Loch Maberry and the Bladnoch

A while back someone suggested i should do a YouTube feature on the River Bladnoch from Loch Maberry to it's outlet at Wigtown Bay.Yesterday i thought i'd make a start by taking a few pictures.

Loch Maberry lies on the Ayrshire,Dumfries and Galloway border.
I began my walk at Barloch Wood heading south on the eastern side of the loch.

Behind me as I set of was a lovely view over to the Galloway Hills with Loch Dornal in the foreground.

Plenty of lovely views of the loch including a fish watching heron.Doesn't sound right that does it.Maybe the fish were watching the heron,but what i meant was the heron was looking for his dinner.

Barloch Wood is coniferous with the occasional deciduous patch.

This ford in the track appears to be the first easily accessible part of the river.

The track now passes Drumshalloch Loch nearly covered in lily pads.

After a short walk from here,the track turns south and rejoins the river.

For the next few hundred yards the river becomes a series of deep and wide pools and a myriad of riverside plants and insects.

I decide to stop for a coffee here.It really is beautiful and although there are lots of midges around they're not bothering me.
There's been no significant rain for a few days.I think staying close to the river could be difficult when wet,but at the moment it's up to taking my weight.
Eventually the river narrows and becomes shallow again and here i start back the way i've come.

This lovely creature allowed me to take a couple of pictures,but didn't like the look of the video camera.He or she could certainly get some height bounding into the trees.This whole walk reminds me of walking in Swan Hills Alberta.The only thing missing is the beaver dams and the moose.
Back at the car,i head back down the B7027 and turn along the unclassified road that is part of the Southern Upland Way.

Here just past Waterside farm at the Tannylaggie Bridge I take a few more pictures of the Bladnoch heading south.
A couple probably about the same age as me are walking the Southern Upland Way.They've got from Castle Kennedy to here and are stopping for the night at Knowe.I hope it stays good weather for the rest of their walk.I might just take up the challenge sometime.