Wigtownshire Ramblers Monreith Circular September 2014

Saturday the 6th of September

Twenty seven walkers gathered at the top of the one hundred and fifty steps above Monreith beach.

Shorty was the walk leader and his report will follow the pictures.   

The walk was similar to one we did back in March 2013 with snow on the ground. 

I was intrigued by these plaques on a bench. 

Going by the names I imagine they're deceased pets.

Through the village and left at Clarksburn

To Stellock Farm via Tronachan

Short climb to the Fell of Barhullion

2008 Walk

2010 Walk

Flush Bracket S8290

Views North and North West

Araucaria angustifolia, the paraná pine, brazilian pine or candelabra tree on the Monreith estate

Zoomed in to the Mull of Galloway

Now we began the figure of eight section of the walk.

Two walkers seem to be in two places at once in this picture

Lumpy terrain

Blue Roundhead Fungi ?

The most difficult of the day's obstacles.

Five walkers all looking in different directions !

Thanks to Miss Goodnight for slyly snapping me and the Milkmaid.

Recce photograph to Barfad Loch

Passing ruins of Fell of Barhullion farm 

Galloway Hills view........

..............ditto

Belties and muck spreader

Dowies............

also known as Old Place Of  Monreith.........

Available for holiday bookings at the Landmark Trust

Two ladies holidaying were somewhat lost between Dowies and Drumfad. We put them on the right track. The semi clad lady still stands in the garden at the Clachan of Myrton.

Core path, phoenix tree and the thickest ivy vine.

A moment for refreshment.

Top picture - looks like a rambler has come to grief.

Bottom Picture - he needs an introduction to the garden lady of Clachan of Myrton.

A Donsy of Gnomes in the Lochside Plantation

Lunchtime at the holiday house on the White Loch of Myrton.

I looked this up, am I right ?

Quattro Bella Donne !

Henry who's been hiding, gets discovered as we are leaving.

View across to Myrton Castle Cottage, swans and fisher folk.

A quick glimpse of Monreith House.

Nectar and pollen collection before summer's gone.

Boys 'n Birds Barsalloch Point

Steps up to Barsalloch Fort

Glaucium Flavum - Yellow Horned Poppy

Port Whapple

Monreith Bay.

Water's edge walkers

Approaching Black Rocks

A stony crossing to the one hundred and fifty Kelton Steps.

A grand walk completed we drove up to Port William for tea and coffee with a tray bake provided by A'OK. 

Kati and Ben had been warned to expect us.

A fitting end to the day................

.............looking out to Luce Bay.............

.................and the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway.

Here's Shorty's report.
Wigtownshire Ramblers Saturday, 06 September 2014 – Monreith Circular

Saturday dawned clear and bright and twenty seven cheerful ramblers, including a number of visitors from as far away as Australia, assembled above the beach in Monreith.  The air was unusually clear and the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway stood out clearly above the sparkling blue sea.  We set off through the village and turned up the road towards Stelloch Farm.  At Clarksburn Farmhouse we paused to admire the carved stone from 2005 with modern cup and ring marks and a Nine Man’s Morris board.  Unfortunately nobody was sure of the rules for the latter so we could not play the game.

At Stelloch farm we were greeted by two enthusiastic dogs and their owner.  The owner tried to explain where we could find the elusive ancient cup and ring marks marked on the map in the next field.  Following his guide we crossed the field and carefully examined the exposed rocks with no success until a walker’s shadow fell at the right angle and the circles became apparent.  The reason for these carvings is unknown but our leader postulated they were probably graffiti carved by bored Stone Age shepherds.

We then climbed the rougher ground above the field to the Fell of Barhullion and were rewarded with magnificent views in all directions.  The southern Marchars were laid out before us and the Galloway Hills formed a sun drenched back drop.  To the west the sea was a striking blue with the Skares rocks unusually clear.  One member thought he could make out the Mountains of Mourne as a grey outline on the horizon.  There had been a minor collapse in well-built summit cairn and the small message jar was exposed and empty.

After a short pause to regain breath and partake of energy replacing sweeties we set off northwards on a cattle path through the whins and bracken towards the Fell Wood.  As we went a pair of young roe deer bounded away amongst the bushes.  We eventually found a rough quad bike track which descended to a gate into the wood.  We then followed animal tracks through the open woodland with high bracken and brambles and then crossed onto the Fell Farm where the going got easier.  

