A beach and countryside walk

It's been a funny week. Warm and overcast a bit. 

It's Friday as I'm composing this post and it's pouring rain.

(The river needs it as the last picture will show)

On Wednesday I decided a beach walk might clear a fuzzy head.

I headed east and parked up at Mossyard beach car park.

(I need to go back and find the ring marked rocks, Castle Wilkie and the Standing Stones of Newton, don't ask why I didn't have my map with me ! ))

It was very quiet as I walked east across the rocks and sand.

This fella seemed to be looking for lunch.

There were a lot of oyster-catchers around.

I kept my eye open for anything worth photographing.

This stretch of coastline from Auchenlarie to Gatehouse of Fleet is very popular with holidaymakers.

Cabins and caravan sites thrive in the summer and although there was no activity on the beach I could see plenty of people either setting up camp or doing maintenance on their mobile homes.

Standing over a rock pool, it wasn't my intention to take a 'selfie', but when I saw it in the LCD screen.......................

...................I decided to take another.

Shoreline and rock-pool plants.

Leaving the shoreline I took a short walk through the Cardoness-Estate-Holiday-Park. Here there are 182 owner occupied holiday homes, 38 chalets and lodges and half a dozen sites for tourers. As you drive pass the entrance on the A75, you can't see any of this. It really is a hidden gem.

Alongside and to the west was a path through the woods marked as a nature trail.

I decided to take a walk through for my return to Mossyard. 

Here's a Meadow Brown.

By far the most widespread in Galloway is the Ringlet.

As I climbed up a an incline I came to a bench with a view and a memorial plaque.

I've touched up the photograph of the name plaque, the paint is flaking off.

Apparently Geoffrey was a skilled surgeon and died within ten weeks of Rosemary's passing.

This is the view they enjoyed in the 40+ years they came up here.

Now to get back to the beach. I headed inland until I could identify whether the cattle I saw were bulls or otherwise.

This is a view of Newton Farm with the hill Mill Knock behind.

When I got close I saw they were inquisitive young ladies.

Across another field there were lots of gulls looking for easy pickings behind a ploughing tractor.

Back at Mossyard I saw this female blackbird trying to drum up lunch.

From Mossyard I now took short walk west to White Bay where I had a bite to eat and watched as a couple of youngsters fished off the rocks.

My book says this is a field digger wasp.

So ended my beach walk.

On Thursday I took a walk up to Glenamour.

There's a lot of lillies on the smaller Glengarren Loch

Here's a parasol mushroom and a welsh poppy.

Two pictures together of Glenamour Loch almost creating an optical illusion.

Lots of water lillies on Glenamour loch too.

Back in Newton Stewart the river is low. Normal levels will be resumed after today's downpour.

At least the weather forecast for our group's walk tomorrow looks good.  

Wigtownshire Ramblers Torrs Warren to Sandhead May 2013

Saturday the 18th of May 2013.

After a couple of weeks break I'm back walking with the ramblers.

Here's the report.

We met at the start, it rained, we walked, it rained, we had lunch, it rained, we again walked and tramped through water, it rained. We had scones and tea and coffee.

If you want to read a bit more, there's some stuff at the bottom I made up for the papers. Ha ha. 

A sweetie break

A happy group photo

The problem I had with my new small camera for rainy days was that I got it wet.

Because of the lens misting up, some of the photo's I took in the Woodlea Tea Rooms at Sandhead have looked better as pencil sketches.

Must be a good joke !

Seriously !

Smile, yer on Candid Camera

I'll finish with Curly, Larry and Mo..........work out who's who yourselves.

Next up are the MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE

 Saturday the 18th of May 2013.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Walk Report.

On a very wet morning, 12 ramblers gathered at the Bareagle Car Park,Torrs Warren for the walk.

The forecast was for rain and more rain.The start of the walk took them east through the plantation.

After a couple of kilometres a right turn led to the edge of the forest and grassy dunes. A left turn along an undulating sandy path led to Ringdoo Point. The plantation helps to stabilise the dune system at the back of Luce Bay - the dunes themselves are part of the military range and were recently in use during the Joint Warrior military exercise. A late arrival boosted the attendance to thirteen.

Upon reaching Ringdoo Point a break was taken for the distribution of sweeties.

Now began a long beach walk along Luce Sands. The rain and mist obscured most views, but the shore and sea birds were plentiful.

Luce Sands is one of the largest beach complexes in Scotland and easily the largest in Galloway.The beach stretches for approximately 11 km from the  mouth of the Water of Luce in the east, to the village of Sandhead in the west. 

With hoods on and head down against the rain, the walkers could see much of what the tide had brought in. Cockleshells, dog whelk and egg mass, seaweed, sea anemone and jumping sand flies were seen. 

On the dune edges fish boxes were a source of interest by discovering where they'd originated. 

Boxes from Scandinavia and the Faroe Islands were identified, but the majority of those looked at were from just across the water in Ireland.

Evidence of Joint Warrior was first found in the shape of a pair of combat trousers, possibly Italian, then vehicle tracks and possible landing craft tracks were spotted. Out in the bay target bases for bombing practice stood prominent.

