire Ramblers walk.

Flixborough, the first of June 1974 - For the record - Part 1

2012-02-17T02:15:00.000Z

Disclaimer

This post contains images and text from a number of different sources.All images have been scanned by me from old publications and cuttings.The copyright of these belong to the respective publications and their owners and is presented for recording my recollections of a day in my life.

Should anyone object to any of these images or any part of this post please contact me and if necessary I will remove the offending image or paragraph.

Scunthorpe Telegraph - The biggest story we ever covered

Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph

Back in 1974 I was employed as a Chemical Process Operator at the Nypro plant at Flixborough.

The name Nypro came from the words Nylon Production.

There is an american company who also go by the name of Nypro and who's name comes from Nylon Products and bear no relation to this now defunct company.

On Saturday June the 1st at just after ten to five in the afternoon the place went up.

At the time it was the biggest peacetime explosion the country had seen. ( It was capped by the Buncefield Depot explosion in 2005 )

Here are three more links to the Flixborough blast.

Explosion Liaison Group Meeting

Health and Safety Executive

Wikipedia

Now here's my recollection of the day.I've scanned my statement to the enquiry and it's published a little further on.

It was a Saturday we were down to minimum staff as quite a few folk had wangled the day off to go to the annual Appleby Frodingham Gala in nearby Scunthorpe.

Here's a personal recollection from a visitor to the Gala that day.

Elaine Akester

I'd been up to the Sulphate plant to take my readings and headed back to the control room.

What happened next is condensed into my official statement.

Other recollections will follow this.

Statement of JAMES DEANS of 8 Pheasant Close, Scunthorpe.

I am an operator on the Sulphate Plant and

have been employed by Nypro for over three years.

The Sulphate Plant is to the west of the factory as

a whole but must be distinguished from the Oleum Plant

although both Plants share the same control room.

On the day of the accident I was working the

3.00 p.m to 11.00 p.m shift. We work the shifts on

a rota basis but the personnel of each shift remain

together. I was with my usual colleagues and during

the course of the afternoon I carried out my routine

duties. Certainly I noticed nothing unusual.

At approximately 3.30 p.m I took samples from the Plant

to the laboratory for analysis in the usual way.

At about 4 o'clock I went round the Plant taking readings

and thereafter I returned to the Oleum control room.

As a matter of routine we take readings every two hours

and thus my next task was again to walk round my part

of the Plant at about 6,00 p.m in order to monitor the

instruments.

The Oleum control room is on the ground floor,

the switch gear for the area being above the control room,

I remained there from about 4.15 until about 4.50 when

I heard a noise very like a large balloon bursting.

The building did not vibrate but almost everyone in the

control room rushed out of the northern door. I remember

grasping my safety helmet and rubber gauntlets as I went

through the door. I think four of us rushed out and left

the Process Control Technician in the control room.

We all left in a hurry and thus we were aware that

something had gone wrong.

Harry Nattrass, who was the Process Control

Technician for the shift, later told me that he had

tried to look out of the southern door of the control

room.

Having left the northern door we re-traced our

steps along the outside of the control room in a

southerly direction. When we came round the southern

corner of the building we looked east above the Sulphate

Store. The store consists of a reinforced concrete

wall some 10 to 12t high and above the wall the roof

structure was being reconstructed. Basically the

roof is a wooden structure and as work was being done

on the building it was possible for us to see through

the top half of the southern part of the building which

had been partially demolished. We saw what I would

describe as a "heat haze" from the direction of Areas 1

and II. Initially there was no flame but within literally

a second or two flames shot into the air above section 25.

We could just see the tops of the high vessels but not

the rest of the section, I would put the height of the flames

at approximately 70 or 80 ft. There was a lot of blue in

the flames and I think there was smoke at the same time.

It also appeared as though the flames were shooting out

behind the heat haze but this is not altogether clear in

my mind.

We had only been looking at the flames for a moment

or two when there was a huge blast which knocked me 15 or

20 yards in a westerly direction. Frankly I was not

conscious of any movement but at one moment I was standing

watching the flame and the next I was simply lying on

the other side of the road which runs in a north south

direction to the west of the Oleum control room. I

can remember no noise between the original sound which

I heard and the huge blast but I would assess the time

which had elapsed at approximately 30 seconds. There

is no doubt in my mind, however, that I saw flames

before the second bang occurred although the second

explosion followed almost immediately upon the sighting

of the flames.

After I had recovered a little from being flung

across the road I regained my feet and ran between the

Pyrites Store and the new Acid Plant in a westerly

direction towards the bank of the river Trent. I seem

to remember seeing Bill Lodge running from the Plant

and three or four of the boiler men. From the river

bank I was taken to hospital and I can remember little

more about the events of that day.

The only other experience I have of difficulties

in the factory was when there was a fire on the Hydrogen

Plant. Apart from this incident I know of no other

particular difficulties suffered by the Plant in the

last three years.

JAMES DEANS

Statement taken by Herbert Smith & Co. on 12th June,1974.

Now for parts of the story that haven't been written (or if they have I haven't seen them)

I landed about fifty feet from where we'd been looking. I must have been unconscious for less than a minute I guess. Acid tanks were either side of me, but miraculously they hadn't ruptured. I've always maintained that what saved our lives and that of the villagers of Amcotts across the River Trent was the reinforced concrete wall of a new warehouse still under construction deflecting the blast upwards. Mind you, it was the roof trusses landing on my back and legs that caused my injuries. I had deep bruising and displaced adipose tissue which I can still feel today.

Most of us on Area 3 once we'd recovered headed for the wharf, the line of immediate safety.
If the ensuing fire reached the large ammonia tank then even Scunthorpe would be in danger of being wiped off the map.
The majority of us were running for our lives. I did hear later that Jan from Mousehole, Cornwall went back to see if he could help anyone. There were other heroes that day, but Jan from Area 3 is the only one I recollect.

I later learned that our PCT (Process Control Technician) Harry had run towards the opposite door when the blast happened and he ended up underneath it covered in rubble.
Later when the fire and rescue teams reached our control room, they could here a voice but couldn't find him until they realised they'd been walking over the door he was under.
Harry was hospitalised for a while, but recovered well enough to live to a good age.

Now while we ran for safety it was later reported that a certain senior worker and of almost retirement age (I don't remember his name, but he was a bit of a character), overtook everyone to get to the road first with a broken ankle !
By the time we'd reached the road, the Fire and Rescue services were just about on the scene, but were being delayed by people who'd driven down to see what was happening.

