Wigtownshire Ramblers Brambles Stranraer to Castle Kennedy January 2015

11th January 2015

Saturday's walk had a new leader due to injury and a new route for safety reasons.

Our new leader was G.I.Joe with Miss Goodnight backing him up.

The walk turned out to be a 'Gallimaufry' of several walks we've completed.

This Castle Kennedy link covers many of them.

I've written the press report for the walk, as usual it'll follow the pictures which will also include a selection of Scoops.

The weather forecast was bad, but the weather was better than most of us expected.

Walk start from Brambles Cafe along Stoneykirk Road

I'm not sure what happened here. On the ground they seem to be walking together, yet above the fields something's not quite right. 

Aha ! Right click, open in new tab and you can see the join.

Power lines included for another blogger of high renown 

A shower of sleet and hail arriving

A muddy field followed by a short climb through Boreland Woods

A bonny sight o' some deer, verra shy cratures

A pair o naw sae shy cratures

Tarmac road to Low Boreland

Ayr to Stranraer train

Path through Long Planting

A Castle Kennedy resident and one of their vehicles

Across Loch of Inch (White Loch) to the old castle

The newer Lochinch Castle

Lunchtime seating

Yew tree, domain of a flitting Goldcrest

Above might well have been a REME building. Barrack room foundations were everywhere along here

An exploration of the old Inch Parish Church ruins

Memorials to the Earls of Stair and their families

John David James Dalrymple is the 14th Earl of Stair (born 4 September 1961) and is a British politician

Some happy explorers

Approach road to Lochinch Castle

The boat house with apparent wind damage close by

Adorable equine

Crossing the A77

The top cat of Limekilns Lodge

Through the Culhorn Estate

The power lines have come out better in sketch form

Back through the woods and all that remains of the old Culhorn House and back to Brambles

Back on a Walk of 2008 the Brambles was called the Galloway Tea Rooms.

Here's a selection from my fellow snapper

SCOOP

......and here's the walk report

Wigtownshire Ramblers Walk Report

Saturday the 10th of January 2015

Despite a forecast of high winds and wintry showers, twenty one ramblers met at the Brambles Cafe car park in Stranraer for the walk. This was an alternative to the programmed coastal walk for safety reasons. 

Well wrapped up against the biting wind, we set off by heading south along the Stoneykirk Road.

After passing multicoloured sheep and some fine horses at Clashmahew, the route took the minor road past Culreoch to join the route of the Southern Upland Way. This was short lived as we took to a muddy field just before Culhorn Mains. The sky was a mixture of sun and dark clouds and we now experienced a short sleety hailstone shower.

After the mud, it was a relief to climb up through Boreland Wood where a short stop got us our breath back.

We were now walking south on a short section of the Mull of Galloway Trail.

To the west a group of five or six deer studied our passing before bounding away out of sight.

At High Barnultoch, more fine horses came up to a gate to be admired.

On reaching the tarmac road we turned east before turning back north along the Low Boreland farm track. Here sweeties were distributed while our walk leader considered where the sounds of shotguns were coming from. With the shooting season well advanced, it seemed there were many shoots this day.

Back on the move, we continued along wet farm tracks before coming back onto tarmac at Gallahill. After passing the newest Culhorn House we rejoined the Southern Upland Way. Another short stretch of tarmac brought us to the woods of Long Planting. This took us past the foundations and ruins of the one time military camp that existed here. A short walk through Castle Kennedy village brought us down to the beautiful Loch of Inch from where we could see over to both the old and new Lochinch castles. A blown down tree provided ample seating for a lunch break. 

Lunch wasn't a long affair. Due to another shower of rain and sleet, we needed to move before the cold could penetrate. As we readied to move it was a joy to watch a tiny Goldcrest flitting about the branches of a yew tree. Now our route took us anti clockwise alongside the White Loch. The mature woods of American Cedars and other large firs led to open parkland and the road to Lochinch Castle.

 A short distance along this road brought us to the ruins of the old parish church of Inch, which was explored. Memorial headstones to various Earls of Stair were predominant.The family name Dalrymple was seen on many of the wall plaques. The church and nearby school were closed in 1861. 

Leaving the road we passed a couple of delightful Shetland ponies before making our way through Hamilton Wood to the busy A75.

After crossing the A75 we passed the Auchrochar Wetlands SSI before retracing part of our route on the Southern Upland Way.

Shortly after turning into the Culhorn Estate at Limekiln Lodge we needed to take a short break to await the conclusion of a shoot taking place. Pleasantries were passed as we encountered the shooting party. 

Soon we reached the ruined shell of the old Culhorn House. Apparently, when Lady Stair moved to Culhorn House in 1792 the garden grew a remarkable range of vegetables, including five types of onion and six varieties of cabbage.

Big Plantation and Witches Howe Woods  brought us to Commerce Road and the pavement back to Brambles and the walk finish.Excellent after walk refreshments were soon being enjoyed at the Brambles Cafe, a fitting end to a good long walk.

The next walk, on Saturday the 17th of January is an 10 or 11 mile circular B- walk in Bargaly Glen. Meet for car sharing at the Riverside, Newton Stewart at 09.30 am. The Breastworks Car Park, Stranraer at 09.00 am, or the walk start at the Fisherman Car Park, Stronord (NX441648) at 10.00 am. New members are always welcome.  If going to the walk start or for more information, contact walk leader on 01671 402733. 

