Wigtownshire Ramblers-Bargrennan Circular January 2011

It's Saturday the 22nd of January and as we leave Newton Stewart we're in the mist.
We're heading north to Bargrennan for the start of today's walk.The mist lifts magically approaching Clachaneasy and it looks like we'll have a good day after all.

We're a group of 28 again,the same number as last week.It looks like a lot of New Years resolutions are still intact.Lets hope it lasts.
We begin the walk from Bargrennan village hall heading south on the route of the Southern Upland Way (SUW) and following the Cree south.

The frost,the light mist and the sunshine look like making it a good day to take pictures.

There's a lot of colour about today.

Heading through the forest along the Braes of Barmore we get the occasional clearing giving us views over the far side of the river.

After crossing the tarmac road at Clachaneasy bridge we continue through the woods on the SUW.
The walk pace is a moderate one which suits me.

Now we leave the banks of the Cree and head east.

An undulating path and a forest road now get us to the banks of  the Water of Minnoch.

We're now heading north east.

It's a great day for the riverside.

Regular blog readers will know how much I like this stretch of water.It's in a reflective mood today.It doesn't seem so long since I was capturing the ice formations.

We continue on by-passing the Old Bridge of Minnoch,also known as the Roman or Romany bridge.
Here's a previous post with some pictures Roman Brig

There's quite a number of meanders on the river,so quite often the background view changes.Larg and Craignaw look inviting today

We've quite a number of stiles on today's route.This causes the group to bunch up allowing myself and Scoop the opportunity to look for other pleasing views.

Now we reach the bridge near High Minniwick.I think I've mentioned before a place close to here going by the name of Auld Wife's Stank.I'd love to know how the name came about.
  

Here's the ramblers very own page 3 girls.(Not even an ankle in sight today)

We're taking a short break here,both our walk leader and deputy have taken a short foray behind a tree.
I'd better elucidate on the previous sentence,they were separate trees. 

Now we're on the eastern side of the river.

Dalane Cottage:- Des.Res. in need of some improvements and modernisation.

If you like reflections,I've a few on Flickr at Reflections

After crossing the new bridge on the Water of Trool we rejoin the Minnoch taking us up to Stroan Bridge.
Up to crossing the Trool we'd been on the SUW,now we've left it.

There's still icicles around the Stroan Bridge waterfalls.Thanks to Scoop for the above picture.

I don't know how many pictures I've taken from this point,but none of them ever look the same.It's a brilliant spot.

The light mist and the sunlight enhance our lunch break.

After a most enjoyable break we begin the homeward leg.From Stroan Bridge we walk along the path adjacent to the road up to Glentrool village.The warmth of the sun's causing the mist to rise from the forest floor.It's a canvas of nature.

Reaching the junction at Glentrool village we take to the forest road through Minniwick Moss. 

I thought I was back in Canada seeing this view.

Up an incline,a forest road junction affords us a view of most of the Minnigaff range of the Galloway Hills.
Our walk leader Shorty identifies the various summits to the group.I'm steadily getting to know most of them.(The summits and the group)

The last stretch on a gentle down slope gets us back to the walk start.A bit sore on the feet after the hard frosty ground but a really excellent and lovely walk with great weather,great company and great conversation.