Wigtownshire Ramblers-Garlick Hill

It's Saturday the 16th of May,and the weather forecast isn't a very good one.For that reason,i'll use one or two pictures i took on Tuesday's recce.I'll leave it to blog readers to decide where i've used photographic license.

Twenty three ramblers gather for todays circular walk up Garlick Hill.We're starting from Auchinleck Bridge.

One of our most regular canine friends,Curly,is joining us today.

We're along forest roads to begin with.First half a kilometre west,then north along Queens hill for a couple of kilometres.I'm not sure what our walk leader was describing here,but it must have been big!.
Now leaving the forest road we begin a zig-zag westwards and upward.

There's a nice view of Auchinleck below us.

The going's steady enough...
...this was previously forest,and there's lots of old wood to contend with.

Gaining height and reaching the slopes of Benera,the wind strengthens.We've been out in worse weather than this,but it always amazes me how upbeat the group are.

Behind us,the Cree meanders it's way out into Wigtown Bay.

Reaching this drystane dyke,we're heading north again.

To the north and east is a patchwork of forestry colour,with the peak of Curlywee prominent.

Bog and tussocks underfoot,but there's still lots of colour down there.

Now almost at the summit,with Risk farm in the foreground,an even more open view of the Cree valley.


Now at the summit it's a fairly quick photo call,we'll have lunch somewhere more sheltered.
Garlick hill may not be one of the highest or most popular of the Galloway hills,but for all round views it takes a lot of beating.
The sun was too hazy for good pictures on the recce-today we have the problem of cloud.
On Tuesdays recce we could see north west to Ailsa Craig and the Mull of Kintyre,south to the Isle of Man,and all points west.

Just below the summit and out of the wind is where we take lunch.We even had the sun break the clouds for thirty seconds or so.Heather makes a lovely bed.

Lunch over too soon,we're heading south down a precarious forest ride.We're heading for the forest road in the middle of this picture which will take us back to Auchinleck.

Now on terrafirma,and with Garlick just a wee brae behind them,the group take another breather.

It's forest road all the way back now,but there's still lots to see.You won't see rocks like these in many cities.

The Black burn tumbles it's way down to join up with the Glenshalloch burn.

Into the forest we take another short break to allow the group to close up.

We're still heading south as Glenshalloch and Risk farms come into view.
Here at Glenshalloch we take the left fork eastwards again.

Now here below Glenshalloch hill is our last point of interest,Murdochs cave.
Our walk leader has worked out fairly precisely where the cave should be.
I seem to think i've mentioned Murdoch's cave in a previous blog,but i'm not sure under what label.
I've looked for the cave before,but without success.It seems others have failed as well.Murdochs Cave

But we have found something manmade,and it's possibly the entrance.
In the top picture,obscured by the undergrowth is a wall of six or eight alternate upright stone slabs.Perhaps a knowledgeable reader can shed some light on it.

With cave exploration coming to nothing,it's just a short walk back to the cars.
Even with the inclement weather most walkers declare the walk a good one.
I know i enjoyed it.