Wigtownshire Ramblers Cairngarroch to Ardwell November 2014

Saturday the 22nd November 2014

This walk was a repeat of one we did in January 2012.

January 2012 Walk

My report for this walk will follow my pictures and a selection from Scoop will follow that.

Twenty two of us set off down the track to Cairngarroch Bay.

A shaky stile was the first of a few obstacles we crossed.

The first burn crossing.

All walkers over safely.

The climb to the clifftops

Some find it easier than others.

View back to Cairngarroch Bay.

Undulating tops.

The three fence (two electric) challenge.

Stair step topography.

Seabirds were constant companions.

Sweetie break stop.

Various fungi.

Just in case we never noticed !

A distant view beyond Ardwell Bay.

Inland from Dove Cave Head.

Many more gulls. The photographic enhanced effect is from the 'I'm feeling lucky' button on Picasa.

Little Float Farm.

It's sad that people put these 'Private' signs up without explaining that the track is open to walkers.

It's perhaps something the Scottish Government should look into. There are too many being erected around our beautiful countryside.

Lunchtime at Float Bay brought this fellow in close.

Hungry walkers tuck in.

Whatever was attracting them, the birds kept coming.

Departing Float Bay. 

Treading carefully on the rocky stony terrain.

View back to Float Bay.

Water Cave, in need of exploration !.

A group photo after the steep scramble.

Kenmuir Farm Animals

Kenmuir Cottage, spaniels at the Pans and Saltpan cottage.

More stony and rocky terrain.

Ardwell Bay.

Cooling feet and the joy of sand after the stones.

Road up to West High Ardwell and the walk finish.

Here's the report.

Wigtownshire Ramblers 

Saturday the 22nd of November 2014

Twenty two walkers assembled near West Cairngarroch farm for the walk start.
A muddy farm track led us downhill to the shore at Cairngarroch Bay.
Here, a stop was taken for the tragic tale of the WW2 plane crash to be read out.
On July the 27th 1944, two C47 Dakota's carrying wounded US servicemen crossed here en route to Prestwick. One never made it over the cliffs and all 22 on board perished. There’s a memorial plaque at the northern end of the bay.
Now our route took us across a burn and past a picturesque cottage to begin an often muddy ascent of Cairnmon Fell.
Though somewhat misty in the distance the Irish coastline could be made out. The sun was shining.
Continuing along the coastal path we reached the area known as Slunkrainy. Here the steep slopes down to the rocky shore were of 'Stair-Step' topography and undulated in and out and up and down.
Two deer were seen bounding away over the skyline. Later we saw more deer on the horizon. Rabbits, partridges and pheasants were also spotted on the walk.
A grassy field gave us some relief from the muddy track but we soon arrived at an obstacle that required physical contortions. A track through gorse led us to three fences of which two were electric. Both were accidentally discovered to be live. Discarding rucksacks and rolling under the last fence seemed to be the most popular of the various crossing methods applied.
Now a change of direction took the route inland to pass through Little Float Farm. From here a downhill track led down to Float Bay.
The delightful residence on the bay seemed deserted, so, though not trespassing we used the garden edges to sit for a lunch break.
During a lovely break we observed seals and seagulls. Something in the sea was attracting the birds as their flying and squawking, overhead and in the sea, never stopped while we were there.
After lunch we passed another holiday cottage. We wondered about the tides as we spotted a flood shield on a door bottom.
More clambering over the rocky shore was followed by a scramble up the steep slopes to access the viewpoint overlooking Float Bay. Here on Island Buoy stood the promontory fort known as Kenmuir Graves.
The sun was still shining and afforded wonderful views back up the Rhins coastline, including the wide mouth of Water Cave back on Float Bay. A fine spot for group photographs.
Now we walked back inland through open fields to bring us to Kenmuir. Reaching the T junction we turned back to the coast. At the Pans, four spaniels being exercised were happy to wag their tails at our passing.  The road now brought us to Salt Pan Cottage where again we took the stony coastal path.
The humorous story of circus strong man Will Purves who lived in a cave at Saltpans Bay was again related.
The hard stony walking eventually gave way to the silvery sands of Ardwell Bay.
On reaching the car park we encountered a lady trying to recover a dog called Bobby who was spotted among the whins and bracken of the steep slopes. A happy ending saw Bobby re-united with his walker.
A short road walk up to West High Ardwell concluded the walk.
Drivers were now shunted back to Cairngarroch for their vehicles.

Most walkers now made their way to the Woodlea Tearoom at Sandhead for excellent after walk refreshments.

Next Saturday’s walk will be from St Ninian’s Cave to the Isle of Whithorn.. Meet at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart at 09:15, the Breastworks car park at 09:00 or the walk start at St Ninian’s car park (NX 431 366).  New walkers are always welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01988 840268 for full details.

Here's an excellent selection from 

Scoop

She tells me she took the one above at Port Logan on her way home. 

While I took these below on my way home.

Between us we've created a nice pictorial record of a great day's walking.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Ardwell Coast to Coast and Barbecue August 2014

Saturday August the 16th 2014.

The walk would take us from the east coast of the South Rhins to the west coast.

Over the years we've walked quite regularly in this area.

Here's one link that leads to other links of previous walks.

January 2012

As usual, the report will follow the pictures

Leaving Chapel Rossan Bay and entering the Ardwell Estate

Killaser Burn

Killaser Beck

Alongside Ardwell's Walled Garden

Watch the birdie !

To the woods

Exiting to Ardwell Church

It's a mighty fine piece of architecture

All twenty three of us get in the picture. Thanks John.

The stile that the minister Andrew Barr (back in the early nineteen hundreds) used to cross when coming from his manse at Aucleach to Ardwell Church.

