Wigtownshire Ramblers-Knockdolian 2009

It's Saturday the 28th of November.I'm leading todays walk.It's virtually a repeat of one we did in November 2008.
Knockdolian 2008

I've written the press report for this walk,so i'll be using most of that for this blog.

Fifteen walkers met at the car park in Ballantrae overlooking the bay.
There was a slight chill in the air,with just a few scattered clouds.
The Mull of Kintyre looks no more than a stone's throw away.
I've slightly doctored the registration number on this BMW,but it just as near read 'Reaper'.Who owns a car like this.? Could it be an undertaker with a sense of humour.
Heading out of the village the first point of interest was the ruins of the 15th century Ardstinchar Castle,where the walkers learned a little of it's history and of a visit by Mary,Queen of Scots in 1563.


They now followed the road running alonside the River Stinchar.
The Stinchar valley is well known for it's breeding bird community,and buzzards,grey herons,greenfinches and pheasants were among those spotted on the outward walk.

Continuing north east they passed the ruins of a large residence at Balnowlart,which some walkers speculated may have once been a shooting lodge belonging to the Earl of Stair.

Passing Macherquhat and Finnarts cottage they now left the road and began the ascent of Knockdolian.At 265 metres it's not a big hill,but very steep on three sides.Varying degrees of fitness between the walkers created a well stretched line up to the summit.As height was gained the views east along the unspoilt river valley opened up.With frequent stops to catch ones breath,lots of time was afforded to admiring the views.
I intend to suggest climbing Knockdolian again in 2010,but possibly starting from Colmonell and taking a route up from the Lime Kilns on the north side.
The leader points out something.(Thanks for the pic Scoop)
A few of todays blog pictures are from Thursday when i did the recce with the deputy walk leader.Due to unforeseen circumstances i've a new deputy walk leader today.



Eventually the summit was reached by all walkers,and time was taken to identify many of the landmarks in view.Ireland,the Mull of Kintyre,Holy Island and Arran were picked out as was Turnberry Lighthouse and a murky Ardrossan and Irvine.Down on the North Rhins the Corsewall lighthouse was flashing and the regular ferry traffic was turning into Loch Ryan.
The three wise men wonder which way is East.
Ailsa Craig.
Reluctantly the walkers began the descent.Finding shelter from the wind in a rocky outcrop they stopped for lunch.
Here they overlooked Colmonell,the Iron Age Duniewick Fort,and the Knockdolian Estate.Knockdolian House is a large mansion built in 1842 for the MacConnels,and now the property of the Duchess of Wellington.
Duniewick Fort was atop the rocky outcrop in the centre of this picture.

After lunch the descent continued over a harvested Kale field,through some boggy patches and a burn.A lot of fun ensued as the group crossed a difficult high barbed wire fence and a muddy gateway.
There was a really good atmosphere amongst todays walkers.The fun we all had crossing the fence and gate bolstered that mood even higher.An unpublishable photo by Scoop was produced later.
An ornate brick archway built into the hillside was spotted.One intrepid walker hacked through gorse and bracken to discover it contained a water tank.
Now the walkers were back on the road just above the ruins of the 16th century tower house Knockdolian Castle.Todays walk would have seen the group walking through the estate had there not been a shoot taking place.
Coming upon the beaters truck,pleasantry's were exchanged.The walkers were told it hadn't been the most productive of shoots.A fox was spotted amongst the bag of pheasants.
Now they headed down to the Stinchar for the return to Ballantrae.Here they encountered the Ghillie who'd just collected more of the bags.He explained it had been too clear a day,drizzle and mist were the best conditions for shooting.

Continuing past the fishermen's huts which are dotted along this stretch of the river,dippers and more grey herons were spotted.
Crossing a stile,the next stretch of the river is a narrow path through the woods which come right down to the riverside.The recent storms and spate have had an effect,and great care is taken to avoid fallen branches and washed up debris.
This sign is surely proof that the world is shrinking.
With the condition of the riverbank deteriorating the group rejoin the road opposite Macherquhat.They follow this for the next couple of kilometres,before rejoining the riverside for the last stretch back into Ballantrae.
Another view of the ruined building at Balnowlart.Perhaps a reader of this blog can throw some light on it's history.

