Wigtownshire Ramblers-Galdenoch Larbrax Lochnaw Circular February 2011

Saturday the 26th of February.
Todays walk is a Castles and Coast walk in the North Rhins.

Our walk leader today is 'The Weaver" aka Spinning Jenny.
Having received her lovely report nice and early, I'll be using it on this blog.
I've covered Lochnaw 2010 Leswalt Walk  Aldouran Glen 2008 and Galdenoch Meikle Galdenoch a few times now.

Here's the Weaver's report.

A bright and sunny morning greeted the 22 ramblers who gathered at Lochnaw Home farm on Saturday, for a walk of castles and coast.

Looking at the surrounding concrete surfaces the company strained to imagine the war time troop hospital which was situated here.

A farm track was followed through woods which were carpeted with drifts of snowdrops, the warmth and sunshine making a welcome change from the weather of recent walks.

After crossing the B738 another farm track led straight to the shore at Larbrax Bay , where a beautiful, wide, sandy beach, and shining sea, delighted the eyes.

Here the path swung around to gain the cliff edges where an Iron Age hill fort, rumoured to have Viking connections, was examined. High double ditches surround a large flat centre, which commands great views over the surrounding area.

Beach Cottage.

The coast was now followed northwards, every step enlivened by wonderful views, with Ireland emerging from the distant clouds.

A descent back towards the shore.

I've zoomed my camera in to take this pictures.I think it's an oil tanker, perhaps a reader more conversant with oil tankers can confirm this ?

After passing an old sheep clipping station, and climbing over ramps, designed to enable quad bikes to cross easily between field boundaries, the ramblers scrambled down through boggy undergrowth to reach Salt Pans Bay .

Is that our Chairwoman out for a duck ?A ball was found and a kickabout ensued.Above right is our number one goalkeeper.Multi sports as well as walking ?,aren't we a talented bunch.

(A comment by a regular blog reader has posed an interesting question on the Duck's voyage.Is this one of the 29,000 yellow ducks shipwrecked in 1992 which have been helping the scientists to map the oceans currents for nearly 20 years.We'll never know since I think we heartless creatures that we are abandoned it ourselves here at Saltpan Bay)

Another Iron Age fort is hidden here amongst the rocks but the most conspicuous remains are from the 17^th century buildings associated with salt works, which used local peat to evaporate salt water, and which were in operation for about 200 years. Lunch was taken at this sheltered and pretty spot.

On the move again.

The walk now led inland past a fascinating round shelter by Loch More, used by game hunters on the recently defunct shooting estate. Now ducks and cormorants were the only hunters around, enjoying an afternoon fishing on the loch.

Galdenoch Castle , an L shaped, 16^th century tower house in ruinous condition, was the next point of interest with crow steps and commemoration plaque.

 Numerous eucalyptus trees grew within its enclosing wall, displaying their beautiful peeling bark to advantage in the sunshine.

Here's a stitched view of the ruins.

After following the farm track to the road, the ramblers eventually entered the grounds of Lochnaw estate once more at Kathleen cottage, and took a snowdrop path to the loch side, where two resident swans were serenely drifting about. The castle looked at its best from here, with reflective water in the foreground, and a backdrop of woods, surmounted by the lookout of Kinsale tower.

Recent work on the walled garden, with fruit bushes and trees planted up, were viewed through gates, before the castle itself, with sunken garden and renovated stonework, rose magnificently before the walkers.

 Built in the 15^th century by the Agnews, the most recent owner is doing a splendid job, refurbishing this building and the surrounding estate.

My photo stitching is occasionally suspect as can be seen in the above picture.
I do think the castle would be enhanced with such a curvature though.

Only a short walk remained, past the old laundry, and a building which used to store the game shot on the estate, before Lochnaw Home farm was reached again. An interesting, varied walk enhanced by the warm sunshine had been enjoyed by the ramblers, who now decamped to Kirkland tearoom for welcome refreshments.

The Deep-Kingston upon Hull

Sunday the 20th of February.
It's another miserable overcast day in Grimsby,so we decide we'll go over the Humber Bridge to 'The Deep' in Hull.
Arriving at the carpark,it looks like the whole of East Yorkshire's had the same idea,we're directed into the overflow carpark.

The rest of the family have been here a few times,but this is my first visit.
Here's their home page.
The Deep

Jack and Charlotte have brought along Nemo and friends.

It's billed as the worlds first 'Submarium'.I can only imagine the name comes from the depth of the whole centre.
You begin the tour by descending several floors with interactive displays at regular intervals.
Much of it deals with evolution,science and the progress of species.

Photographs and video are allowed,but flash photography is banned.
Throughout the visit I took lots of photographs and film with varying results.
I've compiled all my video clips into one musically accompanied video.It's further down the post.
The octopodes (the plural of Octopus) section is currently undergoing reconstruction,so these were the only sea creatures in the centre we didn't see.

