Wigtownshire Ramblers-Derry Farm to Bargrennan

Saturday the 28th June and todays walk is a linear 9 mile section of the Southern Upland Way.

Seventeen walkers today.We assemble at Bargrennan where we maximise car space for the run over to Derry Farm.

A bumpy pothole ride eventually gets us to our starting point at Derry Farm.
The cats eye us with some suspicion.

Walking through forestry to begin with our first point of interest is Polbae House looking quite neglected.This was once a house of some importance,and refurbishment is apparently in progress.

Here we debated which burn or river we were crossing over.
I was rather insistent that this was the Bladnoch.I was nearly right,this was actually the Polbae burn a few hundred yards from where it runs into the Bladnoch.I'm not going to open my mouth again till i know what i'm talking about.

A break here for the walk leader to point out an interesting item.

This is Tannielaggie whose claim to fame is the inclusion in the Scottish Women's Rural Institutes Jubilee Cookery Book for Tannielaggie Scones.Maybe i should get the recipe.

Passing Waterside the occupants are either into archery or wood carving.I'd suggest the latter there appeared to be more sliced tree sections.

This is the Bladnoch.

I can now say that without fear of contradiction.

Now we get nice views of the Galloway Hills.

Any similarity to the umpires chair at Wimbledon is purely coincidental.Thanks for the idea Scoop.

There are ongoing forestry operations here.I'd previously watched deer in this part of the forest.No doubt they managed to relocate,there's still plenty more trees.

Now we're approaching the hamlet of Knowe.Here again is an example of many a lost rural community throughout Scotland and Ireland.The census of 1861 shows this to be a thriving community with many large families.Occupations included Weavers,Blacksmiths,Dressmaker,Miller,Innkeeper and of course Farmers and Farm workers.There also appears to have been quite a number of Irish descent.Now,if you blink you'll miss it.

Here in Knowe around the Beoch Burn and bridge we stop for lunch.
Some pictures i took have mysteriously vanished.

Refreshed and rested,the next section of our walk is a one and a half kilometre rather soggy plod through mixed woodland.

Generally speaking the S.U.W is well signposted.

Once clear of the woods it's open country the rest of the way.

A kilometre or so of tarmac road brings us to this junction....

...time for a group picture.

Lovely views of Ochiltree Loch...

...as we climb the Hill of Ochiltree.Lots of landmarks and Galloway hills to be picked out and identified from here.

On the move again and the line of walkers sometimes becomes a little stretched.

There are lots of wild flowers and plants to be identified.

A few of these stiles allow the stragglers(myself included)to catch up.

There's still a lot of dark clouds around,but thankfully we're staying dry.

There's a Butter Cairn showing on the Ordnance Survey map.Could this be it?Not sure.

A herd of cattle looming up...

with a bull in attendance-he doesn't seem to be worried about us-probably got other things on his mind.

A moments rest before the next stile.

Lots of colourful flowering foxgloves all along todays walk.

The lambs are fairly growing now,but still in the need of mothers protection.

This will be the last stile beautifully built into the drystone wall.

And the last gate...

...before a short walk takes us over the river Cree and our walk is complete.
The car drivers aren't quite finished.They're being driven back to Derry Farm to collect the vehicles left there.

While we passengers enjoy some liquid refreshment and set the world to right.
Although i was tiring towards the end and with a painful left shoulder,todays was a thoroughly enjoyable walk.I'd recommend rambling to anyone.