Me and my best friend Colin were eventually taken up to the hospital.
Now what happened next has perplexed me ever since that day.
Because the blast had been so huge many buildings suffered damage in the neighbouring villages and even as far away as Scunthorpe. This caused dozens of minor (and maybe one or two major) injuries and suddenly the hospital was inundated.
After being dropped off just inside the hospital entrance a senior police officer on seeing me and Colin in our white overalls and walking OK, got hold of us and promptly put us on traffic control at the hospital gates. Of course, me and Colin knew no better so we ended up directing traffic for the next couple of hours.
It wasn't until months later that I thought about it and years later when I'd wished I'd found that senior officer and sued him for dereliction of duty and unnecessary suffering.
Here's a couple of guys, both injured and in obvious deep shock being made to prolong their distress because he couldn't do his job. If he is still alive and ever reads this I'd at least like an apology.
With respect to the families of those seriously injured and dead, me and Colin weren't the only ones to suffer.
Those couple of hours on point duty also had our families wondering if we were still alive.
My wife, looking after our four young daughters (the twins weren't yet 5 months old) was sick with not knowing, and when I eventually turned up the scene was one of unbelievable relief.
We didn't get any medical attention that day. Colin had damaged eardrums, and I've already mentioned my injuries.
I spent the following week with visits to the doctors and the hospital for x-rays and every day walking from my house to Bridges Road from where I could watch the plumes of black smoke still burning.
As well as the physical damage, for the next few years my nerves suffered.
I'd get scared by the sound of lorries passing too close, and any loud noise would have me jumping out of my skin.
Years later I realised I'd cheated death and my outlook changed. Nothing bothers me any-more.

Much has been written about what went wrong at Flixborough and it became a blueprint for countless Health and Safety directives as well as being used by the worlds fire services for training manuals.

In the immediate aftermath of the explosion the press, especially local, were having a field day with interviews, stories and pictures. I was interviewed for the Yorkshire Post though I never saw a copy.
My wife though kept a few cuttings and after all these years in a brown envelope are almost turning to dust.Here are the ones I've managed to scan.

The first eight are from the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph.

All the above pictures from the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph

These next two from the Sunday Mirror

And three from the Daily Mirror

So that's my story for posterity.

My next post, part 2 will be to publish what I think might have been the last issue of the company magazine the 'Nypress', which includes tributes to the 28 men who lost their lives.

Flixborough, the first of June 1974 - For the record - Part 2 - Nypress - A Memoriam

2012-02-16T14:41:00.000Z

Disclaimer

Should anyone object to any of these images or any part of this post please contact me and if necessary I will remove the offending image or paragraph.

I'm really surprised that this well be the only link to what was the magazine of Nypro Uk.

Nypress now is New York's alternative newspaper. Interviews, opinion, arts, listings, entertainment, mail, restaurants, music, bands, books, film, calendar of events.

Anyway, I believe this was the last edition of the company's magazine and I've scanned it page by page.

In the early years after the disaster the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph would have quite a number of Memoriam on the anniversary. These became fewer and fewer as the years went on, people moving on I assume. Stan Grundy's family continued for years with the Memoriams, but that too ceased eventually.

I hope my publication of this booklet will stand as a Memoriam to all those who lost their lives that day.

And to their families I hope the pain eased with time.

No more from me now, read on.

R.I.P

Wigtownshire Ramblers Glasserton Circular February 2012

2012-02-13T01:03:00.000Z

Saturday the 11th of February 2012.
It's not a very nice day, and the forecast isn't a good one.
Today's walk is a variation on This One we did two years ago, and This One we did last year.
It rained initially, but the mist stayed with us throughout the day.
I thank my good friend Scoop for contributing at least 50% of today's pictures.
I'm again the leader and the report will follow the images.

Ruined house near Carleton

The walk leader

Cooking range (That pot won't boil again)

Fun and frolics crossing the stile

Trig point (Also in the picture are the walkers who wouldn't cross because we'll be heading back that way

A wet Carleton Fell

The Machermore Mill Stone

We also had lunch here

Now we're heading to Laggan Camp and Pond

Laggan Pond as it was on Wednesday's recce's

A line of nervous sheep

Another obstacle out of the way

Above Claymoddie beach

A well closed gate to keep the cattle in

The lawned terraces of the now non-existent Glasserton House

Glasserton Walk Report

A dreich misty morning greeted the 15 walkers assembled at Glasserton church car park. The forecast was for much of the same throughout the day, but the group as usual were optimistic.
Blankets of snowdrops and a picturesque dead elm tree brought the group to Glasserton Mains cottages from where they headed north-west along the old drovers track.

The first point of interest was the row of derelict cottages by the Row plantation. Here the walk leader had a list of the names he'd found on the internet of the occupants of these cottages back in 1684.

Continuing on, another old cottage complete with an old fireplace was explored. After passing Rouchan Pond the normally extensive views of the Machars were non existent due to the mist.
Movement of cattle had muddied field entrances and mud became a prominent feature of the walk.
Reaching Craiglemine the route now changed direction to the south-west and Carleton.
Reaching Bessie Yon, another derelict house was explored. It contained a delightful old fireplace complete with pot hanger, pot, grate and oven, and although very rusty gave a glimpse of a long since past way of life.

Now an easterly route was taken over the rising undulating and boggy fells.
After carefully crossing a slippery stile over a drystane dyke the group continued upward to reach another drystane dyke. The trig point at the northern end of the Fell of Carleton stood twenty feet away, but only the intrepid few crossed the stile for a closer look. By now the rain had almost ceased, but the mist still had a damp feel to it.

After crossing more rough undulating terrain the next objective of the Machermore's Millstone was reached.
Carved into a rocky outcrop almost a metre wide is an unfinished millstone.
The walk leader had heard a story of it being unfinished due to the outbreak of war. More likely is the local tradition that says the millstone was carved in the late 19th century by workmen rebuilding Carleton farm.

The outcrop of rock, known as Mill Stone Howe proved to be an ideal spot to enjoy a spot of lunch. Although the mist remained, the rough foamy tide at the Point and Lochans of Cairndoon could be seen clearly.

After lunch the outcrop known as Fox Hunt was skirted to reach Laggan Pond and Camp. Another drystane dyke was crossed to reach the top of this large promontary fort.
The amateur archaeologists in the group enjoyed identifying ramparts, ditches and the entrance.

The next section of the walk was along the cliff top overlooking Luce Bay. The unique shingle beach of Claymoddie came into regular view.
After more obstacles including barbed wire fences, dykes, burns and unopenable gates the farm track at Claymoddie was reached.
The route now took them inland to the crossroads of Claymoddie from where the estate road to Glasserton was accessed.

Reaching the site where Glasserton House stood the group learned a little of it's history and owners. To the rear, the outlines of the lawned terraces, blanketed by snowdrops gave a good impression of how majestic it once was.

Now the group moved on to look at the 18th century Glasserton Home farm.A new roof and wall have been incorporated with some of the original structure to create a grain store.The surrounding cottages and a doo'cot also date back to the 18th century.
From here it was a short distance back to the car park and the end of an interesting if somewhat misty walk.
The next walk on Saturday the 18th of February is a C+ circular walk from Auchenmalg to Stairhaven.
Meet for car sharing at the Breastworks, Stranraer 9.30am,the Riverside, Newton Stewart 9.00am or the walk start at the Cock Inn Car Park (NX 236 518) at 10am. For further details or if going to the start please phone walk leader 01988 840268. New members are always welcome

Mist Rolling In From The Sea

2012-02-07T16:42:00.000Z

Monday the 6th of February and the sun is shining.

I'll go out and take some pictures and video.

Driving up the Queensway into the Galloway Forest Park I'd noticed some mist coming in to the south.

I parked up and climbed Craigdistant Hill, just on the fringe of the forest.

To the north the Minnigaff Hills looked resplendent

On my way up Craigdistant I could see the mist coming in

I disturbed a few sheep, but they soon settled as I found a rock to perch on

To the south east stood Cairnsmore and Craignelder.