We soon reached a track and walked up to the remnants of Fell Farmhouse.  Some reconstruction work had been carried out but a great deal of effort will be required to restore the buildings.  From the farm we took a tractor track down the fields to the Dowies Castle, also known as the Old Place of Monreith. This was once the seat of a branch of the powerful Maxwell Family from Caerlaverock near Dumfries.  The tower house was restored some years ago and is now let as a holiday home by the Landmark Trust.

On the way back to Court Hill Plantation we met two dog-walking ladies who had lost their way trying to follow tracks marked on their map.  As is quite common round here, the tracks just disappeared leaving them directionless in featureless grassy fields.  We were able to redirect them to their route which they thankfully followed.  We followed the surprisingly squelchy track around the lower side of the plantation and reached the Estate road which we would follow to Drumfad and the Clachan of Myrton.  As we went we were amazed at the profusion of hazel nuts, rose hips and brambles but the paucity of the crop on the hawthorn and sloe bushes.  

At the Clachan we turned onto the Core Path, a rather muddy old track cut through the edge of the Hill Head Plantation.  We walked on the bank above the extensive cutting to avoid the deep mud.  The extent of the earthworks was surprising for a track which seemed to lead from the old smithy to a rather small farm.  The farm is now ruinous, marked only by a few low walls.  We walked down the field to the Monreith Estate North Lodge and turned in through the gates and then followed a narrow path through the trees to the larger path which runs round the White Loch.  We stopped for lunch in the opening in the woods next to the Kennels Cottage with views out across the White Loch.  During lunch we were entertained by a diving bird that was hunting in the loch and emerged with something in its beak which was causing it some difficulty.

After lunch we continued round the west side of the loch, meeting dog walkers and fishermen, to Monreith House and then down the drive for a short distance.  We then crossed the Barsalloch Burn and walked along the new cattle roads to the county road and then between hedgerows down the concrete road to North Barsalloch Farm.  The farmer had obviously been talking advantage of the dry weather to spread slurry on his fields which added a distinctive aroma to our progress.  Below the farm the track dips down a small glen cut by the burn to the sea shore.

We crossed the main road and walked along the shingle beach back towards Monreith.  The shingle contained a remarkable range of hardy plants growing vigorously out of the unpromising soil.  One member was particularly pleased to find the relatively rare Yellow Horned Poppy which was still flowering amongst the stones.  Further along the beach some ramblers took the longer but easier route over the firm sand revealed by the low tide.  Others trudged manfully on along the shingle.  Both groups finished the walk by climbing the 150 steps back from the beach to the cars.  We then motored through Portwilliam and enjoyed tea and coffee on the sea shore at the Streeteatery with tray bakes provided by an absent member.

Next week’s walk will be a nine mile moderate walk across the southern Rhins starting from Port Logan.  Meet at 09:00 at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart or 09:30 at the Breastworks car park in Stranraer to share transport.  The walk will start from the pier car park in Port Logan at 10:00 (NX 094 404).  New walkers are welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01776 860315 for full details.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Monreith March 2013

Saturday the 30th of March.

Today's scheduled walk, the Haggis and Rowantree Hill circular was cancelled due to the probability of deep snow on the route. Instead, last weeks cancelled walk, the Monreith circular will replace it.

Recce on the 20th of March

There are twenty four of us out today.

Walk start at Monreith clifftop car park

Tracks and snowy fields north east from Monreith via Stellock

The Fell of Barhullion

Canmore says there may be chambers or galleries in the prehistoric fort that the cairn sits on.

Time to pose for the camera. 

What a lot of beautiful people.

Towards the Galloway Hills

The top picture is a stone at the base of the Triangulation Pillar.  A carved date appears to read 1874.

Flush Bracket Number S8290

The snowy descent. Fabulous views over to the Mull of Galloway and up Luce Bay

Snow, muddy paths and a drystone wall slowed progress

Passing Drumfad Loch

At Barfad, evidence that the snow plough was needed

A small example of a Snow Cornice

Along the core path from the Clachan of Myrton to the ruins of Hillhead farm

Spring's arriving but winter's hanging on

Lunch at Keepers Cottage looking out on to the White Loch of Myrton

The ruins of the West Lodge

View north west to Dourie Farm and beyond to Garheugh and Auchenmalg

A group photo on Cupid Hill

A blurry picture of fleeing deer, a strange stool, a cow highway and a 'Scoop'

The monkey puzzle plantation

The same deer or another group ?