We saw sea creatures of many shapes,sizes and species.I won't try to identify them.The link to the home page is above.

Below are a selection of my pictures and video clip.

A bright beginning three floors down with many colourful fish in a shallow tank.

Plenty of interactive displays.

To absorb all the information,tanks displays etc would require quite a few visits.

We'd arrived at the upper tank just as feeding was beginning.The attendant gave a running commentary as she fed the fish.

One of the larger tanks further below also had a microphoned attendant giving a running commentary.

Above are Jack and Charlotte in the display area known as the 'Twilight Zone".

I didn't video the jellyfish although in retrospect I wished I had.They're fascinating to watch as they glide through the water.

Here's my video compilation.

Time for a break at the play area.

These kids are growing up at a phenomenal rate...or is that something to do with my ageing ?

This display is of an imaginary undersea research station.Looking up "undersea research station" on the internet turns up what is claimed to be the worlds only undersea research station.It's known as Aquarius is an underwater ocean laboratory located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Here's the link.
Aquarius Reef Base

Looks like we've a future deep sea diver here.

Living coral.

Once at the lowest level there are two ways to ascend.The most popular method is via the see through  lift through the tank,or by the stairs.We opted for the stairs after seeing the queue for the lift.
We observed the lift a couple of times via the large observation windows on each level..It was moving fast enough.Climbing the stairs at your own pace seems the best idea.

There was lots of excitement as big rays and sawfish came close enough to kiss through the glass.

A pose in front of Jaws finished a very entertaining visit.Jack and Charlotte had a great time.

Prices are £9.95 for adults,£8.75 for seniors and £7.95 for kids.
It was initially to busy for my liking,but as we descended lower there was plenty of room.
Having been to one or two Sea Life Centres,I think the 'Deep' just edges it.

Half Term Trip South-February 2011-Part 1-Humber Bridge,Barton and Grimsby

I'm heading down to North and North East Lincolnshire for a visit.
It's half term and my grandkids are off school.I'll get to see how quickly they're growing up.

My drive down was uneventful,with the weather clearing enough on the A66 to get the above pictures close to Barnard Castle.

A game of golf,visiting friends and dinner with the family got me settled in.
Me, Callum and Erin are heading for Barton on Humber.

This link contains lots of technical information.
The Humber Bridge
Callum and Erin have crossed the bridge often enough,but never walked on it.I remember it being built.At the time it was the longest single span suspension bridge in the world.

It's a misty cold day,but that doesn't stop us having fun.

We get as far as the South tower before the biting wind makes us turn back.
Now we'll have a look at the Far Ings nature reserve.

A dozen bird snapshots from the car gets me only the one decent picture.

Here's a couple of would be country bumpkins.

Fun and games in the bird hide.

Next we're heading to the Water's Edge Country Park.
Water's Edge
Earth Centre Network

This is open all the year round and deserves all the accolades it gets.

Great for kids.

Posers ! but so photogenic.

The centre's curved glass frontage looks out onto ponds with numerous varieties of birds at all times of the year.Inside it contains hands on displays about wildlife and issues such as climate change.Most schools in the surrounding area visit regularly.

I guess that's a tufted duck above.

Who's the silliest goat then ?
A further wander round and another run over the assault course saw us heading back home.That was a very enjoyable outing.

After a night out wining and dining with family and friends I'm now heading for

Grimsby 

Me,Jack,Charlotte and Mummy are going to visit the Fishing Heritage Centre.
Fishing Heritage Centre
I visited this place many years ago and wasn't too impressed.Now I'll thoroughly recommend a visit.It's excellent. We won't be going on the boat though.It's pouring down outside.

Most of the building has been turned into a museum of 50's life for the trawlermen of  Grimsby.

I wonder who the car belonged to.Perhaps it was used to drive around a 50's pin up girl ?

Many of the exhibits are so lifelike.
Top left of the above collage ? I could swear I saw movement.

I can't see that the trawlermen  would have kept their mirrors this shiny.
Jack and Charlotte are having a great time.Mummy nearly had a fit when she saw four of them.

Here's a pair of would be trawler crew.Situations vacant for Stokers and Net repairers.

Even as a fifties laddie from Fife I can relate to most of the above pictures.

As you make your way through the different rooms of the centre,it seems that each of them has the smell that was most likely at the time.Especially down here in the boiler room.

Looking at the pub in the top right,there's still a few I've visited recently that haven't changed much.

This visit was a very enjoyable experience.Jack and Charlotte certainly enjoyed themselves.
We're going to The Deep in Hull tomorrow.That'll be a separate post.

Jump forward a day and my visit to Grimsby ends with a walk in Peoples Park where a kick about and helicopter flying were followed by hot chocolate in the cafe...

...the play park and a look at the geese and ducks.

Next posting coming soon will be 'THE DEEP',it will be colourful.