Wigtownshire Ramblers-Glenwhan Circular April 2011

It's Saturday the 2nd of April 2011.
Today's walk is a nine mile woodland and country circular around Glenwhan Moor north of Dunragit.
We're a group of eighteen as we meet up at Airyolland Moss on the Castle Kennedy to New Luce road.
The first section takes us easterly along the route of the Southern Upland Way.

We pass a number of disused quarries and the Lochs of the Eyes.There's a lot of bird-noise today.
I try and fail to get a photo of a Fieldfare,it was too fast for me.They should be heading north anytime now.

Robin Redbreast

I got the above friendly robin though.

North EastView to Artfield Fell. 

Our walk leader today is The Farmer, who was raised and spent his childhood in this area.
He's making sure we get some panoramic views today.

Now we head south through the forest.
Underfoot is a bit precarious as one of our walkers comes to grief with a tumble.
Cut and bruised,and a broken lens on her spectacles, in true rambler fashion she'll carry on.
The photograph will remain unpublished.(Unless I get an offer I can't refuse)

We emerge back onto forest road close to Airyhemming.
In the distance we can see our proposed lunch stop.

As the forest road comes to an end,we've another patch of  rough ground to cross.The more delicate members of the group get help and assistance when needed.( all except me that is ha ha )

Here we get a view over Luce Bay towards West Freuch and the South Rhins.

The closer we get to our lunch point,the further away it seems to get.

As we gain height we get closer views of West Freugh and to the south,the Isle of Man.
Quinetiq currently own West Freugh with it's distictive 'Radomes',but the inability to sell the business to the current operator Thorn Satellite Data Services  will mean the ten employees losing their jobs,while Quiniteq will run it as an unmanned station.

This must be one lonely pony out here.A couple more obstacles to climb and we reach our scheduled lunch stop atop Challoch Hill.

At only 145 Metres high,it has some beautiful views.Time for me to take some panoramas.

Luce Bay,the Mull of Galloway and the Isle of Man to the south 

The Galloway Hills to Luce Bay

Panorama of View from Challoch Hill on CleVR.com

The above view can also be viewed dragged and zoomed in full screen on Panogio here
                                              
                                                    View from Challoch Hill


There's also a trig point up here....

....complete with a Flush Bracket.Trigpointing UK.com have this now so do I.
Help! I've become a flush bracket bagger.

Before moving on we get a few group pictures.I get in one,but this one looks better.

As we descent the wee hill,we head westerly on a farm track.

I wonder what scrap value this pile of agricultural scrap has.There are quite a few farms go to the wall in Galloway because, either the ageing farmer has no dependents,or they don't want to take such a hard life on.
As happened in Ireland with many farms,if the soil is poor and the terrain rough the forestry may buy it.But if it's no good for trees,then it's not much good for anything.It's a fact of life that here in Galloway the young are leaving and the pensioners are moving in.

Need I say more ? Mind you it's probably just a holiday home.

Now we pass by the wonderful Glenwhan Gardens
We'll be back here after we've finished the walk.

We're again heading north now.Our route is a sort of zig zag over Glenwhan Moor.

A few other things seen on this section.I'm not sure if the zoomed in house is a substantial ruin or a new build.
The hut is a deer shooter's look out.He'd maybe have to make do with the rabbit today.

We continue on until we reach the SUW again and the short walk to the cars.

The weather's been great and the company's been brilliant.

Tea and cakes at the Glenwhan Tearooms brings another nice Saturday stroll (who am I kidding) to a fitting end.