Wigtownshire Ramblers-Mullwharchar May 2010

It's Saturday the 29th of May 2010.
Todays walk is to Mullwharchar from the Backhill of Bush bothy.
It's an 8 mile rough forest road in around Clatteringshaws Loch from the main road to the bothy.We've needed four vehicles to convey todays walkers.I'm glad I wasn't in mine.I tend to get punctures too easily.

We total thirteen bipeds while Shep is our guest quadruped today.The weather is miserable.Various weather forecasts have been discussed and the general consensus is that the weather will improve early afternoon.I'm sticking with 4PM.
The bothy is in use by some quad bikers.There's been a problem with vandalism concerning the forest park bothies.People have been breaking up the furniture for firewood.Stop it !
(Thanks to Scoop for this picture and a couple more)
We begin by heading west along a boggy path.Spongy,tussocky and just plain swampy features for much of todays walk.
The Saugh is the first of a number of burns we cross.

Now we head over the Silver Flowe.This is one of Scotlands National Nature Reserves.
Rare dragonflies,butterflies and the carnivorous sundew plant can be found here.It's also part of Unescos MAB (Man and Biosphere programme)
SILVER FLOWE-MERRICK KELLS
and there's also a downloadable pdf from Scottish Natural Heritage at
Silver Flowe
This sign has been here quite a while.A knowledgeable rambler informs me that the Nature Conservancy was superseded by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1973.He's right.
Once across the Silver Flowe we head north under Dungeon Hill passing the Round and Long Lochs of the Dungeon.
The going gets a bit firmer as we gain a little height and reach Dungeon Stone.
I wonder how heavy this is ? Remembering my days on the docks and how small a fifty tonne rock looked, when someone suggested a hundred tonnes I had to suggest it might be more.This is going to be at least one thousand tonnes.
Reaching Dry Loch (Strange name for a loch...maybe it's something like County Antrims 'Vanishing Lake'that reacts to the aquifers and water table levels) we take a break for a photo shoot...
...and Scoop get positioned for the perfect picture!


Now we begin heading north westwards through Brishie. This is the passage round Dungeon Hill to Mullwharchar via the Pulskaig Burn.


Below and to the north the burn known as Gala lane meanders it's way through the Silver Flowe towards Loch Doon.
The slopes are becoming more severe now.I'm back in my regular position towards the rear.
Now we're on the Loch Enoch side of Mullwharchars slopes.The weather doesn't look like picking up, just occasionally it eases slightly.I think I've probably mentioned before that Loch Enoch is the largest stretch of water at this height in the UK.
I have company for the last stretch to the summit.Mind you this senior citizen can give me seven years.I expect my hill climbing will improve with age.Ha ha
We drop below the summit for lunch.A few umbrellas are raised including a small one of my own.What a good idea.


Occasionally there's a break in the cloud and we get a view of lochs Maceterick and Doon.
We have a long enough break today.With views at a premium, todays group would rather not tarry.I get in the group picture.
Todays walk leader is a seasoned hill climber and has a route via Loch Enoch back.
As we round the slopes of Craignairny, Loch Neldricken comes into view. I need to come back in better weather for a great panorama of both Neldricken and Enoch.
We keep a good height on Craignairny's rocky slopes till we overlook Dungeons lochs.
Thanks to Scoop for the above pictures.Shep looks fairly 'Drookit'.
Now we reach the cairn at the Nick of the Dungeon.
It's a very careful descent back to the area between the Round and Long lochs.Craignaws rocky slopes tower over us.
As we retrace our steps back over the burns and the Silver Flowe, water levels seem to have risen.It's 4PM and the sun makes a very hazy appearance.It's short lived though and it soon clouds over again.
Once back at the cars, wet gear is stowed away while the midges start to bite.
It's been a good solid walk,just a shame about the weather.Lots of good company as usual though.We're a very friendly group.

The day wasn't quite over though, I shouldn't have mentioned punctures.We had to stop at Talnotry's car park to change one. Sorry !

Garlieston to the Isle of Whithorn May 2009

Friday May the 28th 2010.
It's a clear sunny day,so a pre planned walk with a couple of ramblers looked good.

There'll be three of us walking today, myself, Slewtrain and the Station Master.

I've blogged this walk and sections of it fairly regularly over the last few years so the pictures will suffice today.
Occasionally windy, but most of this walk was done in sunshine.It's a great coastline.As well as the Isle of Man,we could pick out individual Cumbrian mountains today.
There were a few herons on the route.This one allowed me a take off picture.
A colourful view over to Cruggleton Castle.Although we had a short break at Cruggleton,this is the only picture I took of it today.
Bluebells and wild garlic were predominant today,though many other species bloomed as well.
Below Cruggleton where we took a break,this lone cormorant has the company of several seagulls.
Scaffolding has been erected around the remains of Cruggleton Castle.It's possible that my prediction of it's imminent collapse might have been premature.
A moving tractor and a rotating wind turbine are magically frozen in time with the help of digital technology.The wind turbine has been erected since we were last this way.
Here's just a few of the farm animals we encountered.
Remote,Restored,Ruined
This lovely flower was growing at the side of the road near the Isle of Whithorn.I can't seem to find it in my wild flower catalogue.
Maybe someone can identify it and let us know.
A very enjoyable walk gentlemen,thank you for your company.

Reuchal

Here's a panorama from a recent visit to Colmonell.

Panorama of Reuchal from Wheeb Hill on CleVR.com

View north and east from the trig point at NX172838 Wheeb Hill near Colmonell.From the top of Ailsa Craig peering over the mast on Knockormal Hill to the Galloway Hills.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Anwoth May 2010

It's a beautiful morning on this the 22nd day of the month of May in the year 2010.
Today we're repeating a circular walk we did last August.
August 2009 Walk

We're a group of 15 walkers as we gather at Anwoth church.The weather's in complete contrast to how last August's walk started.