Crossing the fields south of Monreith House

South Lodge, Blairbuie Bridge and back to Monreith

A very pleasant walk today.

Shorty's report to follow.


Wigtownshire Ramblers – Saturday 30 March 2013.  Monreith Estate

Twenty four ramblers assembled in brilliant sunshine at the cliff top car park in Monreith.  The sky was bright blue with a few white clouds.  However, a keen easterly breeze reminded them that spring had not really arrived yet.

The group set off through the village admiring the various features of the houses.  They particularly noted one where the balcony railings had been replaced with panes of glass to maintain the beautiful view from the windows.  At the south end of the village they followed the signs to the top of the Fell of Barhullion.  The track led up past Stelloch Farm, where they were greeted by the owner and his two enthusiastic dogs.  He described the snowdrifts which had filled the lane for three days and the lack of power over the previous weekend but seemed unfazed by the experience.

The track led round the house and past the ruinous steading.  Just beyond the wood the group intended to turn through the gate towards the fell but found it blocked by snow.  They clambered over it and set off up the field.  The leader described a series of cup and ring carvings on a rock in one of the fields but no amount of searching could find them in spite of their being found easily on the recce the previous week.  The group carried on up the hill, through another gate, this time free of snow, and soon reached the summit of the fell.  There were magnificent views in all directions.  The Isle of Man stood out white against the blue sky to the south, The Mull of Galloway a dark line beyond the blue water of Luce Bay to the west and the Galloway Hills a snow-clad screen to the north-east.  The whole of the Marchars lay as a patchwork of snowdrifts and dark fields below them.

The walkers then descended the north side of the fell where they found their way impeded by a series of snow drifts, some still two or three foot deep.  They found a route across them and made their way through woods and fields to the track around the north side of Drumfad Loch.  They were amazed by the number of different animal tracks which were clearly visible in the lying snow.  Deer, fox, badgers, rabbits, hares and pheasants were all identified.  The going got easier once they reached the track and they continued past the new and refurbished houses at Drumfad and on to the Clachan of Myrton.  At the Clachan they took the designated core path along the side of the old smithy and over the low hill to the ruins of Hillhead Farm.  The snow had caused considerable damage to the ivy clad trees along the path and several diversions had to be made to go round the collapsed vegetation.  Beyond the ruins the track descended back to the county road.  About a hundred metres along the road the group entered the Estate via the North Lodge gate and followed a small path through the woods down to the shore of the White Loch.  Here they found that the snow had brought down the power cables so they proceeded cautiously to the Keepers Cottage where they paused for lunch.  The sun continued to sparkle on the waters of the loch but the cool breeze limited their stay.

After lunch they followed the path round the loch shore. The snowdrops had now largely faded but the daffodils had made little progress since last week.  Spring was struggling to make its presence felt.  Along the loch shore they past a couple of fishermen who were sheltering from the stiff breeze.  They seemed to be having little success in the cold conditions.  

Once they had passed the boathouse the walkers turned away from the loch and followed the track to the ruins of West Lodge.  Once again diversions had to be made to avoid trees brought down by the snow and wind.   The track led over Cupid Hill through the oddly named Botany Bay plantation until they reached the new cow motorways.  They were told that this was part of a system imported from New Zealand where the cows are kept out of doors with the stalls exposed to the elements.  It was not recorded what they thought of the last week’s weather.  From there they followed the tracks to the swamp behind Monreith House where the Skunk Cabbage was beginning to shine yellow from the stagnant water.  They then cut across the fields to the Monkey Puzzle wood.  They noticed that several of the trees were producing cones, promising a good seed year.  They then went down past the Sour Croft to the Blairbuie bridge and took the track, now thankfully largely clear of snow, to the cars in Monreith village.  As no suitable local source of scones had been identified, one group repaired to the County Golf Club and the remaining walkers went to CInamon café for tea and cakes.

Next week’s event will be a moderate walk around the upper reaches of Glen App.  Meet at Riverside Car Park, Newton Stewart at 09:00 or the Breastworks Car Park in Stranraer at 09:30 to share transport. The walk will start from Dupin Farm (NX 082 753) at 10:00.  New walkers are welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01776 700707 before joining the walk.