Wigtownshire Ramblers-Damnaglaur August 2010

It's Saturday the 14th of August 2010 and todays walk is in the South Rhins.
It's a circular starting at Damnaglaur near Drummore.
We covered much of what we're doing back in January on the first walk of 2010.
January Walk
There are 16 of us as we begin the walk with a tour of our walk leaders garden.
Since we are covering much of the ground we covered in January,I'll keep the dialogue short and I'll also insert the walk report when I receive it.
We're going down Kildonan Glen and Glenlee
It's life Jim!

We're now heading east.Here we're overlooking Luce Bay with the Machars across the water.

This was once the primary school just outside Drummore.Now a private house with a colourful garden.
It's a great day weather wise.

Kirkmaiden Churchyard & Cemetery.
Info

At Curghie Bridge four of the group take a little shortcut...

...while the rest of us head past this standing stone.

Heading west again.Alongside runs the Pulwhinrick Burn.

Here at Clanyard Castle we rejoin the wayward group.There's quite a descriptive account of Clanyard here
House of Gordon,Virginia

We now head along the interestingly named Glen of the Hole,before branching south along a farm track.This looks like it's going to be an interesting dwelling.Apparently the conical front section will be all glass.They'll have views over both coastlines.

We stop for lunch just below Inshanks Fell.Do you think this could have made the front cover of 'Hello' magazine !

Back on the move again.I'm not sure why Scoop's goosestepping.

We're back on tarmac for the final stretch.This moggy came down to say hello.

That's not rhubarb bottom left above.It's Gunnera manicata or Gunnera tinctoria and it likes boggy ground.
Back at Damnaglaur we're treated to tea,coffee,cakes and biscuits.
Wonderful Scoop !

There's some lovely goldfish here.

It's been a lovely walk in the rolling countryside of the South Rhins.

To be updated


Below is the beautifully descriptive report of the walk from the deputy walk leader.

Rambler’s walk Saturday August 14th 2010

A gloriously sunny day enticed 16 ramblers out on Saturday for a circular coast to coast walk starting at Damnaglaur, Drummore. The route began with a leisurely inspection of the beautiful garden of the leader for the day, then on up the road to take the path past High Kildonan to the old school road. The views from here were magnificent across Luce Bay to the Galloway hills and south to the Mull and the Isle of Man. School road was followed to the Old Kirk and here the party split with some lingering in the churchyard whilst others strode on down the glen road and over fields to Kilstay. Again the views were wonderful and an old standing stone was admired keeping lonely vigil on the hill.
The party in the churchyard inspected the graves of seamen from the Rio Verde torpedoed in 1918 off Crammag Head. The captain and 19 crew members were lost; five of the bodies washed ashore are buried here. Alongside is a memorial which marks the loss of the Rio Verde and the Main, a merchant ship sunk by a U-boat in Luce Bay in 1917.This wreck was salvaged in 1919 and whilst repairs were being carried out in Drummore harbour was a great attraction for local visitors. Money raised by them boarding the steamer, paid for this memorial.
The road now taken to Low Currochtrie was approached by the main party via Sandy Point . A farm track to High Currochtrie and the road to Castle Clanyard was the next stage of the walk. The remains of the Gordon stronghold built in 1600 is only one wall of the once magnificent L shaped tower house described by Symson in 1684 as ruinous even then. A passing little grey Fergie tractor caused some interest as the farm track past mill ponds was taken over the side of Cairn Fell and continuing onto Inshanks Fell, where at last lunch was taken, views over the North Channel and warm sunshine prolonging the rest.
Once on the road again near Inshanks it was a hard surface all the way back to Damnaglaur but the weather, views and wild flowers on the roadside - meadowsweet, horse mint and the dark hips of the burnet rose – made the time pass most pleasantly. At Damnaglaur the walkers were treated to tea and cakes in the sunshine, a glorious end to a glorious day.