Craignelder's on the Rambler's summer programme with me as leader

The sky's busy today

A wispy cloud drifts over Cairnsmore's lower slopes

Time to take a panorama

Panorama of Rolling Mist on CleVR.com

Over towards Newton Stewart the mist is rolling up the River Cree

I'm sitting on a nice dry rock as the sun shines, enjoying a cup of hot coffee

I got roughly forty five minutes of video footage, this is it speeded up to just over one minute.

Below me here it's rolling up the Palnure Burn and ..............

......................Bargaly Glen

Another shot looking over to Wigtown and the Machars.

Knock Fell to the west, although only a small hill always makes for a good landmark

Out in Wigtown Bay the mist seems to be building up on itself

After three quarters of an hour it's starting to push up the hills

It'll be up here with me soon, time to call it a day I guess

A noisy skein of geese heralded my leaving the hill

It's been a really enjoyable hour

Wigtownshire Ramblers Glenwhan February 2012

2012-02-06T11:58:00.000Z

Saturday the 4th of February.
Our walk today could be a wet one.
Having missed last week, I need this walk.
It rained, nuff said. Soulful anyway.
I ended up not paying too much attention to the route. Shorty was the walk leader so I'll borrow his report for the post .
It's a slight variation on one we did last April.
April 2011

Only a few pictures.

Lunch Break

The Weaver

Glenwhan Forest

Some squelch ahead

Almost a picture

That was a bit of a wet patch

This is what's called the 'Neon' effect on Picasa.

At least Shorty's recognisable.

Wigtownshire Ramblers: Saturday 4th February 2012 – Glenwhan Forest Circular

The weather forecast was appalling, offering rain, low cloud and wind. Nevertheless, thirteen ramblers assembled at the forest gate on the windswept moorland between Castle Kennedy and New Luce. The weather was just as promised. They swiftly donned all their wet weather gear and set off along the road leading to the forest.

The group was very pleased to reach the shelter of the young trees at the start of the forest. This reduced the strength of the wind and the rain now fell downwards instead of horizontally and was much more comfortable. As they followed the road south-eastwards they passed between blocks of trees and recently felled areas which were more exposed. On reaching one of the larger blocks a red squirrel skittered across the road causing a little excitement.

The group followed the southerly arm of the road until they reached a quarry and a small shooting hide perched on the top of a rocky knoll. They then turned off down a narrow grassy track which at one time had been the main route from the Dunragit Estate on to the moor. The rain had eased off now and hazy views of the low ground and the sea at Luce Bay were just visible through the murk.

As they descended through the young forest a skein of geese flew overhead honking loudly. The route took the ramblers down to a narrow gate at the edge of the forest and over a green hill. The group breasted a small rise and came face to face with the geese who seemed surprised at the sight of the bedraggled crew. After a short face off the geese retreated complaining in full voice and continued to circle until the ramblers had left the area. After crossing the field the group entered the lane which descended through the Glenwhan Gardens. Fortunately the café was closed or there might have been a mutiny amongst the walkers. The ramblers now followed the old Estate roads through the policy woods behind Dunragit House. Several large old trees had succumbed to the recent gales but the level of damage was less than might have been expected.

The rain had now returned and the clouds descended even further. The group emerged from the shelter of the trees and enjoyed the full force of the south-westerly gale. On reaching the dyke below Challoch Hill they searched in vain for a sight of the roundel of trees on the summit, their proposed lunch stop. A short debate resulted in the decision to omit this section of the walk and the group turned their backs to the wind and headed across the fields to the forest.

On entering the forest they followed an old forwarder track to the end of the forest road. After a short distance they turned onto a narrow track through the trees. From the tracks in the muddy ground it seemed that many deer, both red and roe, used this route and many trees had been marked by the deer staking out their territories. After a short time the group reached the central forest road, which they followed to its end.

Lunch now became a priority and the group sought shelter in a mature Sitka Spruce stand which reduced the persistent rain to gentle drips. After a short rest the reinvigorated group left the road and followed an old dyke into the forest. Unfortunately the leader missed one of the marker flags for the proposed route and continued to follow the dyke over the hill until it reached the old road near the north side of the forest. This added a little extra distance but at least they were now on the sheltered side of the wood.

The group followed the old road westwards until they reached the main forest road which they followed back to the cars. The rain had renewed its efforts and the damp crew left with thoughts of hot baths and warm firesides.

Next week’s walk is a moderate (C+) walk in the southern Machars. Meet at the Breastworks car park, Stranraer at 09:00 or the Riverside car park, Newton Stewart at 09:30 to share transport. The walk will start from Glasserton Church (NX 421 381) at 10:00. New walkers are always welcome. Please contact the walk leader on 01671 403351 if you are meeting at the start to confirm arrangements or have any other queries.

Winter's Tapestry

2012-02-03T21:33:00.000Z

A few more seasonal pictures taken at various locations around Newton Stewart

Cairnsmore of Fleet

The Cross

Frozen Feather

Slither !

Risk,Drigmorn and Millfore

River's Edge

Disjointed

Spotty Dog, Princes Street

Pulhowan Falls

Sparkling Diamonds

Craignelder and Chimneys

A dripping donkey

'icles

Early morning in Galloway

2012-02-01T11:59:00.000Z

I was up nice and early on the last Monday in January 2012.I decided I'd go out and try and film a sunrise.As it happened I was very disappointed with the results of my video, and the pictures weren't as I'd hoped. The sunrise wasn't as good as I'd hoped and I probably picked the wrong location.Over the course of the next two hours though, I did however get some pictures I thought worthy of posting so here they are.

Above the A75 on the railway walk between Cuil and Creetown was my destination.

My first pictures are of cackling crows a low flying heron and the lights of Carsewalloch

Reaching Blairs I waited for the sun to come up.

Occasionally the A75 would have a small queue of traffic

I kept taking pictures of the traffic while my video camera was busy taking nothing.

Soon though I was getting a red glow from the rising sun

There's quite a few remnants of vapour trials and an interesting weathercock to the east

The A75 gets a little busier

I wonder if the Wigtownshire Transport Community bus is the one I've booked for July ?

Now the sun is high enough over Wigtown Bay to get a bit of colour

As I'm heading back to the car this deer spots me

Lucky for me he/she decides to pose along with this crow

This is another Picasa effect known as Focal Zoom

I think I might have disturbed a courting ritual here, the female had just flown off

The sun's now reaching most of the Cree estuary and here I get this picture of Muirfad and behind the Rowan Glen Dairy Products Factory

Here's my second heron of the day

Cuil Farmhouse and the still snowcapped Cairnsmore of Fleet

A closer look at the misty slopes of Cairnsmore

Back at Cairnsmore Lodge there are a few birds about

A couple of crows keep a watchful eye open

A big old tree completes my morning, I'm back home by 10am

I'm still hoping for another early morning, I think the Isle of Whithorn might be a good sunrise

Maybe tomorrow

At Last ! Snow and Ice

2012-01-29T23:33:00.001Z

No Wigtownshire Ramblers this weekend, I wasn't prepared to jeopardise my recovery from my ailments.However the arrival of a little snow and plenty of ice is always a good cure for my sniffles, and I enjoyed a little stroll which has put me well on the road to recovery.

I parked up by the Penkiln Burn at Auchenleck.