Low Auchleach Dairy Farm

Lunch

A barn and a bull

Luce Bay views

Glenhie Smithy

Invasive Balsam and road into Clachanmore

A fun frontage

Clachanmore School then and now.

The Stationmaster by his namesake sign.

Salt Pan Cottage

Black Cave

Will Purvis circus strong man and cave dweller.

(The picture on the right is courtesy of the Dumfries and Galloway publication, 'Through the Lens' 'Glimpses of old South Rhins')

I found this poem by Patrick Scott Hogg, Cumbernauld, Scotland, 1991 on the Poetry of Scotland website.

William Purvis: The Ardwell Caveman ©

'Twixt Portpatrick and Ardwell bay
In the south Rhins of Galloway
There is a cave, weel hid away
Upon a rocky shore.

Doon thru the hawthorn, gorse and whun
A weel trod path does wynd and run
It's there Will Purvis chose to shun
The world o' money lore.

His face was known in every town
As a travellin', smiling clown:
'Twas then he chose to settle down
In 1894.

His comfort was a seat and bed
To rest his aged limbs and head
And when the sun set glowing red
The stars he did explore.

What tranquil balm and peace of mind
Comes unto him who leaves behind
The paths of fame, yet riches find
'Mid Nature's simple store?

Here, gulls cry wild upon the breeze
Waves rise and gently fall with ease
And Time, it passes as you please
When Summer's come once more.

Here, one wicked wild west wintry gale
Waves crashed and roared in angry wail
Ae night nae demon would set sail
And, Will was seen no more...

When salt spray flies o'er the Pan bay
A white-bearded ghost, so they say
Walks to the sea at break of day
Upon that eerie shore.

A seabird chorus from afar
Sings the cliff-top rocky scaur
"The wind and sea know where you are."
Will Purvis is no more!

Sheep Hank and Partan Point

A variety of beach litter

A round cap on the shoreline

Ardwell Bay beach

Uphill from beach.

Botany cottage

West High Ardwell Farm

Dairy cows

The next group of pictures are of our annual barbecue and our rambling volunteers who catered brilliantly. 

The chefs

Here's chief barbecue organizer Miss Goodnight with the dessert.

A great finish to a lovely day.

Here's the report 

Wigtownshire Ramblers 16th of August - Ardwell Coast to Coast

Twenty three walkers gathered at Chapel Rossan Bay for the walk. A breezy cloudy day brought about a change to the planned walk which would now end at High Ardwell.
We began the walk by crossing the A716 and entered the Ardwell House and Gardens estate. Almost immediately we were on one of the estates woodland walks through mature and exotic trees. We followed Killaser Beck past a scenic falling water course. As the beck widened we watched ducks and a majestic swan gliding gracefully across the water.
A fine wooden bridge took us alongside the walled garden where we again accessed another woodland path to bring us to the north western corner of the estate.
We emerged from the woods by Ardwell church. Our leader who has had a long association with this church showed us around its exterior. Constructed of freestone it held its first service back in 1902. We had a group photo taken.
At this point we were joined by a local farmer who our leader had recruited to guide us over the fields of the next section to avoid a particularly tetchy dairy bull.
In Church wood we viewed a dried up pond that once worked a water wheel. We emerged onto an area of drumlins where we were afforded excellent views across Luce Bay to the Machars. Our temporary leader also showed us a stile in a drystone wall that the minister of the church had to cross on his long walk from the manse at Auchleach to the church. Having said goodbye to the farmer we next passed through Low Auchleach farm and continued west along a farm track.
A low wall in front of stacked timber proved to be an ideal stopping place for a tea/coffee break.
Well refreshed we continued on to reach Barnunan hill, one of the highest points of the walk. Here we had even better views of Luce Bay, Sandhead,  Clayshant Control Tower and the bombing targets towards Ringdoo Point.
After passing the modernized Glenhie Smithy, now a private residence, we reached the tarmac road to Clachanmore. Our leader who’d fetched along an illustrated booklet, 'Glimpses of old South Rhins', now talked of the interesting character that was Will Purves. Will was a former circus strong man and lived in a cave near Saltpan Bay for many years at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth century. He'd spend his evenings in the Smithy, entertaining the company by lifting the anvil from its stand and carrying it round the smithy. On one occasion he was annoyed by a remark. He left, took the anvil with him and left it a quarter mile away at the crossroads. The blacksmith required assistance to retrieve it!
At Clachanmore Crossroads we looked at the wonderful building that was once the schoolhouse. On reaching Low Ardwell we turned west to reach Kenmuir Farm. Our very own rambling namesake posed by the sign for a photograph.
Tarmac turned to track as we made our way onto the rocky shoreline at Saltpans Bay.
Around half the group took the fifty metre walk into the damp darkness of Black Cave, sadly we didn’t find any hidden treasure.
We continued walking carefully to reach Ardwell Bay and the beach. After a pleasant walk on the sand we turned back inland.
A steady climb took us past the Wee Ardwell Woodshop to reach High Ardwell and the walk finish.  Drivers were now ferried back to the walk start to collect their vehicles.
Meanwhile in the barn, our volunteers had been busy preparing and cooking the burgers, drumsticks, salad and side dishes in preparation for our annual barbecue.
We began to tuck in when the drivers returned. A second course of fruit, gateau and lashings of cream followed, an indulgent end to a lovely day.    
Next week’s walks will be a climb of Criffel overlooking the Nith estuary and a more gentle walk around New Abbey. The start times and meeting points are the same for both walks. Meet for car sharing at the Breastworks car park in Stranraer at 8.00 am, the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart at 8.30 am or the walk start at New Abbey Car Park (NX 964 663) at 10 am. For further details or if going direct to the walk start please phone the walk leader on 01776 840226. New members are always welcome.