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Friday, 31 October 2008

A change is gonna come.

There are very few artists who can do justice to a Sam Cooke original.

Listen here.
http://www.last.fm/music/Sam+Cooke/_/A+Change+Is+Gonna+Come

I've never been a Seal fan,but his version is brilliant.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_XjLafQUyUY
Watch here.

Garlies Castle

A recent walk through Knockman Wood took me to Garlies Castle.
I thought Halloween would be a good day to put these pictures up.

There are lots of deer about at the moment.

Lots of mature trees around here.

Since the castle goes back to the 15th century they could be a good age.

This is my first glimpse of Garlies.This was the ancestral home of the Stewarts,the Earls of Galloway.

Queen Mary visited Alexander Stewart here on 11 Aug 1563.
She probably came through this way,since it seems to be the main entrance.

A grand looking fireplace still stands...

...complete with ornate edging.

Here's a panorama of the lower level.The upstairs is all but gone.

Panorama of Garlies Castle (Lower Level) on CleVR.com


Have a look around.
It being halloween,i wonder if there'll be a rattling of chains here tonight.

Up the brae from the castle are lovely views of Cairnsmore of Fleet and the surrounding area.
It's a shame this place is eventually going to fall down.You'd think there'd be a preservation order on it.

Wednesday, 29 October 2008

Recce

Tuesday the 28th of October,and i'm on a recce for Saturdays walk.We're going up Knockdolian close to Ballantrae in South Ayrshire.These pictures are a taster for Saturday.

The chances are that the snow will be gone by Saturday,so this view of the Rhins of Kells range probably wont have their white caps on.

We had a snow shower while at the top.Beautiful views.

And here's a rarity.My walk leader gets me in the picture.
Looking forward to good weather for Saturday.

Rainbow

While out walking last week in the Minigaff-Cumloden area this lovely rainbow appeared.

We get our share of miserable grey days here,but we often get days like this where the weather enhances the views.

Just managed to get this before i had to seek shelter.

Sunday, 26 October 2008

Minnigaff and the Penkiln Burn

We had a bit of sunshine last Friday the 24th of October,so i decided to take a walk over to Minigaff and the Penkiln burn.

I headed past the museum where the old soldier remains on guard and on over the George V FootBridge, Old Minnigaff to Monigaff Parish Church.


There are some really old gravestones here.


This is the tomb of a son of one of the Earls of Galloway,who died in 1827 aged 54.
There's ruins behind this tomb of a pre-Reformation church on medieval foundations.


Here are generations of the well known and high ranking McKie family of Bargaly...


...and equally if not more well known,the Heron family of Bargaly.This is apparently a B listed monument.
Somewhere in the grounds,I'll look the next time, is a 900 year old Yew tree.


Here's a gathering of Murrays.
My fathers mother was a Murray,and there are quite a number in the area.I really should get some more work done on the family tree.I'll bet there's a connection somewhere.


Some of the pictures i stitch together give a different slant on the subject by distorting the images.This church isn't really bevelled as this picture shows.

Now i head along the Penkiln Burn to Queen Mary's bridge.


Here the Penkiln dives through the rocks and under the Bridge.


The burn mostly flows through one arch.Last week it flowed through them both.Another fine picture missed.

This is a favourite spot for artists.There's a couple from the mid 1800's in the museum.


And from the other side.


I've created these last few pictures using Autostitch.
This one's about right.


This is a six picture compilation.


And if i'd been able to match the burn here ? but i couldn't so never mind.

Saturday, 25 October 2008

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Cancelled Kirroughtree Walk Recce

Saturday the 25th October 2008.
High winds and heavy rain were forecast for today.
After conferring with fellow ramblers last night it was decided to cancel todays walk.
I headed to the start walk point to catch any walker who may not have got the message.
This was how it looked at Kirroughtree.

I've decided to blog the route anyway.The following pictures are from the reconnaissance of the route earlier this week and previous visits.
Recce
The pond at the entrance to Kirroughtree visitors centre.Pond dipping sessions are often held here,very popular with the kids.

This waterfall's close to the visitors centre.

This cairn was erected in 1997 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Galloway Forest Park. The cairn contains about 80 time capsules provided by community groups and local organisations.

Details of the contents are available at the visitors centres throughout the forest park as well as Newton Stewart public library.

Heading through the forest a view of Barhoise hill above Bargaly Farm.
The route now follows part of the Papy Ha trail down to the Palnure.


Poetry in the forest.

Quick Water

Pattern springs between alder trees
turns back to the wind at Tonderghie
down Grey Mare's Tail and Clugie Linn
falls pierce the mountain with their din
through a strip for cattle,Carseveige Burn
then the chattering one,the little Louran
along Barhoise with it's field of thistles
the yellow clearing where Blairbuis rustles
In paradise Bargaly hazelwood
grow nut and leafy branch and root
Under Bardrochwood field at the bridge
round Kirroughtrie's brindle ridge
between Muirfad Flow's long marsh
and the rich loop of Meikle Carse
clear Palnure,stream of the yew tree
winds to the fish trap Cruives o Cree


A very popular fishing spot.

Belted Galloways at Dallash.


A welcome moment on this bench.


The footbridge over the burn where we would have lunched.


Corwar farm.

A variety of Equus caballus, whose numerous varieties are called breeds. Before the advent of mechanized vehicles, the horse was widely used as a draft animal and riding on horseback was one of the chief means of transportation.

There's certainly a variety of breeds here.

A view of Craignelder i do believe.
More Dallash cattle.

'Once upon a time there was a little white bull'

The clouds come in and a buzzard circles.

Now at Bargaly farm-watch out ! the farmer specializes in bulls.


The falls at Bargaly bridge.

Once past Craignine and Little Park farm the path leads back into the visitor centre grounds.
There were a few other points of interest on the route which will have to wait for the next time.

Thursday, 23 October 2008

Red Squirrel Spotting

Now that i've been pointed in the right direction for the red squirrel in a previous post,i'm posting this picture taken less than half a second before.
The object of the exercize therefore is an easy one;find the squirrel.A doddle!
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Morning deer

Morning deer
is someone watching me