A snowy Drigmorn above Auchinleck House

(A bit of an anomaly here, it seems the area is Auchenleck, but the house and the loch are Auchinleck)

Lots of ice and a little snow

Auchinleck house, a little closer than the first picture

Hard mud and reflections

Fence top growth

Reflective

I love this picture, looks almost an oil painting.

It's water bubbles running through ice on a rocky surface

Plants being encased in ice under a small waterfall

Ditto

Log Pile

To the right of the smaller hill stands Drigmorn, Red Gairy and Millfore

I'm treading carefully

A new view for me

This is Auchinleck Loch

Same as above but I needed to get higher

Shepherds Cottage Drigmorn

This was once the home of Ina Chesney, a mentally handicapped young woman, who, in the 1940s, lived with her mother in this remote cottage

There's a story and painting in the Galloway Gazette about this young lady

Ina's Story

On my way back, is that more snow in the clouds over the Galloway Hills ?

The little and large of bridges

I'm feeling better already !

A Trolley Push Around Scotland-A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

2012-01-27T22:23:00.000Z

I'm confined to the house keeping warm and shaking off headaches,a sore throat and a runny nose.Making this video took my mind off it

After a struggle at the border she was soon on her way even getting over to the Western Isles

The music is courtesy of YouTube's Audioswap Library and is by the Bob Mitchell Orchestra

Photographic enhancements on a dull day, and a poem by the bard

2012-01-25T10:37:00.000Z

Tuesday the 24th of January.Quite a miserable day weatherwise but I'll head out and take a few pictures.The first one I took early in the day from my front door.

Picasa has a border application which I've used.Unfortunately I've made all the outer borders dark which doesn't work with an already dark background. Ah well ! It's a learning curve.

At the back of this view (if you could see it) is the snow capped Cairnsmore of Fleet

I went down the river Cree to Parkmaclurg.

Here I'm opposite the Carse of Barr

Just to the right of this point the railway used to cross.Wooden stumps can still be seen when the tide is out

This is the view east towards Palnure with a misty Blair hill behind

Here it is on Clevr

Panorama of Palnure from Parkmaclurg on CleVR.com

This is the view back to Blackcraig

A little further south the river's meander has created a large sandbank.

It's often a haven for various birds, today there's a lone heron

A zoom over to Upper Barr finds a flock of gulls and the Wigtown bus

Added at the last minute with a light border

Carseminnoch

It being Burns night tonight I thought an apt poem to accompany this post would be
'The Flowery Banks O' Cree'

Here is the glen, and here the bower
All underneath the birchen shade;
The village-bell has told the hour,
O what can stay my lovely maid?

'Tis not Maria's
whispering call;
'Tis but the balmy breathing gale,
Mixt with some warbler's dying fall,
The dewy star of eve to hail.

It is Maria's voice I hear;
So calls the woodlark in the grove,
His little, faithful mate to cheer;
At once 'tis music and 'tis love.

And art thou come! and art thou true!
O welcome dear to love and me!
And let us all our vows renew,
Along the flowery banks of Cree.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Knockman Wood Garlies Castle January 2012

2012-01-22T13:47:00.000Z

It's Saturday the 21st of January.
Today's walk led by Shorty is an amalgamation of a few walks we've done before.It's also an area I've covered myself quite a lot.
Here's some old links.
A walk-in-black-forest-or-knockman-wood
Garlies Castle
January 2009 walk
July 2011 walk

We broke the mould today.There were again 19 of us, but walking in from their home in Newton Stewart our newest members swelled the total to 21.The walk start is at Knockman Wood Car Park just a couple of hundred metres from Boreland Lodge.

It's wet and windy so good photographs are few since the camera stayed in the case a lot of the time.
All pictures today were taken on the Fuji S7000.It will be going back in storage as a back up now I realise my Powershot is a superior camera.A look at the unnamed chambered cairn was our first stop.

The cairn on top of Knockman Hill was our second objective.

The sky was a mixture of dark and light cloud. Good for silhouettes. Wigtown bay was a bright reflective sheen.

To the south, Cairsmore of Fleet was under cloud.

It's too windy to tarry too long so soon we're moving across the heather in an easterly direction.

Underfoot is dead bracken, heather, tussocks and bog................. but we've had worse.

Now here's an interesting ring of stones.I don't know and can't find any thing about it but I'm sure it wasn't built special for a couple of trees.

Trees were very much a feature of today's walk.
Another thing about the Fuji camera was the pictures I thought I'd taken but were missing when I looked later, the Evergreen Oak tree being one.

Now we've reached a path which we'll follow for a while.The hood on the walker on the right looks odd, I'll crop it for a closer look ?.

It's probably a manifestation of one of the saints. I'm not religious but January the 21st is St Agnes Day so who am I to argue !

Ahead of us now is Knockbracks with Drigmorn beyond.

The first of a couple of burn crossings.

Now we are moving south past the ruins of a former settlement. Probably connected to the nearby Garlies Castle

Upon reaching the castle, and after a historical description from Shorty we had lunch.

A tour of the castle followed lunch.

Back on the move the most difficult burn crossing was the Peat Rig Strand.

Thanks to Scoop for the above collage.She got me nicely with a foot in the burn.

Now came a long squelchy section to reach the track that runs alongside the Penkiln burn.

This is nowadays known as Glenmalloch Lodge.It was originally built as a schoolhouse thanks to the philanthropic Harriet, Countess of Galloway. It can now be rented from the Landmark Trust.
Click here for details.There's also a link on that page for a pdf giving a short history of the property. Very interesting.

With the sky as it was today, the bare trees looked particularly striking.

The farmers cairn at Torbain was our last point of interest.
A number of speculative answers were given to the origin of the initials MM on one of the boulders.Mine was Marilyn Monroe, but dismissed as probably wrong.
After a short walk back to the cars, a large group of Ramblers made their way to Cinnamon for refreshments.A great way to end an excellent walk

Resurrected Fuji S7000, Walk Recce and Picasa Effects

2012-01-20T19:24:00.001Z

Been full of cold this week so I've been hibernating since last weeks walk with the ramblers.I did however manage a walk out yesterday, Thursday the 19th of January.I took my oldest camera, my Fuji S7000 with me. It was it's unreliability and repair costs that caused it to be shelved.Although It's still problematic, I've found with perseverance I can take half decent pictures with it.

Here are a few of the pictures I took. I've also been playing with some of Picasa's new features.
In the sequence that follows, the first picture is the untouched original, the second the Picasa effect.

Comic Book

Invert Colours

Museum Matte

Pencil Sketch

Posterise

Vignette

Lomo-ish

I don't know ?

They add a different slant to the photographs, I reckon they'd certainly be beneficial perhaps in a publication.

The last two do it for me.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Whitefield Loch to Knock Fell January 2012

2012-01-15T20:04:00.000Z

It's Saturday the 14th of January 2012.
Today's walk is an old favourite.The last time was in September 2010
2010 Walk

An alternative look at this walk is on my blogging pal from Ayr's pages here
Gordon and Anne's Blog
Thanks too to Gordon for some of the pictures I'm using today.
I'm the walk leader again so the walk report will follow the pictures.

This picture and others that feature myself show why I'm reluctant to publish my own image.

We reccied the walk on Wednesday and I've included a couple from then.

Like I said!

