Wigtownshire Ramblers-Kirkdale to Skyreburn

It's Saturday the 7th of November 2009,and todays walk is a linear over three hills.
We park two cars at the end of the walk,then head back to the walk start at Kirkdale Bridge.
With showers forecast,and this being a hill climbing walk we're not expecting a big turnout.
Twelve of us set out.We begin by crossing Barholm Bridge,and the steady climb up towards Barholm Castle.

I've touched on Barholm Castle in a previous blog.It was a McCulloch stronghold,and reputedly the hiding place,albeit briefly, of the reformist John Knox.
We continue climbing,and once past the castle entrance take the farm track heading north.From here we're looking west where the historic sites of Cairnholy can be easily picked out.
Soon we leave the track and begin a steady climb eastwards.The showers become more frequent and persistent.
We're heading up Barholm Hill.As we gain height,we have views over Wigtown Bay and the Murray Isles.Rain clouds and shafts of lights from the sun make dramatic views.
There's no trig point or any real discernible peak,but it looks like we've reached the top.Barholm hill stands at 359 metres.
Now eastwards we see our next target,Ben John hill.
Is this a memorial to someone who walked these hills?,or maybe the gravestone of someones pet?.It's between Barholm and Ben John hills.
It's quite a steep tussocky climb up Ben John,so mini breaks are frequent.
And once on top of Ben John,all my pictures come out as silhouettes.Brilliant views though.
A few of the stones on the cairn have markings on them.The top left picture of this collage isn't to the memory of bawdy house proprietress,there's a small c in there somewhere making it McAdam.We have our first break just below the summit.There's another break scheduled later in the walk.
On the move again.There's no well trodden path up here,but the sheep and deer trails are worth following.We're heading into the next dip...
...between Ben John and Mill Knock.We're overlooking Fleet Bay and Sandgreen now.Cream o'Galloways wind turbine is prominent.
It's certainly an up and down walk.Out of the heather of Ben John and we're onto the tussocks of Mill Knock.We follow the drystane dyke along the top ridge.It's a bit of an effort to scale the dyke,but we all get over safely while leaving the dyke still standing.
Now we begin the descent of Mill Knock.Scoop one takes a picture of me taking a picture.Thanks for the pic Scoop.
Much like on Wednesdays recce,there's a very colourful rainbow.
Now we're overlooking Skyreburn and the Water of Fleet.This is our second scheduled break.The clouds became threatening again.
Descending Mill Knock was a carefully tread affair.The rain is now quite persistent and heavy.We've a swollen and muddy burn to cross.Somehow it doesn't make any difference,there's a real upbeat mood in the group.
After climbing through a tangly wiry gate we reach the stone triangle in front of Lagganmullan wood.Most folk think like i did on Wednesday that it's the work of an arty farmer.
Looking north towards Kenlum Hill,another rainbow appears.A shaft of sunlight accompanies it.
We're back on tarmac at the Lagganmullan road junction.Passing Skyreburn Mill and the converted Old School,It's a short walk alongside the burn to the cars.
After ferrying the drivers back to Kirkdale,two thirds of us patronized the Skyreburn Teapot for refreshments.I had coffee and toasted teacakes.
A very soggy but nonetheless enjoyable walk.