Wigtownshire Ramblers-Chapel Finian Circular January 2011

It's Saturday the 15th of January.
Todays walk is an old favourite that we've done a couple of times before.
August 2009 Walk
October 2009 Walk

We're parked up by the ruins of Chapel Finian on Luce Bay.The weather forecast is for wind and heavy showers.
We're a decent sized group of 28 walkers today.It looks like we're going to have an increased membership in 2011.

Starting at Corwall Heugh we begin the zigzag climb up Low Moor.

As we climb we're pushing a number of cows before us.Bully brings up the rear.

There's a lot of ruins around this part of the Machars,this is on the map as homestead (remains of).
We'll come across a few today.

Bully's finding the pace a bit heavy,but he's determined that he won't be parted from his ladies.

Finally we're on level ground and take a quick break over a misty and rough Luce Bay.

Approaching Corwall it looks like the cows have decided to make a stand.Quite right too,what use will a tired old bully be to them !
The next mile or so took us over High Moor on a narrow concrete road.A debate ensued as to who might have laid it and how much it cost..The question was unresolved.

Now we emerge onto the tarmac of the B7005.It looks like there's been a party at 'The Brae' sometime back a while if the deflated balloons are anything to go by.The schoolhouse at Culshabbin looks to be in dire need of some new windows.

I made mention on the previous post of this walk of the significant archaeological sites in the area.I must try looking closer this year.

Turning south along the muddy track from Culshabbin it starts to rain.Waterproofs are donned.We get our first view of the House of Elrig,birthplace of Gavin Maxwell who wrote Ring of Bright Water.

Now we reach the farmstead of Airylick.There are a number of farmsteads with the prefix 'Airy'.It comes from the gaelic word Airidh,a shieling or hill pasture.It's used more in Galloway than anywhere else in Scotland.

After leaving Airylick we now head up towards Elrig House.

At the main gate we take the path round to Barhobble where we have lunch.
This is a very historic site covering the years from 700 to 1825.

(Click on the picture to read the information board)
Archaeological notes on Barhobble can be found on Scotlands Places here
Barhobble

Back on the move we now begin a muddy climb westwards towards Changue wood.

We come upon a ruined building with a quern stone cemented into the wall.

We now continue on following the Changue burn and the ruins of a water mill.

One of our members who's a technical and architectural whizz noted a number of alterations and enlargements to the original building.Some walkers had a good look round.

Back on the move and with Luce Bay below we round Bennan hill.
Visibility is still poor.

Thanks again to Scoop for getting me in the picture.

There's some prime stock at Chippermore.Among the sheep are Texels and Suffolk.
I think the cattle are the Galloway breed,but I'm not sure.

Now we head downhill by road to Chippermore Heugh.On the way we pass St Johns Well (I never saw it,thats another reason to explore),and a tyre dump with some big tyres.

A short walk along the Port William road brings us back to the cars and the end of the walk.

Although the sun never emerged we were quite lucky with the weather,and the walk although now familiar was very interesting. 

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Barhobble

It's Saturday the 10th of October 2009.
Todays walk is virtually a repeat of the walk we did on the 8th of August.
Here's the shortcut to that blog.
Walk from Chapel Finian
The only difference from that walk will be the final section,where we'll walk back to our start point rather than cars ferrying drivers back to the start.

There's a turnout of twenty one walkers today.Our canine friend Curly is in attendance.There's one or two less regular walkers.The weather's a bit misty and overcast.Corwall point is again the start.

A steady climb gets us up onto Low Moor and along to Corwall.It's a bit hazy to get good pictures.

There's quite a number of Hut Circles,Cairns and Field Systems on these moors,but we never seem to have the time to investigate.I'll have to get myself up here for a leisurely look round.

Copied and pasted from the last blog.
We continue in northerly direction until we reach the B7005 to Wigtown.
Here we follow the road east and past Culshabbin before turning back southwards via a farm track at the old schoolhouse.
Someone's been keeping the grass mowed at the old schoolhouse.It needs some work to keep it habitable though.
We're quite a colourful group today,one particular male walker being beautifully co-ordinated in red.
From Culshabbin we're heading south via Gallows Hill(Wouldn't i just love to have £1 sterling for every Gallows Hill there are).This is an inscribed stone to someones pet.I didn't have time to decipher it.
Approaching Airylick and Elrig House we encounter a squabbling family of ducks.

Circling Elrig house now.Last time i put a link to Gavin Maxwells Wikipedia Page...
...then there's this book.
This is the personal story of Gavin Maxwell's boyhood, most of which he spent at the House of Elrig, a lonely, windswept house on the moorlands of Galloway. This is the house which, together with the influence of his relations, shaped his interest in living creatures and his love of wild country and wilderness.