The mist lifted on Wednesday and the sun came out. It wont today.

A warning sign for those people who are allergic to wool.

Horses were the prevalent creature at Knock of Luce.

What a friendly bunch.

The remnants of St John's Chapel.

Gordon on his hands and knees at St John's Well.

Who's the best looking ?

Ascent and summit

Recce day

Summit pictures and Flush Bracket

Return leg and Geese

Walled Garden

Snowdrops

Sensory Garden

Information Boards

Here's a good imitation of Tarzan.

Wigtownshire Ramblers
Walk Report
14th January 2012

A dry but dull morning saw nineteen ramblers meet up at the angler’s car park on Whitefield Loch.
The walk began easterly on the southern edge of the loch. The crannog known as Dorman’s Island was pointed out. Excavated in December 2008 a range of artefacts datable to the Roman Iron Age were recovered from the site.

Reaching the end of the wooded area around the loch, the route now took the farm track towards Machermore and the Knock of Luce.

A flock of geese were spotted in a field at Machermore. They were possibly semi domesticated as they were spotted waddling into a barn on the return leg.

Now into open countryside, gates and cattle grids became a regular feature. After passing Knock of Luce cottage and a water pumping station a road sign warned to ‘Beware of Lambs’. No small fierce woolly creatures were spotted!
Nearing Knock of Luce a variety of horses and ponies were spotted in the adjoining fields. They were soon curious enough to come and peer over the wall at this group of bipeds.

Passing through Knock of Luce, Dartmoor and other ponies and small white ducks were admired.
Another grassy field was accessed through a very muddy gate entrance. Here a group of six or seven Gypsy Vanner horses came over to investigate. These extremely friendly creatures stayed a short while, but with no apples or goodies forthcoming they soon lost interest and galloped away.
Across a low drystone wall and a marshy area, the ruins of St John’s Chapel were explored. Covered over with a section of corrugated iron, St John’s Well was also identified. A discovery made in the well proved not to be of historic interest…it was a modern drinking mug!
After regaining access to the field of horses, the climb to the summit of Knock Fell began.
As height was gained a few of the surrounding lochs became visible. To the north were Barhapple and Denaglar, to the east Peat Loch and to the south were Castle and Mochrum.
Reaching the trig point and cairn the usually far reaching views were non existent today, only the rough outline of the South Rhins could be seen.
The lack of views and a cold wind shortened the stay on top. A descent to a sheltered rocky outcrop was followed by a lunch break.

After lunch the outward route was again followed back to Whitefield loch.
Now the forest road to the north of the loch led to Craigenveoch. Off the main track the ruins of the walled gardens of the former baronial mansion of Craigenveoch House were reached. After circling the ruins, the path now led to the loch shore and the sensory ' Woodland Garden ' provided by The National Schizophrenia Fellowship ( Scotland ).Here a short break was taken.
At the loch side an information board details the life cycle of the ‘Glass Eels’ found in the loch and of their long trip to their spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea.

An exploration of the ruins of Craigenveoch House followed. An illustrated information board showed how the house had looked on completion. It was completely demolished in 1952.

Rhododendrons bushes, large Beech trees and Western Red Cedars lined the road back to the car park and the walk finish.
Tea and cakes at the County Golf Club ended a very pleasant day.

The next walk on Saturday the 21st of January is a C+ walk to Garlies Castle via Knockman Wood.
Meet for car sharing at the Breastworks, Stranraer 9.00am, Riverside , Newton Stewart 9.30am or the walk start at Knockman Wood Car Park (NX 409 674) at 10am. For further details or if going to the start please phone walk leader 01671 401222. New members are always welcome.

Swans on Glenamour

2012-01-10T10:37:00.000Z

I took a short walk up to my favourite loch yesterday.Only got one picture of note.The Whooper Swans have returned.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Wood of Cree to Loch Middle

2012-01-08T13:32:00.000Z

Saturday the 7th of January.
I reccied this walk with four others on Tuesday, so a few pictures will be from that recce.
I'll also be using some of Scoops pictures.
It's nearly the same walk we did back in 2008 only today we'll also climb the small hill of Craigmurchie.
March 2008 Walk

Report follows after the pictures.

Fungi on the Wood of Cree car park table leg

Waterfalls on the Cordorcan Burn

Wood of Cree information boards

Forest Road

Forestry operations

Loch Middle

Jetty Photo Calls

Climbing Craigmurchie

Craigmurchie views

Trig Point

Craigmurchie Cairn

Walk leader courtesy of Scoop

Weathered boulders and lunch stop

Strange growths via macro

Crossing the Pulhowan Burn

More Pulhowan Crossings

(The bottom set (Action Shots) courtesy of Scoop)

The return leg

The Pulhowan Burn again

The Pulhowan Waterfall

Wigtownshire Ramblers

Saturday the 7th of January 2012

The car park at the Wood of Cree nature reserve was the start point for the walk.

Nineteen walkers set off following the Cordorcan burn through the reserve.It's many tumbling waterfalls delighting the photographers in the group.

Every so often an information board would give details of the flora,fauna and wildlife likely to be around.The Wood of Cree is the largest ancient wood in southern Scotland with a great variety of birds,however with such a large group walking, it was always going to be unlikely to spot many.

At the edge of the reserve the ruined buildings at Cordorcan were explored.

Now the forest track was followed all the way to Loch Middle.Timber operation were in progress and trees could be seen being cut down and the branches being stripped.

On reaching the loch the anti-clockwise track was followed round to the short concrete jetty where group photos were taken.

Now a drystone dyke through a boggy forest was followed uphill.Once clear of the woods, the slopes of Craigmurchie were accessed.After a short but stiff climb the trig point at 286 mtrs was reached.Wide ranging but somewhat hazy views were enjoyed as peaks and landmarks were identified.

A short walk from the trig point was a small cairn on top of a larger one.

More slippy boggy ground followed on the descent to the forest below.Here a pair of roe deer were disturbed.

Under the cover of fir trees, a lunch break was taken.Scattered about were large weathered boulders with unusual markings.

Following lunch a drystane dyke was followed down to an interesting collection of old sheep pens.Old sheep dozing bottles were spotted in the dyke.

The Pulhowan burn was next to be crossed.While most walkers found a narrow crossing point upstream some took the more unorthodox route across a tree .

Now the drystane dyke, muddy and boggy in several places, was followed to regain the forest track of the outward journey.

The forest track was now retraced back to the reserve where the Scrubland trail was taken.

Following a zigzag route and crossing a number of wooden bridges the large waterfall and viewpoint above Pulhowan Bridge was reached.After a short break at the viewpoint the undulating path back to the reserve entrance was followed.

A large group of deer was spotted on the drive back to Newton Stewart.

Tea,coffee and cakes in Cinnamon topped an enjoyable walk.

The next walk on Saturday the 14th of January is an easy 6 mile circular walk from Whitefield Loch to Knock Fell.

Meet for car sharing at the Breastworks, Stranraer 9.30am, Riverside, Newton Stewart 9.30am or the walk start at Whitefield Loch (NX 235 549) at 10am. For further details or if going to the start please phone walk leader 01671 403351. New members are always welcome

Deerhurst

2012-01-05T18:10:00.000Z

A day out in the Gloucestershire countryside saw me, Sarah and Phil visit Deerhurst.
We were going somewhere else, but this unscheduled stop proved too interesting to go elsewhere.
Deerhurst is a tiny Gloucestershire village, but remarkably home to two Saxon places of worship.
These are St Mary's Church founded circa AD 800 , and Odda's Chapel built in 1056

After a short walk along the banks of the river Severn we made our way to the smaller of the churches.

