Wigtownshire Ramblers-Monreith, March 2011

It's Saturday the 19th of March,and today's walk is around the Monreith estate.
I've covered the estate owners, the Maxwells, in a few previous posts.Those most notable were the novelist, essayist and horticulturist Sir Herbert Maxwell 1845-1937 and Gavin Maxwell of Ring of Bright Water fame 1914-1969.

Twenty five ramblers meet up at the car parking area overlooking Monreith Bay.

Shorty's our walk leader today.He knows this area well.We begin by heading north west via farm and country tracks into the estate itself.

The first thing we see of interest is a cross with a fresh plant alongside.A memorial to a beloved pet perhaps.
The daffodils are blooming nicely now.
We continue on northwards before coming to open fields with a line of Chilean Pine ( Monkey Puzzle ) on the horizon.

Here we take a break while our walk leader tells us a bit about Sir Herbert Maxwell and when he planted these.

We continue on towards the western edges of the estate. Lots more daffodils and Skunk Cabbage in the boggy and wet grounds.

Another short break is taken to keep the group together.

We now veer north east from one of the derelict lodges till we're alongside the White Loch of Myrton.

Reaching the most northerly point of the loch we can look back and see Monreith House.
It's being featured on Channel 4's Country House Rescue on Sunday the 20th of March at 9pm.It'll be very interesting I'm sure.

Also at this end of the loch stands a two storey cottage converted for holidaymakers,and ruins that may or may not have been a gamekeepers house.

Now we round the loch to reach what I believe is the factors house.From here we make our way to the lodge house at the northern end of the estate.

It's empty,but seems to have been modernised at some time.Complete with swimming pool !

Leaving the estate a short walk along the Whithorn road brings us to the Drumtroddan Stones road.There seems to be something different since I last photographed here.

Reading the information board I can see what's wrong now.There's only one stone standing now.If the last one falls,they'll not be able to call them 'Standing Stones' will they.

Here we enjoy lunch.It's a fine and dry day.

During lunch,a number of deer are spotted in the distance.This is my camera on full zoom.That's the QinetiQ satellite receiving station at West Freuch in the background.

After lunch we head back down to the Whithorn road where I get this picture of the emergence of spring.
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After a short distance we take the minor road to Clachan of Myrton.
Here one rambler with a keen eye comments that for next weeks walk we add an S to Myrton.
One of our hills will be Smyrton. There's a new interestingly shaped build along here.Some of our walkers know the owner.The tractor plantpot is a novelty.

Now the track takes us around the Fell of Barhullion, another popular walk of ours.We've seen a number of swans today,it'll soon be nesting time.

A left turn at Blairbuy brings us alongside Blairbuy Loch.
The floating containers may be part of a method to stop algae spreading in the loch.

We're soon crossing the road back at Monrieth....

...with Shorty going ahead to make sure the coast is clear.Well ,at least checking that the tide's far enough out for us to finish the walk along the beach.

What a great way to finish a walk.I make no excuse for the last half a dozen pictures,although I should have got a few of the ramblers who waded through the burn outlet.

The steps take us back to the cars and the walk finish.

What a lovely walk.