Wigtownshire Ramblers-Garlies Castle

It's Saturday the 10th of January,and the forecast isn't good.It's a windy,dull overcast day,and we're supposed to get rain later.Let's hope it stays away till the walk's finished.
There's a good gathering in the riverside car park,and i'm pleased to see some folk who i'll call the 'Glentrool Gang' here as well.I got to know the Glentrool Gang through my original Youtube channel.Welcome to the ramblers,it's great to get to know you all.
There's a total of nine guest walkers today,swelling our ranks to 28 walkers,with 2 canines.
Todays walk is to Garlies Castle,and the walk start will be at the Knockman Wood car park.As usual with this happy group we car share whenever possible and today's no different.

After a brief outline of the route by the walk leaders,we head back to the entrance to Knockman Wood,back towards Minigaff and then down to the Queen Mary Bridge on the Penkiln Burn.
(I'm using some 'Bloggers License' today in uploading some pictures i'd taken previously.Hopefully this will help brighten up todays page)

I've blogged some pictures around here before,and you can see that blog here.
The Penkiln Burn

This is a picture from that actual blog.An original mill wheel still exist in here.
No matter how dull the day is it's always a joy to look around here.
After a while though it was time to move on,and we set off following the track running alongside the burn.

Practically all the ground we cover today was originally part of either the Cumloden or Garlies Estate and all belonging to the Earls of Galloway.Nowadays much of the land and houses have been sold off.This is a copy of an old postcard showing the Penkiln burn and Cumloden House,it's opposite here that our track veers to the north.We've a bit of a muddy track to negotiate.

A break is taken to allow us backmarkers to catch up.

Judging by the number of smiling faces,the dullness of the day hasn't dampened the spirit.

A little further on and we reach Garlies Castle.I haven't done a lot of research,but the first mention of Garlies i found in the peerage, is Sir John Stewart of Dalswinton and Garlies who was the son of Sir William Stewart and Isabel Oliver.He died circa 1419/20, killed in action.His son another Sir Williams is said to have resided at Garlies.
The Stewarts were prolific breeders and fighters,and a look through the pages of the peerage paint a frenetic picture of life for the gentry back in the 14th and 15th centuries.Sir John Stewart of Dalswinton and Garlies

We'll have lunch here,but first i'm elected to read out some of the info i've collated.I wonder if anyone took in a word i was saying.It's been a while since i addressed a group.It's thought that the castle was built in the 12th century,but was expanded circa 1500.

This is a panorama i'd done previously.This is the link to it on CLeVR.Garlies lower level

Lunch over and we're rising gently through these lovely mature trees.

Here above the castle was once a thriving community.Now just piles of stones,one can visualize how it must have looked at one time.

This from Creevalley.com
'The deer park, with its high stone dyke, was established by General Sir William Stewart in 1824. The castle dates from the 12th Century, although it was expanded in 1500. Close by the castle there are a number of early ferme touns and corn kilns; Clauchrie (NX412681) Glenmallach (NX428690), Closy (NX419693) and Knockbracks (NX424647)'
This then would have been the 'Ferme Toun'(Farm Town) of Closy.

Now we retrace our steps for a couple of kilometres before turning back northwest into Knockman Wood at Pheasant Liggat.I did a musical photostory in Knockman Wood last year.See what you think at Knockman Wood

Close to what was another old settlement,a Corn Kiln has been given a makeover.

A description of it's workings is given by one of todays walk leaders.

Behind these fine gentlemen,the rectangular area cleared by the forestry is the area of the settlement,which going by the grid reference from Creevalley.Com would be Clauchrie.

Time for me to try a 'people panorama'.

Now we head north,and deeper into Knockman doing a semi circle to reach the ruins of this chambered cairn.

We're now heading south.The deer are keeping well camouflaged today.We join the forest road just down here,this is the last section today.

Back at the car park a ramblers pedometer reads out 7.2 miles.As one certain rambler would say 'A walk in the park'.
We've beaten the rain-5 minutes after getting home it rained.
A very pleasant walk in very pleasant company.

N.B
It may have been noticed by some blog readers that picture quality has suffered since i started this blog.
It has.
The reason is,i have to reduce picture size before uploading.I have a 1 Gigabyte allowance on Picasa Web Albums,and want to keep blog archives going as long as possible.At the size i now upload to the blog,i won't need to delete older archives until late on this year.Thank you for your understanding in this matter.Honest!