The property alongside Odda's Chapel is Odda's Barn, a former B & B.Recently on the market for £275,000.Not a bad price down here.

The chapel is attached to a 16/17th century timber framed farmhouse.It appears to be occupied.

The inside is quite delightful.

In the quiet Severn Valley, where it seemed as if at last

Very peace had spread her wings on ev'ry hand,

Stood an old and battered farmhouse, where for generations past

Dwelt the yeomen and the tillers of the land.

Till in time, the hand of progress came to try what could be done'

Both to modernise and renovate with care,

So they chipped away the plaster of the ages dead and gone

And they found - a little Saxon Chapel there.

And I chanced upon the chapel when the world was full of strife,

Entered there, to rest in silence and alone,

And it's spirit bare me backward just as far from modern life

As the name of Odda graven on it's stone.

For the centuries were speaking thro' the lichen and the moss

Till it seemed that it was blessed but yesterday'

And I thought I saw the Saxons as they knelt before the Cross,

But I'm certain that I heard the Saxons pray.

Their petitions were as humble as the House in which they knelt,

And their faith was just as simple as their prayer,

And I knew the place was crowded, and instinctively I felt

That they always must have found an answer there.

For the truth was in it's cradle, so the word was very near;

"What I think" had yet to conquer "What I know".

And they sang a hymn together that the angels stooped to hear

In the quiet Severn Valley long ago.

And I thought of Church and Abbey, half forsaken, nearly all,

Of their splendour, and the learning and the creeds

Of the party of Apollos, or the men who followed Paul,

With their turmoil, and their striving - and their needs.

Then the sunset lit the valley like a beacon from above,

Till I seemed to hear the answer to a prayer:

"An should they pull away the plaster from the England that they love

They shall find - a little Saxon Chapel there."

The original stone is in the Ashmolean museum in Oxford.

The chapel's historic significance was realised in 1865, but the restoration of it's roof only started 100 years later in 1965.

Looking on as the sunlight from one window shines on a wall feature.

View from the rear of the chapel.

Now we move on to St Mary's

It's known that there was a 7th Century church here of which little remains, but much of what remains dates back to the 8th century.

This is one side of a guide sheet.The other side is a bit further down. (Open in a new tab to magnify)

There's a variety of old graves with interesting epitaphs throughout the graveyard.

Here above is the 8th century angel.

The nave goes back to the 8th century.

Reverse side of the guide sheet.

The Ten Commandments.

Chest made in 1674.

Interior floor gravestone.

Above top left at the top is a dedication stone with reused roman stones 10th century.
Above top right is a saxon font, rescued in the 19th century from being used as an animal trough.
Bottom left Order of the Garter ?
Bottom right known as 'Label Stops' is a 9th century animal head.

Door memorial

Maddona and child, possibly from the 7th century.

Church entrance, bell tower and bell tower door.

Gargoyles.

We could have stayed all day exploring this fascinating look back at the past.

A lovely day guys, thanks for getting me there.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Cairngarroch January 2012

2012-01-03T19:57:00.000Z

It's Monday the 2nd of January and I've recovered enough from my bug to allow me to get out with my walking group.
This first walk of the year is one we've done before.
July 2009

We start the walk at Cairngarroch Bay, another regular post.
Cairngarroch Bay
Cairngarroch Bay Revisited

There are nineteen walkers today.I'll be writing the report which will follow the pictures.

Downhill to Cairngarroch

C47 Dakota Memorial Plaque
The Scottish War Memorials Project

I showed the way since very few of the group had ever visited this spot

Climbing Cairnmon Fell

View back to Cairngarroch Bay

Passing by places with names such as Slannax, Strand-Foot, Good Wife's Cave and Slunk Rainy

Float Bay

Oyster catchers on Float Bay

Looking back to Float Bay

Rocky clamber towards Arthur's Slunk

Scrambling up to the viewpoint above Dun Stone

View back beyond Float Bay to Water Cave

Heading inland towards Kenmuir

Kenmuir

Saltpans Bay

I've been loaned a Dumfries and Galloway publication, 'Through the Lens' 'Glimpses of old South Rhins'.

The following picture has been taken from it.

This is Will Purves who lived in a cave at Saltpans Bay.

A former circus strong man he lived in the cave for many years.

He'd spend his evenings in the social atmosphere of Clachanmore Smithy, entertaining the company by lifting the anvil from it's stand and carrying it round the smithy.

Annoyed on one occasion by a remark, he left taking the anvil with him and depositing it a quarter mile away at the crossroads, whence it was retrieved by the blacksmith with much difficulty - and assistance !

Saltpans Bay

Passing Red Isle and Stinking Bight

Ardwell Bay

The Wee Ardwell Woodshop

Wigtownshire Ramblers

Monday the 2nd of January 2012

It was a cold windy day as nineteen ramblers met at Cairngarroch in the South Rhins for this, the first walk of the year.

A muddy track was followed to reach the shoreline at Cairngarroch Bay.Three small deer were seen bounding up the steep slopes above the bay.

Though the walk was to go south, an early detour was taken to view the memorial plaque at the northern end of the bay.

After a scramble over a rocky promontory this was reached and the significance of the plaque and aircraft remains was explained.A copy of The Rhinns Forgotten Air Disaster by Sandy Rankin was also on hand.On July the 27th 1944, two C47 Dakota's carrying wounded US servicemen crossed here en route to Prestwick.One never made it over the cliffs and all 22 on board perished.

After retracing their steps to the picturesque fishermans cottage they now followed the muddy coastal path uphill to round Cairnmon Fell.Although the wind was bitterly cold, lots of sunshine compensated.

Continuing along the coastal path they reached the area known as Slunkrainy. Here the steep slopes down to the rocky shore were of 'Stair-Step' topography and undulated in and out and up and down.More deer were seen bounding away over the skyline.

A green field was next to be accessed.It required a muddy passage through gorse, a drystane dyke and three fences of which one was discovered to be a live electric one.

Now a change of direction took the route inland to pass through Little Float Farm.From here a downhill track led down to Float Bay.

After admiring the presently occupied large beach house the walls of the smaller cottage and surrounding rocks provided shelter for a lunch break.

After lunch more clambering over the rocky shore was followed by a scramble up the steep slopes to access the viewpoint above Dun Stone.The sun was still shining and afforded wonderful views back up the Rhins coastline, including the wide mouth of Water Cave back on Float Bay.

Back inland through open fields and muddy gate entrances brought them now to Kenmuir where some exuberent Lhasa Apsos delighted the group as they talked with their owners.

Now the road back to the shore via Salt Pan Cottage was taken where again the stony coastal path was reached.

Soon though they passed the geological feature known as the Stinking Bight and were on the silvery sands of Ardwell Bay.

After reaching the car park a short road walk up to West High Ardwell concluded the walk.

The day was topped off in a welcoming farmhouse kitchen where all manner of seasonal cakes and savouries,tea and coffee, sherry,port and wine were heartily enjoyed.

