Ness Glen

Earlier this week,Tuesday the 15th of November I drove up to Loch Doon just south of Dalmellington to walk Ness Glen on the River Doon with a fellow rambler. A popular walk with the Victorians I've been considering for some time to include a walk in this vicinity for my rambling group in the summer of 2012.

 Here's a short kayaking clip by YouTube user AlfRiverRunner

The day was dry but a bit overcast.

Loch Doon looked cold.
Loch Doon June 2011
It was a nicer day back in June when I was here.

The path we took was above the gorge.

There were fallen trees everywhere.These were big mushrooms.

A fort has been built on Craigengillan Estate near Dalmellington for use by the Army Cadets, Air Cadets and Sea Cadets.I believe the plan is also to make it a 'Dark Sky' project.

Here's a funny looking woodpecker.We did hear lots of them.

Across the gorge the trees looked beautiful.

We soon got views towards Dalmellington.

Now the track took us back downhill to the river.It looks like the gate on the bridge might be original.The bridge itself isn't.

Although we'd seen Craigengillan on the drive in,this was our first view of it on the walk.

Specialist sheep (Maybe Castlemilk Moorit or Hebridean) grazed in a field beyond the pond.

Craigengillan House. The founding family, the McAdams, and their descendants, remained the proprietors until 1999.A comprehensive and very interesting history can be found here.
Craigengillan History

The estate nowadays is big into horses.There are a lot of them around.

We made our way back to the main driveway into the estate before crossing the Doon.

There were a lot of big old trees.Beech and Redwood were prominent.My walking partner poses for a perspective view.That's a big tree.

Spot the camel.

A forestry outdoor project looking very jaded.
Note to the Forestry Commission,this is a great idea but it needs looking after.People wont come back to a dump !

Arriving back at the bottom of Ness Glen we now took the riverside path back to the loch.

If you like tumbling water as I do then this is for you.A fabulous stretch of river.

The Doons flow is regulated at the dam.
Back at the car we got talking to Brian Meechan the proprieter of the Roundhouse Cafe.
We'll see you in the summer Brian.
The sky was bluer as we finished,but nevertheless this is one beautiful place.