As we near the completion of our walk,the sun begins to lower in the sky.It's been a good walk.
With spectacular views and the first dry walk for some time,tea and cake at the garden centre cafe finished of a very rewarding day.
On Thursday's recce this was the last view.

I think the walk went well.
Hopefully the fellow rambler who sent me this email won't mind it's reproduction here.
Thank you for a fabulous walk today! We were SO lucky with the weather, I can't remember when we last had the walk, views, weather, laughter and great company all together in such huge brilliant proportions on a Saturday! It all added up to a memorable day. Isn't life fantastic?

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Drannandow Circular 2009

Saturday the 21st of November,and todays walk is a circular around the Moor of Drannandow.It's overcast as we park at the walk start.The forecast isn't a good one.

Thirteen intrepid walkers today.Our walk begins at the lower end of the Wood of Cree and takes us in a north easterly direction through Drannandow Farm.We've had a lot of rain recently,so the burns are tumbling well.
This walk is popular with antiquarians,since there's a lot of cairns,chambers and standing stones close by.With the weather turning worse all the time we wont see many of them.
Drannandow
Just past the interestingly named 'Washing' burn,we see this very artistically shaped sheepfold.
There are 15 gates on this walk.We stop occasionally at some of them.The first half of this walk is a steady climb from about 30 metres to 250 metres.
There are signs of activity over in the forest.A supposedly disused quarry by Craigenteasy has a working machine with its lights on.
Now we're on level ground,and the well known 'Nappers Cottage' is just ahead of us.I didn't know about it before this walk,but i'm reliably informed it's well known.
It's really bucketting it down as we enter for lunch.The fact it still has a roof affords us welcome shelter.I personally think that remote buildings such as this deserve some basic renovation.Since it's so popular with antiquarians,maybe they should shell out for some new timbers.
Just a few yards from the cottage,this chambered cairn explains why 'Nappers Cottage' is well known.With the weather like it is,none of todays walkers are interested in a detour to the 'Thieves' standing stones,or the stone circle further on.
It poured down for the last third of the walk.Not a lot of notice was taken of the surrounding countryside,but as usual the group remained very upbeat.As the old saying goes 'In the face of adversity......'
I need to do this walk on a good day.It'll be very interesting then.

Galloway Forest Park

It's Tuesday the 18th of November here in Galloway.
Isn't it great news that we've got 'Dark Sky' status.The only one outside the USA.

But of course there's more than just trees in the forest park.
We've some wonderful stretches of water.Here's some i've photographed this last week.This is Loch Grannoch,i took a walk up there today.
On my way to Loch Grannoch,this view back to Clatteringshaws Loch.
A nicer sky on Thursday saw me taking a hike to the Loch of the Lowes.
This is the Old Mill Dam at Glenamour,but it's affectionately known as Little Glenamour Loch

Over the treetops is Craignelder on the left,and Cairnsmore of Fleet on the right.
And one of our resident feathered friends keeps one eye peeled.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Glenapp to Stranraer Coastal 2009

Saturday the 14th of November 2009.
Todays walk is fairly new and is the Lochryan coastal path from Glenapp to Stranraer.
We're meeting at the Stena Car Park in Stranraer.I get a lift over with a fellow rambler.
I'm kind of cheating with todays blog.As i've done previously when i've written the press report,i've just copied and pasted sections of the write up to my blog.
A wet and windy morning saw thirteen ramblers board the 9.55 to Ayr bus at Port Rodie.They disembarked at Glenapp Church,the walk start.

Opened on the 7th of August 2009 and known as the Lochryan coastal path,this eleven mile walk joins up with the Ayrshire coastal path and is an initiative of the Rotary Club of Stranraer.
The walk traverses the estates of Glenapp and Lochryan.

A steady climb saw the walkers gaining height till they were able to look back down to Glenapp Church and the rhododendrons on the opposite hill.
There are ten information boards along the route highlighting present and historic points of interest,the first one being the story of Elsie Mackay.
Elsie Mackay, was the third daughter of the 1st Earl of Inchcape, and was killed in 1928 when her plane crashed while attempting to make the first east to west crossing of the Atlantic.
The rhododendrons at one time spelled out the name 'Elsie'.Now overgrown, there's a rumour that the 4th Earl of Inchcape,Kenneth Peter Lyle Mackay may have the name back in glorious colour .