Seasons Greetings

2011-12-21T10:29:00.001Z

Seasons Greetings to all readers of the Glebe Blog

I might get a post in before the year is out

Wigtownshire Ramblers Cairngaan December 2011

2011-12-18T14:21:00.001Z

It's Saturday the 17th of December 2011.
Our walk today is our annual trip to the southern end of our lovely country and West Cairngaan farm.
They haven't had a drop of snow here.
Previous walks here.
1st January 2011
30th October 2009

It's a wet start as a rain/hail shower interrupts the walk leader's pre walk talk.
I'll publish her account of the walk after the images.

Nineteen of us set off along a muddy farm track.

We're soon heading down the lovely Auchie Glen.Our walk leader today is 'The Weaver' and her husband was responsible for the planting of most of the trees down here.He's paid back any carbon footprint he may have left.A wonderful achievement.

From the glen we emerge onto the Mull road.

There's some high cloud formations in the sky today.

' The Kirk Burn led to Portankill beach, passing by the remains of old Kirkmaiden church and burial ground, perhaps dedicated to St Catherine, recorded in 1386 but replaced in 1638 by the Kirkmaiden Kirk Covenant. The remains are now little more than grassy banks covering the tumbled foundations stones.'

We take a closer look today.This hollow was the church base. Couldn't find any old artefacts...I'll find a gold cross one of these days.

Here's Scoop intent on getting the shot.
She's kindly contributed pictures once again to this blog.

Here's a few.

She's like a praying mantis as she waits with camera poised at obstacles.

We now reach the coastline where we can look across at the snow covered Galloway Hills.
By all accounts from other walkers there wasn't any snow nine miles south of Newton Stewart.

We're down on Portankill Beach across Luce Bay from Port William in the Machars.
Here's a nice bit of seaweed.

Now we reach Carrickamurlan, we lunched here the last time round.

Above is another selection of Scoops pictures.She's gone for silhouette and cumulus here by the looks of it.
Nicely done Scoop.

There's some great rock formations along this stretch of coast.There's also St Medan's cave which I've covered in a previous post.I'll mark this for future exploration.

A snow capped Cairnsmore of Fleet

East Tarbet Bay.

After crossing the Mull road we're overlooking West Tarbet Bay.
There's something in the water.Because it doesn't seem to be moving,the doubters think it's a small bouy.
Having been down here a few times I know different.
When the 'Bouy' vanishes and resurfaces at various different points the doubters no longer doubt......

.....we're in the company of one or more seals.There are nearly always seals in West Tarbet Bay, take my word for it.
Lunchtime was spent watching and wondering where the seal would next surface.

After lunch we headed north on the return journey.After the earlier shower of rain/hail it's been fair and now we're getting some sunshine.

The very scenic Mull Glen comes next.I must ask the Weaver about the 'Kings Well' which is on the OS map,she's never mentioned it or pointed it out.

Another interesting spot for exploration is below this headland with caves called Belloue and Carrickgill.

The weaver goes on the hunt for an object she'd seen left by some campers.....

.....and it's found ready for the next brave souls to build a campfire. I found the lid close by and replaced it.

The OS map also indicted the remains of a 'Homestead' here.Taking the steeper high ground I and others avoided the muddy crossing that isolated this detached walker.

We're on the last stretch back to West Cairngaan, the lighthouse at the Mull's been flashing intermittently today.

Our walk leader now cautions us to stop,she's noticed a fast boat coming round the headland.

As it comes into view we can see it's the new Portpatrick Lifeboat.

The RNLI Tamar lifeboat is named after Dr John Buchanan Barr MBE, a distinguished GP who died in 2003 at the age of 93. During the war he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a captain and major, and saw action in North Africa with the 78th Division, for which he later received the MBE. After the war he returned to Glasgow to work as a GP.

Dr Buchanan Barr and his wife Catherine often visited Portpatrick and Catherine, who died in 2008 at the age of 98, requested that £2.6 million be left to the RNLI to pay for a new lifeboat for Portpatrick named after her husband, and carrying the inscription ‘He saved so many lives during the war.’

We think this may have been a training run.The Pilot or crew spotted us on the cliffs and sounding it's horn a number of times gave us a cheery hello.

As usual down this corner of Scotland we finished the walk in style with traditional farmhouse hospitality.

Walk report to follow here.

Overnight Snow 16th December 2011

2011-12-16T11:40:00.002Z

I was up early this morning.
I'd seen the snow coming down last night and I had a feeling we'd have a good downfall.
I was right in my assumption, we had 4 inches (10 cm) plus.
I thought I'd maybe get some good pictures before daybreak.
Here they are.

First view out of my back door

Along the Glebe

Down Princes Street

Old Station View

Postal Depot

A snowy bush

St Couan's and Old Station View

Georgewell Drive

Old Station View

Marie Curie Field

Snowplough on Barnkirk Road

Here's a clip of the snowplough and some traffic...

....entering the A75

An unaccountable eerie effect

Enjoy !

Updated the 19th of December
After breakfast I went out and took lots more pictures, a very small video clip and composed a panorama.
Here they are.

I thought I'd climb up to the telephone mast at the top of Barrhill Farm Woods.
Some youngsters were enjoying a bit of downhill.Their sleds were a bit makeshift.
Here's a short clip.

Cheerio boys,enjoy the fun.

It seems we got more snow than most other places since we made the national news.

Gaining height I can look back at my housing estate.
I can see my roof so I give a wave to Munchie and the Kid.(Honest !)

Nearly at the mast

Looking South

Newton Stewart below

I suppose the sheep can graze through the snow ?

Machermore Castle Care Home

Zooming in on Newton Stewart

A wee bird

Riverside views

A panorama of a snowy river Cree

Panorama of Snowfall in Scotland on CleVR.com

This is also fullscreen on Panoramia at

Snow in Scotland

A Black and White walk round Loch Trool

2011-12-14T13:33:00.000Z

Tuesday the 13th December 2011.
It's a dull cold and windy day.
I'm going to do an anti clockwise walk around Loch Trool from the Caldon's Car Park.
Today's pictures with the exception of one will be black and white to reflect the mood of the day.
There's not many people about today apart from workmen.The Loch Trool trail and the Water of Trool path are being upgraded.

A right click and 'Open in new tab' will allow you to read this information board.
Watch out for mad hairy Scotsmen rolling boulders downhill.

There's a fair flow of water today and signs of the high winds we've been having.

Across the loch, trees are being felled.
The fungi are shrivelling up.

The path is quite broken up and muddy.

Across the loch now stands the Fell of Eschoncan above Bruce's Stone.
Apart from a few small birds, I don't see much wildlife.

Looking east I see the Gairland Burn tumbling down.
(One or two of my early posts from 4 years ago mistakenly have this as the Glenhead Burn, I've much more 'Nous' geographically nowadays)
Benyellery has plenty of snow while Buchan Hill looks moody.

There's a light shining over at Glentrool Lodge.

Top picture of the above collage shows Benyellery again above the Buchan Burn.
Also in the picture is 'The Buchan' ,another picture later.
And the area towards the end of the loch known as Ringielawn

Another look across to the Fell of Eschoncan and another of the Gairland Burn.
It was about here a lady overtook me.I guess she was a seasoned hill walker as she was heading up Mulldonoch via White Bennan.
Also around this point was the Battle of Trool back in 1307.