Anwoth's Old Schoolhouse has been a private residence for a good number of years,but looks full of character.It was once the home of the renowned artist GPH Watson and his wife Dolly Watson,and oft visited by their friend William Caldwell Crawford another artist of renown.
As we head through bluebell strewn Killiegowan Wood,much bird sound is heard.One wren is particularly noisy,perhaps alerting others to our passage through the woods.

Out of the woods we've a short walk on the north bound old military road.We turn left at Pulcree Cottage and a steady incline brings us to Ornockenoch Loch.It's becoming a very warm day for May.Those walkers with two piece leggings divest themselves of the lower half,while other walkers roll up their trousers.A knobbly knee contest was suggested,but quickly abandoned when it was realised that there could only be one winner (On the right bottom right of the above collage).

There's a number of geese along the loch shore.They appear unimpressed with our passage.Now here at the entrance gate to Ornockenoch we take a right fork onto rough track.
I've mentioned Mount Pisga in previous blogs.It's to our right here.
Heading towards Upper Rusco we now get a clear view over to the Clints of Dromore,the Cairnsmore of Fleet nature reserve and it's visitors centre.
Upon reaching Upper Rusco we head south on a long undulating (though mainly upwards) forest road.
Reaching the end of the forest road,the mine workings at the bottom of Kenlum Hill is where we'll lunch.The water in the mine is at a fairly low level today giving walkers a chance to explore.
The mine goes in some 70 or 80 feet.There's one short branch off,It's about 10 feet long.There's quite an amount of calcium deposits being formed.This mine is mentioned in Scotlands Places.
Kenlum Mine
Is that a sweaty miner emerging?

After an interesting lunch break it's a short distance to the drystane dyke that we'll follow up to the top of Kenlum Hill.I mentioned previously the steepness of this climb,not everyone bounded to the summit.
At roughly a thousand feet up,it's not one of the bigger hills round these parts,but on a cloudless day like today it's fabulous.

I get in the picture....spot the new hat !
Now comes the descent to Kingslaggan farm.There's great views over to the Fleet and Carrick Shore from here.Ardwall Island's in this picture.We'll hopefully be walking over to it in a fortnight's time.

One kinda odd thing I've noticed in my time walking with the ramblers,is that not all those good climbers are as good at descending.Descent is my forte,It's never really bothered me.That's not really true,but it'll do today.I wonder what purpose this great block of concrete was built for.
After a break at Kingslaggan we now head south-east on the old military road.There's colour everywhere.
Looking back,we get a fuller view of Kenlum.
Considering how little rain we've had recently,there's quite a lot of water and mud about on this track.A look at the terrain on Google Earth shows many a boggy patch around here,so that'll explain it.
Arriving back in colourful Anwoth, a few of todays walkers explored the old churchyard where...
...this covenanters memorial was located.
An excellent walk in excellent weather with excellent company.'nuff said.

N.B. There may be more added to this posting. Scroll Down for additional pictures provided by Scoop.(I feature in a couple, but don't let that put you off.)

Addendum.
The walk leaders report follows.She knows and remembers so much more detail than I do.

Ramblers walk Saturday 22nd May.

The ramblers’ walk this week was taken in glorious sunshine on the first really hot day we have had. 15 members set off from Anwoth church to be overwhelmed by a blue haze from the bluebells in Killiegowan woods. The scent and sight of the flowers were breathtaking, rolling away beneath the newly greened trees as far as the eye could see. Other spring flowers along the path added to the enjoyment; there were wood avens, stitchwort, violets and ground elder, whilst the smart green swords of yellow flags in the ponds gave a hint of the glory still to come.

The road was followed for a while forking off to reach Ornochenock and passing another wood, this time floored with the white stars and unmistakable smell of wild garlic. A field of dandelion clocks shimmered in the sunshine and half grown ducklings were surprised on the loch where the party rested, whilst some members unzipped the legs of their trousers to take full advantage of the sunshine and walk in shorts.

The next stage of the walk took a path through fields and a lane, leading onto the forest road through Rusco wood. The views were constantly changing as height was gained with the Clints of Dromore and Cairnsmore to the north and Castramont and Dalmalin Hills to the east.

Walking gently uphill all the way the lunch spot was reached by the side of a drift mine which members viewed with the aid of torches. This was a perfectly excavated forked tunnel with good head height, hewn from the solid rock. It surpassed fifty feet in length,with one short passage off to one side.Perhaps an unsuccessful exploration for a mineral vein,or perhaps they'd extracted all they required.

A short but steep ascent to the top of Kenlum was slowly made, with many stops to admire the expanding views over the sea, to the hills, and looking down onto Gatehouse far below. The breeze at the top was very welcome and the new panorama to the west was greatly admired. Kenlum is only 300metres high but it is a wonderful viewpoint, looking over to Cairnharrow, Cambret Hill and the Corse of Strakes Road.

The way now led down to King’s Laggan and back to Anwoth via the Old Military Road , with more bluebells to admire. The sometimes muddy track ended by the beautiful gardens of the clachan where Rutherford ’s ruined church was explored and the Covenanter’s table grave found, opposite the gate. The cars were regained by a tired but happy group of ramblers after a very hot five and a half hours.

Next week’s walk is a strenuous 10mile jaunt from Backhill of Bush to Mullwhachar. Meet for car sharing at the breastworks Stranraer 9am, Riverside Newton Stewart 9.30 am or at Backhill o’Bush 10am. For more details please phone walk leader 01671 820527. New members will be made very welcome.