Just beyond the outlet of the Red Burn, a lunch break was taken. Sheltering as much as possible against the dunes, soggy sandwiches were devoured.

Reaching Clayshant Control tower the walkers were joined by a rambler and her dog Tilly, coming up from Carisbrooke Caravan Park. Now the group numbered fourteen.

Beyond Clayshant Control tower the outlets from the Stoneykirk and Culmore burns leave a lot of shallow currents. Walkers with even the best waterproof boots were drenched and although attempts were made to avoid pools, eventually all succumbed to just wading through.  

More flocks of seabirds were spotted out in the bay, gaggles of geese stood on the shore while a skein flew overhead.

On reaching Carisbroke, some of the car drivers diverted to be taken back to Bareagle while the remaining walkers continued on to Sandhead. Once all the cars were in Sandhead, wet clothes were swapped for dry ones and the group retired to the welcome refreshments of the Woodlea Tea Room. Reflecting over hot scones and cups of tea and coffee the general consensus was of a fast paced walk. Perhaps due to the weather ?    

The next walk on Sunday the 26th of May is an 8 mile B grade circular walk taking in Loch Whinyeon and Carstramon Woods. Meet for car sharing at Breastworks, Stranraer 9.00 am, Riverside , Newton Stewart 9.30 am or the walk start at Knocktinkle Car Park (NX 608 602) at 10 am. For further details or if going to the start please phone walk leader 01776 870231. New members are always welcome

Croy to Culzean November 2011

It's Monday the 21st of November 2011 and today I'll be making a long overdue visit.
I'm meeting up with my fellow rambler from Cumnock and we're going to walk from Croy to Culzean Castle and Country Park,have a look around before walking back. ( Culzean was spelt Cullean in the Victorian age and is generally pronounced like other Scottish words with the 'Z' silent.To the locals it's Cullane )
The car park is on the shore north of Maidens on the coastal route to Ayr.
Croyburnfoot Leisure Park is also next to the shoreline.(you can hear the waves on their website)

It's a better day here than it is in Galloway as I later learned.

Although in need of a clean up there's a very good information board by the beach.

I get a fully zoomed shot of the castle across Culzean Bay.

Apart from a couple of dog walkers we're quite alone as we set off.

It's a couple of kilometres along this lovely beach.There are a few small burns which discharge into the bay, but only one needing any negotiation.
There's a fair variety of  birds in and around the beach.Above bottom left is a flock of Shelducks.

An enterprising person or persons have done a nice job connecting a couple of cottages into a nice beach house.

I take quite a few pictures of the castle.I'm only uploading a fraction of them.

Another burn  making it's way inexorably to the sea.

Swans and Oystercatchers.

We're getting closer and the castle looks quite spectacular.

Upon reaching the grounds of Culzean the first point of interest is the Gas making plant.
It's been restored and when open in the season,a full size realistic model can be seen in the Retort House.
This link is quite detailed.     Hevac Heritage Gas Making

We won't get to look inside any parts of the castle today.It's open from April to October.
During the winter season the shops and restaurants are open weekend and Christmas.
Here's their own website. The Culzean Experience

Side view of the castle.

Most of it's original grandeur is still in place.

Front view

The Viaduct.

Reaching the Deer Park my walking companion has found her bearings.As an ex teacher she used to bring her class out here.We'll be heading to the Swan Pond a 15 minute walk away.

An educational tree top walk to be accompanied by a park ranger.

This will be beautiful once the Silver Firs again reach maturity.

Late November in the walled garden is still amazingly colourful.

As befits a a place of splendour, there's a great variety of trees.

We reach the Swan Pond.

There's more ducks and other birds than swans.They don't take a lot of notice of us as they enjoy the warmth of this late November day.

I've no problem getting colourful pictures.

Close by is one of the entrances and the play-park.
We have our lunch watching all the activity on the pond.
I left my video camera running.Here's a little bit of the footage.

After an enjoyable lunch we head up to the Pagoda.There's no one in today.

We're now walking along the opposite bank of the Swan pond.I should have changed my camera setting for the Swans.

This is the sort of tree all kids love.If the branches hadn't been damp I'd have had a clamber myself.

The southern outlook of the castle comes into view.

Below is the Dolphin House ,in Victorian times it was the laundry,now It's an educational outdoor activity centre.

This is the Battery.The cannons go back to the glorious days of Scotland's industrial heritage and Ironmaster and Merchant Thomas Edington

Now we're back at the gardens at the front of the castle.

This is Dudley,a big friendly Bernese Mountain Dog.We pass the time of day with his owner.

More exotic and colourful blooms.

Our last port of call is the Visitors Centre where I try out my ten second delay feature on my camera.

This was Culzean Home Farm.It's all closed today but I imagine they'll get a few visitors at the weekend.

Chaffinches are enjoying sharing someone's lunch.We saw the robin earlier.

Back on the beach and the tide's well on it's way out.

What a fabulous place Culzean is.

We had a great day.