Bully had his ladies and babies close by.His glare was becoming more pronounced as I dallied to get a picture.I prudently moved on as a fellow walker suggested he'd probably be able to scale the drystane dyke.

We reach Barhobble...
...i put this picture up the last time,so i'm repeating myself now.It's just in case anyone is interested in the layout of this 'Medieval and Dark Age' church,they can click and enlarge the picture to read it.
Over in Elrig House grounds the 'Gunnera'or gunnera manicata grows big.
This is an ideal spot for lunch,the ruins make ideal benches.
Look out!there's a mad rambler on the loose.
On the move again.We're heading South West via Airyolland and Changue...

...an interesting item i've found concerns the names of fields we're crossing.this is a passage from a Roots Web page.

From: FrancesABlack@aol.com
Subject: [WIG LIST] Old Map Airyolland
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 05:50:40 EDT

It is interesting what you find clearing cupboards! Found an old map of Airyolland farm, Port William which at that time was rented by my grandfather Robert Skimming. The map had been traced in 1915 and the farm had been surveyed in the autumn of 1889 by James Christison. What I found interesting were the names of the fields! Some of the names: High Liquorice, Laigh Liquorice, Back Feg, Delfin, Hanging Fauld, Lady Creichan, Spout and Clays Bog to name a few. Wonder where the names came from! There were some obviously named ones such as five acre, six acre, bog, and rough field which were self explanatory!
Frances


It's at this point our route changes from the previous walk.
As Luce bay starts to reflect a little sunlight...
...we're heading northwards towards Chippermore Farm...
...where the trees are shaped by the predominant wind coming up from the bay.
It's all downhill and tarmac back to the cars now.Again this has been quite a pleasant walk,and as usual in the best of company.And although it's been quite dull for much of the walk,it stayed fair today.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Chapel Finian

Saturday the 8th of August and it's quite overcast.
We parked up at Corwall Port opposite Chapel Finian on the Glenluce Portwilliam road.
We think we're a group of twelve today,but the late arrival of the Glentrool contingent swells us to seventeen.Welcome good people,it's great to see you.

A quick look at Chapel Finians ruins and we head upwards on a track towards Corwall.Curly's raring to get a move on.

Between Auchenmalg and Portwilliam you can always guarantee the appearance of cormorants.This cairn is one of many in the area.Our walk leader tells us of a plan for a future walk,over the hill tops and taking in the cairns and hut circles that abound.
The short climb from Chapel Finian is the hardest part of todays walk,and we're soon in undulating countryside.
A view north towards Auchenmalg...

...and a rambler asks whether these woolly walkers have joined the group.They didn't stay with us for long.
Curly decides on a quick dip.
About now it started to rain.It's only a light drizzle,but it's enough for me to put the camera away for a while.I've been forgetting to bring along my small camera,which is ideal for days like these.
We continue in northerly direction until we reach the B7005 to Wigtown.
Here we follow the road east and past Culshabbin before turning back southwards via a farm track at the old schoolhouse.With Mochrum Loch and the Galloway hills as a backdrop,it's time for a photocall.
As the drizzle turns to rain,more waterproofs are donned.
Now we reach Airylick and Elrig House.
Elrig House was once the home of Gavin Maxwell of 'Ring of Bright Water' fame.The family still own and reside on the nearby estate at Monreith.More on this on Wikipedia at
Gavin Maxwell
Close to Elrig house we reach Barhobble,a 'Dark age and Medieval' church.Originally built of wood about 1050,with the stone chapel being added around 1125.
Barhobble
The rain's stopped as we have lunch.Curly keeps watch for titbits being dropped.
Back on the move and our leader informs us we've completed two thirds of todays walk.As we open and close another gate, he quips that todays walk should be called the 'Gate Walk', because there's been so many.
Now were alongside Changue wood,a colourful deciduous/coniferous mix.
Here on the Changue burn we come to the ruins of an old dam and watermill.Our walk leader enlightens us into the workings of such places.
Now as Luce Bay comes back into view it's all downhill...
...to the roadside.As the car drivers are ferried back to the walk start,the rest of us relax and enjoy the company and the views.
Despite the weather it's still been an enjoyable walk....
...with this added bonus on the way home.

Footnote:
There's a couple of intrepid explorers get down this way occasionally.
Their most recent escapade was a Cairnsmore of Fleet climb.Anyone fancying a climb could do worse than follow their route.blueskyscotland