Wigtownshire Ramblers Cairnryan Lake Superior June 2013

I'm full of cold writing this, who passed it on ?

It's Saturday the 29th of June.

Today's walk is one I've done before.

My first look up here wasn't as long ago as I originally thought, it was just over three years ago.

2010 Walk

We're staring the walk from outside the Merchant's House in Cairnryan.

It's an overcast day with a threat of an odd shower. There's a good turn out of twenty five walkers.

My camera is still a big problem, but I've managed to crop and enhance most of the pictures to make them view-able.

I'll also include a number of  photographs sent to me by Scoop. 

We begin with a short walk along the A77 before turning up the hill at Croach Road

The track follows the course of the Claddy Burn. 

Here's a couple from Scoop's camera

We're directly above the P & O terminal.............

................and the European Causeway is just setting off for Larne.

After a bit of a climb we're passing Croach Quarry and the ground levels off. There was once a P.D.F with lots of details regarding quarrying at Croach, but that seems to have vanished. 

We have four legged Tilly along with us today. That's her owner getting her a drink on the left.

The track now heads away from the Claddy House Burn and enters the forest. There's a bit of colour around. 

We were attacked by midges on one section through the forest, but never really bothered us again.

The forest track now took us on a circular route round Lainchalloch and South Moile to turn south towards Lake Superior.

Scoops picture of the none too impressive Lake Superior. She's also spotted a creature among the heather and tussocks.

On a closer inspection, there were quite a number of birds on the water.

Now the track took us back to the point we entered the forestry where lunch was taken alongside a drystone dyke.

After lunch we began to descend.

"In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia"

Nearing the ford on the Claddy House Burn.

The froth on the burn was reminiscent of a pint of Guinness. A glimpse of the berth upgrade at the P & O terminal. Foxgloves in full bloom.

Leaving the track back down to Cairnryan we branch off to the empty and ruined buildings of High Croach.

Today we are in the Inch Barony of Wigtownshire. There's a lot of history and archaeological sites all across this area. I guess that's where the name Lord Inchcape came from. (A logical assumption I think)

Now as we take to climbing Cairnbeg Hill, Loch Ryan's views become more extensive.

It's a steady climb to the north.

We're soon viewing Stena's terminal.

This is Cairn Hill Trigpoint with Flush Bracket number BM S8057

The link tells me it was built the 25th of August 1954 at a cost of £25.17s.6d

Scoop finds it hard to get everyone in the picture.

A few tussocks, bogs and obstacles as we continue north.

Another great capture for Scoop. Well done gentlemen !

We're having a look at the reservoir near Meikle Laight. The Glen Burn and the wonderful sounding Duckdubs Burn both flow into here.

Scoop and the Milkmaid get in the picture. (don't jump or push !)...........

........................and so do I.

Crossing the Glen Burn

A short climb brings us up Lairds Hill just below Meikle Laight where we descend following the course of the Glen Burn

At Burnfoot Bridge we turn into the grounds of Lochryan House.

The European Causeway which was going out as we started the walk, is now in it's way back after a round trip to Larne.

The last stretch of today's walk takes us alongside the ruins of the military camp

Fishermen on the old jetty.

Our day concluded with delicious tea, coffee, scones and cake in the Merchant's House

A very enjoyable and interesting walk.

A hill recce, a sunset, a moon and a stroll. June 2013

I meant to post some of these pictures last week, but the good weather's had me outside.

It's raining today.

The first set of pictures were taken during a recce I did with the 'Teacher' and 'Spike' up to Cairnsmore (also called Blackcraig) of  Dee.

We started the walk at the car park opposite Clatteringshaws dam on the Black Water of Dee.

The above picture is part of the 'Art in the Forest' project and is called the Labyrinth.

Forest road for the first couple of kilometres. 

Scotland's beef and dairy farmers are very meticulous about health and hygiene rules and young calves aren't long in getting ear tags.

  

Reaching Laggan O' Dee we came upon these deer.

The herd's stag had a wary eye on us.

It's a tough climb up Blackcraig of Dee, but there's plenty interesting stuff growing. This is Butterwort.

Fir Clubmoss ? and Cotton Grass

Can't remember what this is.

Cairnsmore of Dee summit.

A long zoom to Earlstoun Loch.

From the top of Cairnsmore of Dee we descended down to the Nick of Benniguinea before climbing to the mast on the hill of the same name.

Nest building ? It doesn't look like a worm.

A well deserved lunch break.

View to Craignell

Clatteringshaws dam.

The descent to the car park via the drystone wall from the summit of Benniguinea is best to be avoided. My previous climb down here was when the ground was frozen. Tussocks, bogs, deep holes and channels were plentiful. We'll come down by road and forest track on walk day. 

End of recce pictures

A couple of days after the summer solstice I took this from my back garden......................

.................the next night, the moon, at 10.50 pm.

Wednesday the 26th June

A walk up to Glenamour Loch.

After the extended winter it's amazing how summer has caught up...........the grass is high.

Rhododendron blooms are almost past their best

The lily pads are ripe

Damsel flies are everywhere

I can't seem to get a really sharp close up

But of course I have a lens problem

I changed settings and somehow managed to take the picture below of the scratch on my outer lens.

I did have a go at buffing this scratch out but after a short while I noticed I was taking a tinted coat off, so that wont work. Just had a reply from the camera workshop that Canon will only supply the complete optical unit. £160 plus VAT comes to £192. Guess who's on the lookout for a new camera.

I'm still getting good pictures when I zoom through and beyond the scratch. 

It's a great day for taking photographs

This was the closest I could get to this dragonfly without falling in the loch

There are lots of Water Lilies

A close up shows they all have some small creature busily collecting the pollen or resting

Glenamour Loch is a most peaceful place on a warm summer's day