Wigtownshire Ramblers Barclye to Minnigaff November 2013

Wigtownshire Ramblers

Saturday the 9th of November

Today's walk is one we've done before (2011 Walk) with a little variation. It also covers some of  our other walks in the area.

January 2012

February 2013

It's a cold morning after an overnight frost, but we'll soon warm up.

The walk report will follow the pictures which include a select few from Scoop 

Twenty five of us set off from the RSPB Barclye car park

Still in the woods and not too far a climb is this new wood carving

Onto the moors and we're treated to a vista (misused far too often, Vista = Pleasing Views)

The Mill Wheel seat, Castle Stewart and Penninghame House rooftops

Undulating and sometimes muddy marked path

Ferns growing on a tree

Drumwhirn Cairn

One from Scoop

I like this picture

Nicely done direction signs

I wouldn't have taken much notice of this shabby looking plantation if it hadn't have been for the information board

You're never too old to learn !

Onwards and upwards over Barclye Moor

Entering the Boreland and Knockman Woods

Today's leader

Knockman Hill cairn

The lonesome pine

A zoom in picks up the 'Rocking Stone'. I must pay it a visit sometime, does it still rock ?

It's time for lunch

We're ready for it

The next two are from Scoop

It looks like she has a remote control on her camera

That guy in the cream hat is getting in too many pictures these days, I'll have to put a stop to it

Ready to resume the walk, who's that back there ?

There's a few black clouds above but thankfully no rain

Across the way, low cloud has meant Cairnsmore of Fleet keeping his "hat on" all day

It's all downhill now

Picture of the day from Scoop, she has a great eye that one

Corn Kiln

Clauchrie Excavation

by the 

Cree Valley Community Woodlands Trust

The Millenium Cairn on Torbain Hill

Heading towards Cumloden

The Penkiln Burn

Another cracking picture from Scoop

The Queen Mary Bridge

Last picture from Scoop today.

A very enjoyable outing, where's the tea and scones

Walk Report

On a dry but cool morning, twenty five walkers gathered at the RSPB Barclye car park for the walk start.

Today’s walk was to incorporate both the Woodland Pasture and Knockman Wood trails.

A short uphill climb through the woods brought them to a clearing with a wonderful new woodcarving. The carving depicted among other creatures an owl, red squirrel and a pine marten.

Exiting the woods via a high gate and fence the group made their way onto the moorland. A gate sign declared “Stop the nibbling”. This was a request to keep the gate shut to protect young trees from deer.

Soon the circular ‘Mill Wheel’ seat was reached and nearby views and landmarks were identified, the rooftops of Penninghame House and Castle Stewart being among those most prominent. 

Continuing on along the undulating Woodland Pasture Trail the next point of interest was the Drumwhirn Cairn.  This impressive pile of bare stones stands 12' high and was interpreted in 1911 as a robbed long cairn. Surrounding it a circular field system could be made out.

Occasional bright sunlight now thawed out the overnight frost and muddy sections of the path were carefully negotiated, an interesting tree had ferns growing along its branches.

The trail now circled back towards the north and the forestry nursery, nowadays run by the Scottish Forest Alliance and the Cree Valley Community Woodlands Trust. Information signs gave details of an ancient “Hollin” adjacent to the nursery. This was a group of very old, rotten and gnarled holly trees, whose leaves were used for animal feed. Nowadays it’s the home of starlings.

A ninety degree turn now afforded a view of the ‘Lonesome Pine’ on Knockman Hill, the target for lunchtime.

A long winding uphill moorland path now took the group to the drystone dyke enclosing Knockman Wood. The dyke was built in 1824 when the Earl of Galloway created a 1500 acre deer park. Fallow deer roam freely around Knockman nowadays. With the sun now shining through the trees, the cairn on Knockman hill was reached and a lunch break was taken. Low cloud obscured the summit of Cairnsmore, but distant views included the Mull of Galloway and the Isle of Man. An aerial spectacle saw two crows chasing off a trespassing buzzard. 

After lunch the route was downhill through Knockman Wood. Information about local wildlife is displayed on regularly spaced nature interpretation boards. Leaves were falling rapidly, but the woods retained much of their autumn colour. Close by a junction in the path the 4000 year old Boreland chambered cairn from the Neolithic period was viewed.

Still on a descent, a 15th century corn drying kiln and recent excavations of Clauchrie Farmstead by the Cree Valley Community Woodlands Trust were viewed.

On reaching Pheasant Liggat, the path now led to the Millenium cairn on Torbain. A stone at the cairn base has MM in large letters carved into it.

The track alongside the Penkiln burn now led the group to the Queen Mary Bridge where several walkers hoping for good luck dropped pebbles over the side into the ‘Wishing Pot’. Reaching Monigaff parish church, car drivers were ferried back to Barclye to collect their vehicles.

Regrouping took place for after walk refreshments at the Cinnamon Café in Newton Stewart, a fitting end to an interesting walk where the expected showers never materialized.

Next week’s event is a moderate 7.5 mile circular walk in the north-west Machars. Meet at 09:30 at the Breastworks Car Park, Stranraer or 09:30 at the Riverside Car Park in Newton Stewart to share transport.  The walk will start from the Cock Inn car park at Auchenmalg (NX 236 518) at 10 am. New walkers are always welcome. For more information or if going direct to the walk start, please contact the walk leader on 01671 401222.