Wigtownshire Ramblers Stranraer Castle Kennedy December 2014

7th December

It's a Sunday outing for us for a change.

Our walk leader is the 'Weaver' and her report will follow the pictures.

It's a walk we've done with variations previously.

April 2014 Walk

The 1st of October 2011 Walk

15th of October 2011 Walk

The walk started at the car park on a windy Loch Ryan.

We disturbed a flock of Oystercatchers.

Road to High Balyett

Road to Garthleary

Leaving Garthleary

View north to the Fell of Craigcaffie

In the grounds of the Stair Estate through Kennel Bank Wood.

Lochinch Castle 

Crindil Bank Wood

Sheuchan Hill

Bamboo and a passing dog (with owner of course).

Fungi

Heron Isle on Black Loch.

East Lodge and entrance gate.

More fungi and bamboo.

View across White Loch to Lochinch Castle.

I zoomed in....................

.........................and again.....................

......................and once more. 

(I listened to a programme about photographic drones today, talk about big brother watching you !)

Castle Kennedy road crossing.

I hope it doesn't spiral out of control !

Castle Kennedy Primary School mural.

Lunch in Long Planting (old military road)

Lit up tree at Limekiln Lodge. (the window rail matching the grid spacing is purely coincidental)

A muddy Southern Upland Way.

Power lines.  

Sweetie distribution at Guyon's Brae Wood.

All that remains of Culhorn House

Industrial Estate view from Witches Howe

Commerce Road crossing.

Even more fungi.

Westwood Avenue to Ladies Walk.

Loch Ryan.

Cairnryan Road.

Loch Ryan Swans.

A sandy walk back to the cars at the Balyett picnic site.

A lovely walk with only one little drizzle of a shower.

Here's the 'Weaver's' walk report.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Castle Kennedy walk.

For a change the Ramblers met on Sunday for a 9 1/2 mile circular walk around Stranraer and Castle Kennedy, a walk of woods and water.

Seventeen members set off from the parking place on the cockle shore, along the edge of Loch Ryan with high tide water splashing ferociously in the bitingly cold wind. A lone goose sheltering in the undergrowth was sent flapping into the choppy sea as the unexpected invaders passed.

Once over the coast road, High Balyett farm road was followed, crossing the old railway line to Cairnryan, only shown now by one rail in the road and a depression across the adjacent field. The next road crossed was the A751 and another farm lane taken, leading after a short while to a grassy field with a good view down Loch Ryan, though the wind was so cold that very few people climbed the small hill to get the best view. The policies of Stair Estate were entered by a tree lined road alongside a small burn which, by a circuitous route, connected the Black Loch with Loch Ryan.

The shelter of the trees now meant that the biting wind ceased to chill the walkers and the milder climate here was shown by a pretty azalea bush covered in tiny mauve flowers. The Black Loch was spanned at a narrow point by a rustic wooden bridge and the north side of the loch was enjoyed with views over the water to the manicured lawns around the castle. In the 1730's these gardens were made by the second Earl of Stair. They are said to be inspired by the gardens at Versailles and the hard work of shifting soil, in order to build terraces, was done by the Royal Scots Greys and the Inniskilling Fusiliers.

The geese and ducks which usually frequent the loch were nowhere to be seen until the Southern Upland Way was joined at the end of the Black Loch. Now the geese were spotted far away near the castle, resting on the grassy banks. Coots and ducks swam out from the reeds at the side of the White Loch and a buzzard soared overhead mewing. Loch Inch Castle was picturesquely situated on the North bank of the White Loch, with the remains of the old church and graveyard on the West bank and the ruined Castle Kennedy, built in 1607 and burnt down in 1716, on the East bank. This driveway to the A75 is a glorious spot to traverse in all seasons.

The walkers soon passed through the village of Castle Kennedy and onto the wooded track which was once full of wartime buildings conveniently situated alongside the railway. Now there are only the foundations of huts and the odd shelter to be seen. Lunch amongst the trees brought a welcome rest for everyone.

The walk continued along the tree lined track until it reached a deviation of the old road caused by the building of the railway, which was crossed under a bridge near Loch Magillie and picked up again after a stretch of the Old Military Road, by a lodge and gate. A boggy piece of ground at Lime Kiln alongside the path had been transformed into a small loch and soon Culhorn Loch was also seen, making a total of six lochs passed today. The archway into Culhorn House is all that is left of the old Stair residence for about 150 years, after Castle Kennedy was burnt and before Lochinch Castle was built.

The last section of woodland was now walked, leaving the Southern Upland Way and heading through Big Plantation and Witches Howe, crossing the Industrial Estate road and following the Approach into town. Now that the trees were not so thick the biting wind reappeared with a spattering of rain which thankfully lasted no longer than a few seconds. The walkers were reunited with their cars along the A77, helped along by the wind behind them, some taking the easy path along the roadside and others venturing onto the cockle shore to crunch their way back.

Refreshments at Craignelder were a welcome end to the day’s walk with great service and comfortable surroundings, whilst a very black cloud built up over the loch. This was a well-timed finish for a fresh but enjoyable walk.

Next Saturday’s walk will be a circular from Ballantrae to the summit of Knockdolian returning along the river Stinchar. Meet at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart at 09:00 am, the Breastworks car park, Stranraer at 09:30 am or the walk start at Ballantrae Shore car park (NX 082 825) at 10 am.  New walkers are always welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01988 700553 for full details.