Wigtownshire Ramblers Isle of Whithorn to Garlieston July 2014

Saturday the 5th 0f July 2014

The walk report will follow the pictures.

The walk between the Isle of Whithorn and Garlieston is an annual favourite of ours and previous walks can be found on This Link

That's a nice new car !

We met at up at Garlieston where the plan was to catch the bus to the Isle of Whithorn.

Garlieston was certainly in bloom.

Due to a changed Saturday timetable the second bus never arrived and our leaders made the decision to pack us into a few cars and drive down to the Isle.

A couple of cars were then available to ferry drivers back after the walk.

  

It's a tranquil scene at the Isle of Whithorn.

We're a group of twenty four.

The walk through the village towards Stein Head.

Stein Head Trig Point..............

...................complete with Flush Bracket S8232

Extra care was taken through the grain crop fields. One of our walkers has a vested interest !

Kissing gates were plentiful along the route apart from this one which required a little effort.

Approaching Cairnhead Plantation.

A Mulberry Harbour 'Beetle'

Remnants of the Cairnhead Construction Yard.

Portyerrock Bay.

Portyerrock and  birds.

View to Miller's Port and Shaddock Point.

Belted Galloways.

A moments break.

One of several kissing gates.

Promontory fort and WW2 'Pillbox'

Bottom picture above and to the left, we have an audience !

Today's happy ramblers.

Approaching Port Allen.

Our lunch spot.

Glebe Blog construction incorporated !

Musk Mallow. 

Widespread in England and Wales, much rarer in Scotland.

Another cereal crop.

What's the hold up ?

Gradual incline to the WW2 lookout post on Buckie Hill.

Frozen by the click of the camera these wind turbine blades were fairly whirling away. 

A plastic cut out I picked up created this arty picture.

I get my picture taken.

Thanks to Miss Goodnight for the above pictures.

No marine mammals in sight, so yes you can take our picture.

.............and Miss Goodnight gets in the frame.

This was of course what's left of the very historic Cruggleton Castle.

Through the gate towards Cruggleton Lodge.

Cruggleton Woods.

Rigg Bay.

A cracking brand new information board at Rigg Bay.

Galloway House.

Return to Garlieston.

A very enjoyable day's walking along a magnificent coastline.

Here's the report.

Wigtownshire Ramblers

Saturday the 5th of July 2014.

After a transportation mix up twenty two walkers gathered at the Isle of Whithorn for the coastal walk to Garlieston.
Graceful swans and other seabirds in the harbour created a picture of tranquility.
A short walk through the village brought us to the shoreline and the inlet known as Stinking Port.
We were soon walking up a grassy incline to the trig point at Stein Head. This is the second furthest south trig point in Scotland, the furthest south being at Inshanks on the South Rhins.
Now we carefully traversed the edges of fields of wheat and barley. Though the wind was light, the waving, rolling and undulating of the harvest made a pretty picture.
A climb over an un-openable gate led us into a field of inquisitive cattle leading to the Cairnhead plantation.
A short walk through the plantation brought us to the ruins of the Cairnhead Mulberry Harbour Project Camp. Now long derelict, the camp and yard opened in March 1943 where, complete with officers' and sergeants' messes, it housed 120 men.
On reaching Cairnhead Bay, a 'Beetle', a section of the Mulberry harbour was in full view due to a low tide. The slow flapping wings of a disturbed heron came into view.
After crossing a rocky and tussocky shoreline we emerged onto the B7063 road which we followed to the old mill at Portyerrock. Here a stile was crossed onto the coastal path to Garlieston.
Only wispy clouds disturbed the sunshine as we crossed more fields of crops and cattle. Wild flowers and butterflies were identified or filed to memory for later identification. This walk was in complete contrast to our previous visit along here, memories of the drizzle, the mist and the mud were being slowly being expunged.
Continuing on we passed the prominent promontory fort and settlement either side of White Port before stopping for lunch at the small bay north of Port Allen.
After a leisurely break and the passing of another large heron we continued the walk through another field of weaving wheat.
 A gradual incline now took us up Buckie Hill to the shell of the WW2 lookout post. Here a couple of walkers accessed the top window to enjoy the view.
Passing under the wind turbines we descended to the kissing gate and small bridge at Burnfoot. Here the undergrowth was high and walkers wearing shorts were very careful when passing through.
Another gradual incline up Cruggleton Heughs brought us to the arch, the remnants of the castle. In ancient times Cruggleton Castle was known as the Black Rock of Cree, and goes back to the 12th century when it was possibly a seat of the Lords of Galloway.
After a short exploration of the ruins we continued on to reach the renovated Cruggleton Lodge and the wooded plantation beyond.
Now the path took us through the woods to Rigg Bay where a number of families were enjoying their day on the beach.
Here the coastal path runs alongside the Galloway House Gardens and we were treated to occasional views of the majestic house which was begun in 1740 for Lord Garlies, later the sixth Earl of Galloway.
A short but busy last stretch brought us back into Garlieston.
Car drivers were now ferried back to the Isle to collect their vehicles while some of we who waited enjoyed Cream O' Galloway ice cream.
We now repaired to the Bay View Bistro in Wigtown for excellent after walk refreshments.
Next week’s walk will be a climb to the Fell of Eschoncan and Bennan. Meet for car sharing at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart at 9.30 am or the Breastworks car park in Stranraer at 9.00 am or the walk start at Bruce's Stone (NX 416 805). For further details or if going to the walk start please phone walk leader on 01776 840226. New members are always welcome.