So ! Here's a bit of colour.

After leaving the loch behind it's a short distance to the footbridge across the Glenhead Burn.

Now I'm turning back along the northern edge of the loch.As well as Mulldonoch I can see Bennanbrack and White Hill.
The SUW runs below those hills towards Loch Dee.

The beautiful Gairland Burn.Remember this my wee lassies ?
I wonder if it got it's name by the way it tumbles down like a Garland, or is it from the Gaelic 'Gearr' meaning short or from the old Scots 'Gair' meaning a colourful ribbon.Whoever named it will know, but i'd guess they'd be long gone by now.

Mulldonoch,I'd assume our lady climber was above the trees by now .I can't pick out any movement since I didn't bring along my binoculars.

I wonder if the Buchan has any visitors at this time of year.There's a hot tub in the conservatory, see here The Buchan Glentrool

Here the Buchan Burn tumbles towards the loch.

I'm up at Bruce's stone now.
I could have at least smiled on my self timed picture.

It's tarmac and mostly downhill now.The wind seems a bit colder.

I can count twelve chimneys down on Glentrool Lodge.Does anyone know different ?

Now I'm on level ground I can get glimpses of Lamachan and Larg Hills behind Cambrick and Craignaw.
The tree felling I saw from the other side is at Kenmure.

There's lots of lumps of snow along the roadside.I can amuse myself by imagining them as objects or creatures.I can see a polar bear in the above picture.

Here's a fine mix for the ark !

And I'm back at Caldons.

A cup of coffee and a catch up at 'Benyellery' sounds a good way to finish this nice walk.

And it was !

Wigtownshire Ramblers Mains of Penninghame-Carsegowan December 2011

2011-12-11T14:27:00.001Z

Back at the end of June I first visited Carsegowan.
I thought I'd posted my pictures from then.It looks like I was mistaken.I'll call it an age thing.So what I'll do on this post is include pictures from my June visit.

Since I was leading today's walk my mind wasn't on my camera and I never noticed a smudge on the lens.That'll be the reason for some hazy pictures then.So I'll also be using some of my fellow snapper Scoop's pictures as well.
The walk report will be after the imagery.

The Fishing Pond (Walk Start) back in June

Towards Wood Of Auchleand

Climbing White Hill (Scoop's Pics)

Climbing White Hill

White Hill and muddy descent (Scoop's Pics)

Auchleand Farm

View North West

Approaching Carsegowan

This video consists of photographs I took back in June

They show the wild flowers of the moss and woods

Billy the Honda Kid exploring the Magazine Roof

More pictures from Scoop

The big mushroom of the previous picture

Spot the young deer, I didn't !

June visit

First Snow and Kippy and Co

2011-12-05T20:34:00.001Z

Monday the 5th of December.
An enjoyable but sober Ramblers Christmas party yesterday.( I was driving the minibus)
My photo quiz was enjoyed by all ,some of the answers were very very entertaining !

Anyhow the forecast was for snow overnight and it duly came.

This was the view out my back window.

Plenty birds around the feeders.

It snowed on and off all morning so fresh footprints were often visible.
OK,the snow isn't deep,but I'm not sure about this young lady's footwear.

The traffic is moving at variable speeds.
Some drivers are ultra careful while others are just nut cases.

A hedge top looks photogenic so I snap it.

Apparently here at Dashwood Square earlier in the day,the traffic was at a standstill.

The chip shop seems busy.

I saw these gnomes in a garden,but I didn't like the background.Hence the enhancement.

Now a couple of 'Macro' shots.

When I lived in England, I had holly growing in my garden and I used to cut sprigs and leave them boxed outside at Christmas for anyone to take away.I certainly don't need to here in Galloway,there's an abundance of the seasonal leaf.

I love this picture, but isn't it an amazingly colourful view for December.

Friday afternoon was the official Christmas Lights switch on in Newton Stewart.Part of the entertainment was provided by a band who go by the name of
Kippy and Co

They can be found on Facebook here.
Kippy-and-co on Facebook

I took some video but my zoom microphone was playing up, however this performance of Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You came out ok.

I believe her name is Lindsey.She's got a great voice.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Stranraer Circular December 2011

2011-12-04T10:17:00.001Z

I will write an account of this walk later.
.....and here I am.
Saturday the 3rd of December 2011.
Sixteen walkers set out from the Breastworks Car Park in Stranraer for the walk.
It's a walk we've done a couple of times before.
January 2009
August 2009
Today's walk has been extended a little and will be ten miles.

A happy gang set out in a south easterly direction.It's the same start as we used for our last Castle Kennedy walk

We take the 'Approach and Ladies Walk' to reach the ruins of Culhorn House.

Here we join the Southern Upland Way which we'll follow to Knockquahassan Reservoir.

Birds and cattle were predominant throughout the walk.

I've photographed this old car a few times.I guess it's beyond repair now.

Ducks,Seagulls,Lapwings and Curlews were identified by our newest birder, a volunteer with the R.S.P.B
So as well as knowing the breeds of sheep,we should now have no problem with the flighted creatures.

Continuing along the SUW,we cross the major road of the A716,and the embankment of the old Portpatrick railway line.

A slight incline brings us up to Ochtrelure.
A farm with the same pronunciation keeps the local supermarkets well stocked.
Auchtralure Eggs

The Hillside Piggeries,( now a garage and poultry farm) and Greenfield came next.

On reaching Knockquhassan Reservoir a lunch break was taken.With a cold wind blowing, shelter was sought behind a drystone wall.

At this point we've left the SUW.

After lunch we ascend the small hill north of the reservoir....

..........this is the hill that gave my Ayrshire fellow blogger his nickname.This is Slewtrain Hill.
You can keep up to date with Slew on his blog here.
Ayrshire 'appenings

From the radio mast on Slewtrain it's downhill all the way to the Dindinnie reservoir.On the way we pass fields and pens of sheep and cattle and the working quarry adjacent to the reservoir.

Dindinnie farm comes next.We get glimpses of Loch Ryan now.

The new Stena terminal at Cairnryan is now operational and we see both the P & O and Stena Ferries.

A full zoom shows this to be one of the two new Superfast Series that have just recently arrived.
Interested in the technical details ? Look here Stena Superfast V11

Now back on tarmac we pass the water filter station and Auchneel to reach the A718 road.
We make straight for Loch Ryan's shore, keeping an eye open for wayward golf balls as we cross a part of the local links.

A short beach walk brings us to McCulloch Point where our leader again gives us a short history lesson.
Flocks of starlings are ducking and diving as we near the harbour.

I take a couple of pictures of the Lantic for Shorty who remembers the captain from some time back.

A long walk with a lot of road walking but with plenty to see and the weather was kind to us.

A Windy Day on Luce Bay

2011-11-28T12:23:00.001Z

High winds had stopped most of Scotland's ferry crossing on this day in late November 2011.I decided to take a run down to Luce Bay to take pictures and video.In no particular order the following are just some of the photographs I took.

Here's an edited video clip.Music is Knocknagow by the Celtic Fiddle Festival.

A bit cool,but a nice day for taking pictures and video.

I got my share of foam and sand.
I mostly use Youtube's own editor for my video's these days.They take my camera shake off nicely.