Now as the path levelled out they crossed the March Burn and headed onto Haggstone Moor.
Overlooking Finnarts Bay.

Although the weather was occasionally wet and blustery,views opened up across to the North Rhins and Northern Ireland.Torr Head and Fair Head on the Antrim Coast were picked out,as was the chimney of Kilroot power station in Belfast Lough.The outline of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre could just be made out.
This would be a trickle in the summer.
The view over to Altygunnach Glen.Note the Doo'cot.

The regular sailings of Stena and P & O ferries were a dominant feature of this walk.

Crossing the Alqhit Burn and the Old Park of the Gleick they reached the Galloway Burn.This marks the county boundary of Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.
Due to the recent rain,most of the burns were in spate and crossing them required care and attention.Many of them had stepping stones,but often the water flowed over them.Luckily most walkers had good waterproof boots.One unlucky walker managed a sit down,luckily in the shallow end.

A steady incline fetched them to the top of Little Laight Hill,where beside the well preserved WWII gun site, is a standing stone – the “Taxing Stane”, said to commemorate the murder in Glenapp in 741 AD of Alpin, King of the Scots of Dalriada.


We've been here before,back on April the 18th.
Finnarts Bay Cairnryan walk-April 2009

Here's a view of some sheep...Oh! and some lovely ladies.

Next they began to descend on the Old Coach Road passing the remnants of the military camp.
There was a substantial troop detachment here.All along this coastline are remnants of bygone days.
Wikipedia-Cairnryan

On reaching the woods at Lairds Hill ,lunch was taken.
Here the walk leader and deputy passed round and read out newspaper cuttings with reference to Dumfries and Galloway councils over the top concerns regarding health and safety on this route.

Lunch and laughter over the walkers headed down the Bonny Braes looking towards the Lochryan lighthouse,built in 1847 by Alan Stevenson, uncle of Robert Louis Stevenson.

Now they reach Cairnryan where the information board explained some of the naval history of the port.For a period after the war the port was used to load redundant ammunition into barges for dumping at sea. Later ship-breaking became the main industry and many well known RN ships including HMS Valiant, HMS Eagle, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Bulwark were broken up.
The ramblers stop to admire this interesting graveyard enclosure.
Two Stena ferries pass,as the P and O prepares to embark.

Passing the ferry terminal the group then rejoined the path along the shore.

The sun appears.

Reaching Leffnol Point and the ruins of railway buildings and sidings,one of the senior walkers recalled the days when the Cairnryan Military Railway was at it's peak and hundreds of carriages ran up and down the lines.
Leffnol point was also the start of a medieval earth and stone boundary wall, called the "Diel's Dyke" and ran through the Galloway Hills, to Annan.

Upon reaching the Beoch burn the walkers reached an insurmountable obstacle-the burn was too heavy in spate to be crossed.

This meant a detour back towards Leffnol to join the A77,which they then followed to Dalminnoch.Here overlooking Rock McGibbon a short break was taken before starting the last section of the walk.

The path now heads over fields towards Innermessan.I seem to get at least one rainbow a walk these days.

Below on the shoreline stand the ruins of a shipyard dating from WWI,kept in use until the 1950s.

Reaching Innermessan the group learn from the information board that it's one of the oldest recorded sites in the district.

The motte which is located on a pudding-shaped hill was built in Norman times as the base for a wooden fortification to control the local population.

Now the walkers head back to the A77 and join the footpath running alongside.This takes them to the picnic area at Low Balyett where the shore path is then rejoined.

The sun is now low in the sky,the tide is out.There's a fair variety of birds on Lochryan.Among those spotted were a heron,herring gulls,noisy oystercatchers,and a variety of swans including a black one(It's probably not a black swan,more likely just a late developer,but it'll do for the papers).
At Bishop Burn bridge the path along the sea wall takes the group back to the ferry terminal and the walk end.
The weather improved on the latter half of the walk.With long spells of sunshine,wonderful views and very informative information boards,this was a very satisfying walk.It's likely to become very popular.