Wigtownshire Ramblers-Chapel Finian Circular January 2011

It's Saturday the 15th of January.
Todays walk is an old favourite that we've done a couple of times before.
August 2009 Walk
October 2009 Walk

We're parked up by the ruins of Chapel Finian on Luce Bay.The weather forecast is for wind and heavy showers.
We're a decent sized group of 28 walkers today.It looks like we're going to have an increased membership in 2011.

Starting at Corwall Heugh we begin the zigzag climb up Low Moor.

As we climb we're pushing a number of cows before us.Bully brings up the rear.

There's a lot of ruins around this part of the Machars,this is on the map as homestead (remains of).
We'll come across a few today.

Bully's finding the pace a bit heavy,but he's determined that he won't be parted from his ladies.

Finally we're on level ground and take a quick break over a misty and rough Luce Bay.

Approaching Corwall it looks like the cows have decided to make a stand.Quite right too,what use will a tired old bully be to them !
The next mile or so took us over High Moor on a narrow concrete road.A debate ensued as to who might have laid it and how much it cost..The question was unresolved.

Now we emerge onto the tarmac of the B7005.It looks like there's been a party at 'The Brae' sometime back a while if the deflated balloons are anything to go by.The schoolhouse at Culshabbin looks to be in dire need of some new windows.

I made mention on the previous post of this walk of the significant archaeological sites in the area.I must try looking closer this year.

Turning south along the muddy track from Culshabbin it starts to rain.Waterproofs are donned.We get our first view of the House of Elrig,birthplace of Gavin Maxwell who wrote Ring of Bright Water.

Now we reach the farmstead of Airylick.There are a number of farmsteads with the prefix 'Airy'.It comes from the gaelic word Airidh,a shieling or hill pasture.It's used more in Galloway than anywhere else in Scotland.

After leaving Airylick we now head up towards Elrig House.

At the main gate we take the path round to Barhobble where we have lunch.
This is a very historic site covering the years from 700 to 1825.

(Click on the picture to read the information board)
Archaeological notes on Barhobble can be found on Scotlands Places here
Barhobble

Back on the move we now begin a muddy climb westwards towards Changue wood.

We come upon a ruined building with a quern stone cemented into the wall.

We now continue on following the Changue burn and the ruins of a water mill.

One of our members who's a technical and architectural whizz noted a number of alterations and enlargements to the original building.Some walkers had a good look round.

Back on the move and with Luce Bay below we round Bennan hill.
Visibility is still poor.

Thanks again to Scoop for getting me in the picture.

There's some prime stock at Chippermore.Among the sheep are Texels and Suffolk.
I think the cattle are the Galloway breed,but I'm not sure.

Now we head downhill by road to Chippermore Heugh.On the way we pass St Johns Well (I never saw it,thats another reason to explore),and a tyre dump with some big tyres.

A short walk along the Port William road brings us back to the cars and the end of the walk.

Although the sun never emerged we were quite lucky with the weather,and the walk although now familiar was very interesting.