Wigtownshire Ramblers-Ballantrae Beneraird November 2010

It's Saturday the 20th of November and todays walk is a twelve mile circular from Ballantrae taking in the summit of Beneraird at 439 Metres (1440 feet).
It's a cold but bright morning as fourteen of us meet at Ballantrae cemetery.
I make no excuses for posting so many pictures of Ailsa Craig today.It just always makes a fabulous backdrop.

The first section of the walk takes us up the glen that's next to Glenapp Castle.I've called this Smyrton Glen in the past,but I'm not sure if it's even got a name.
We've been here before.
April 2010
September 2008

It may be autumnal touching on winter,but the scenery is as always here,beautiful.

There's a copious flow of water over the numerous falls up the glen,(copious flow is a phrase I've always liked) but of course nothing like the Iguassu Falls.
Iguassu (Wished I'd taken that picture)


The first few kilometres is a route we've previously walked but today we're doing it in reverse.There's a lot of boggy,wet and muddy ground to cover today.Here we're above High Kilfin.

That lovely wee hill Knockdolian doesn't look very challenging from here....


....while out in the water the 'Craig' looks majestic.

We're moving along at a cracking pace.Our walk leader wants to make sure we're back before dark.I'm just about keeping up.It's not a steep climb,but long and steady.
You won't see pictures of the long muddy sections,I'm too busy watching my step.
We've been heading in a north easterly direction,but at the Kilwhannel track crossroads we turn South East.


Now we're on the eastern slopes of Benawhirter and the land opens up.Below us the Crailoch burn runs through an area known as Yellow Mire.We're starting to see a few wind turbines now.

No pictures for the next couple of kilometres,I was busy trying to keep up.I wasn't the back marker,so that made me feel better.
At the summit of Beneraird I was so anxious to get sitting down, that my rucksack landed on the cairn a little harder than I meant it to.As a result I now need a new flask.C'est la vie ! Thanks for all the offers of coffee and tea guys,you're the best.


Beneraird Trig Point's Flush Bracket.
There's quite a large group of climbers who like to bag Trig Points and Flush Brackets.
One in particular is a guy with the user name of Clochandighter.He's got an online album of Trigpoints containing 2780 pictures.
Clochandighter's Trigpoints
Now there's a fit man !

Up here there are wide ranging views.All the usual suspects from the Mull of Galloway to Holy Island on Arran.
Now I've never been an opponent of windfarms,but it seems that here in South Ayrshire and Galloway they're reaching saturation point.
Barr,Arecleoch,Artfield Fell,Portpatrick and Mark Hill are five in view today.
The latest proposal, to build one in beautiful Wigtown Bay surely can't be given the go ahead,therefore I urge readers to sign the ongoing online petition against it.
Here's the link.
Petition

Knockdolian looks even less of a challenge from here.It's a lovely view though.

Time to descend,it's a long way back.
Tussocks, burns and bogs are the obstacles as we make our way over the lower slopes of Leana Hill.

One unfortunate walker ended up with a rather damp posterior while crossing the Leana burn.Fortunately she had a soft landing.Resulting photographs are not for publication.(Not just yet anyway ha ha)

After even more tussocks and boggy ground we've reached a solid track at the upper end of Glen App.This is where the Altigabert and Leana burns meet to begin the Water of App.
The glen has a haunted look about it.

It looks like we're having the best of the weather anywhere in the country today.We're now heading into the Heathery Hill plantation.


Once again the track turns a little swampy and muddy,but there's no complaints.The 'Craic' is good today.We're now heading north again.

A stop to regroup before crossing the busy A77...

...and we're back in the bog to view the 'Postmans Monument'.
A 100 year memorial service was held in 2008 to honour 27 year old Robert Cunningham who perished on these moors in a blizzard after successfully delivering the post in atrocious conditions.
More on that story in the Herald.
Hero Postman

A few more tussocks and a barbed wire fence brings us onto a tarmac road just south of Kilantringan Loch.
Somehow my camera got the shakes and I took a number of fuzzy pictures over the next bit of road.I'd therefore suggest that there's little need to enlarge the above collage.

After turning north at Low Ballochdowan,we're in a direct line with Ailsa Craig.The sun's lowering in the west.

A 'Z' bend takes us by Currarie Cottage and Craigalbert.
There's no uniformity in the sign writing around here.Just lovely individuality.

Who's that behind me ?

As the sun goes down the colours intensify.I love sunsets at this time of year.

Just past Meadowpark Farm,we take a break from the tarmac road and take the farm track across to Downton.

This last section of road will take us back via Langdale,Kinniegar and Holm Park.It's part of the Ayrshire coastal path and we've been along this bit before too.
November 2008 Walk

I know I've had a walk today.Was it only twelve miles.My legs think it was further.
We're too late for the Garden Centre Cafe,but never mind that was a good walk.
P.S. Not bad company either !