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.

School Holidays = Grandkids...Callum and Erin

It's the week commencing Monday the 16th of August 2010.
As can be seen from the previous post of a YouTube video,I have visitors this week.
Callum,Erin and their mum, my eldest daughter, are here for a few days.
The Cream O' Galloway is the first stop.

The only thing they won't bother with here is 'Down the Hatch',tried it...didn't like it.

Due to the exuberance,injuries are inevitably sustained.

Mum gets active this trip.No need for a visit to Weight Watchers this week.

Callum's the coolest dude out there.

Erin takes the Flying Fox in her stride.Callum moves on to a bigger cart.

It's the bikes next...

....Callum stays around the more demanding part of the course.After an initial tumble,Erin away like Sir Chris Hoy.She lets mum past on the last section though.

A well deserved lick after all the activity.

A short drive takes us down to Carrick Shore.Erin and Callum take turns in balancing Ardwall Isle on their heads.

There's lots of activity on the water.


Dog whelk egg mass is fetched back to the Glebe to be recognised.The stony face gets named Buckie since he was found close to the egg mass.Dog whelks are known as Buckies.

The end of a busy day.The above collage sounds like a good title for a childrens book. 'Erin,the Heron and the Magpie' (The moth is a Magpie)

Tuesday the 17 August

This sea monster was spotted above the cliffs at Kilantringan lighthouse.


Kilantringan and Knock Bay stretch out beautifully.

Although this looks an endearing picture of big brother looking after sis,I'm sorry to say it was just coincidence that their hands were close when I pressed the button.

As well as the beach,there's plenty of rocky areas to explore.

Cool dudes all right !

Grandad gets in the picture.

The sun's shining as we get to Portpatrick.

Dunskey Castle's condemned, but we still take a little peek.

We've seen movement out there that might have been basking sharks,but nothing definitive.

Now we're visiting Druchtag Motte.This is where the previous YouTube clip was taken.In the top picture above we have Erin to the left apparently defying gravity.
Take a look at this clip uploaded on Davshelgo channel.

This wasn't supposed to turn into a sliding down contest,but after this young lady had (accidental or deliberate ?) fallen on to her backside the damage was done.
What a great way to end a fun packed day.

Wednesday the 18th of August
Over to Port Logan today.

Holes are dug and filled with water to hold any shore life netted in the rock pools.

Lots of jellyfish are washed up on the sand.
A great time here,but we'll head to another beach.

Chapel Rossan Bay is the one.

That black cloud has made the sky very atmospheric.It makes a great background for this little princess carrying her net.

Lots of pools to explore here.

There's tons of excitement as lots of crabs and in particular blennies are found.
Grandad had an interesting encounter when he went to scoop up a blenny,and ended up with a crab crawling over his hand.ha ha ha
It's time to move on again.

Agnew Park in Stranraer will finish off the day.Archimedes screw,digger,boat,pirate island and a play park...


...there's lots of fun to be had here.Aren't pedalos hard work ?
That ferry won't fit in this boating lake,so why is it coming towards us.?

Grandad gets another look in.Where do you kids get your cracking looks from ?


This is a few pictures in sequence.It's interesting to see whether the kids can stay still for long.
What a day.What a visit.
It was great to see you kids.