Wigtownshire Ramblers Saturday 27 September Finnarts Bay to Cairnryan

Being unfit to walk this weekend, it was left to Scoop to do the honours of the report and photographs. Here's a compilation of her pictures and her report for the Ramblers and Ramblers Scotland Facebook pages. Her excellent report follows the pictures.

More pictures on Gordon's Blog. 

Gordon's Report

Wigtownshire Ramblers Saturday 27 September

Finnarts Bay to Cairnryan

Here's Scoop's report

Twenty three walkers, many making use of their precious bus passes, helped to fill the bus which took them from Cairnryan to the turnoff on the A77 to Finnarts Bay.  After introducing a new walker and welcoming back one who had rejoined them after an enforced absence, the leader gave a brief description of the walk before setting off down towards the bay.
After passing what used to be a fish factory and using the beautifully restored bridge over the Water of App, the group walked along the hard track beside Garry Wood, the trees in which are starting to wear autumnal colours.  A few moments were taken to admire a magnificent bull amongst a field of cows before they passed Finnarts Farm and continued on along the tree lined road track to reach the Bridge of the Mark, re-crossing the river to gain the A77.  The traffic was braved for a hundred metres before turning into the track leading up towards Wee Leith Hill. This is the Glen App to Stranraer section of the Mull of Galloway Trail.

Now the walking became harder as the zig-zagging climb began, frequent stops for breath, drinks of water and photo taking essential. Gaining height, we were soon able to look back down to Glenapp Church and the rhododendrons on the opposite hill. The rhododendrons once spelled out ‘Elsie’ but now only the odd letter can be guessed at.  An information board told us a little of the life of Elsie Mackay, daughter of the 1st Earl of Inchcape, who found fame as an actress and who became a very competent pilot.  She was lost over the Atlantic on her bid to become the first pilot to cross it, east to west.  The view across Glen App was a spectacular one over heather, bracken and trees with their changing colours, while the entrance to Loch Ryan and the Mull of Kintyre showed pale blue to the west.
Our track now became a forestry one with much evidence of the massive cull of Larch trees owing to widespread disease.  However, the views have now opened up to give us a bigger perspective of the area.  Logs were piled high beside the route and tree stumps were in abundance – giving the Ramblers perfect seating for lunch as they neared the edge of Low Marsh Forest.
Blood sugar brought back to satisfactory levels, the group started their descent, turning westwards above Old Park of the Gleick, looking across the loch to the North Rhins of Galloway.  A farmer had expressed his opinion on Scottish independence with a resounding ‘NO’, ploughed into a field.  After crossing the almost dry Galloway burn and looking down on the ferry terminals of Cairnryan there was a last uphill trek to the Taxing Stane  where once travellers had to pay to use the road crossing between Wigtownshire and Ayrshire, and to the Gcon gun battery of Little Laight Hill.  An information board informed us that this marked the burial-place of Alpin, the King of Dalriada and father of Kenneth McAlpine, King of the Scots, killed in 741 in Glenapp.
Turning away from the track near Little Laight, the walkers descended to pass through Meikle Laight and were delighted to watch while sheep were having their toe nails clipped – lying on their backs, on a table, feet upwards!   An offer was made to the group to have theirs done but they were on the move again, heading for the reservoir and weir close by.
From there it was a lovely descent through woodlands, following the course of Glen Burn, to reach the cars in the north car park of Cairnryan.  Most of the group gathered again to enjoy the excellent refreshments provided at the Merchants House – they are highly recommended by the Wigtownshire Ramblers!
The walk on Saturday 4th October is an 8 mile C grade figure of eight walk at the Mull of Galloway.  Meet for car sharing at the Riverside, Newton Stewart at 9am, at Port Rodie, Stranraer or the walk start at the Mull of Galloway (NX 154 304) at 10am.  For further details or if going to the start please phone the walk leader on 01776 840636. New members are always welcome.

Wigtownshire Rambler Finnarts Bay to Cairnryan January 2013

Today's walk is one we know well.

April 2009

November 2009

June 2011

We're a group of twenty four today. We're catching a bus in Cairnryan to take us up to the walk start at the disused Pinneys fish factory on Finnarts Bay.

The 'Weaver' is today's report writer and it will follow the photographs.

It's a bright morning as we get to Cairnryan, there are ferries from both terminals on the move as we arrive.

Our group nearly fill the bus.

The snowy collage below is courtesy of our walk leaders from their recce earlier in the week.

Gorgeous scenes

Leaving Finnarts Bay

Looking up Altygunnach Glen and a lovely yew tree

Beaters and the truck they arrived in at Finnarts Farm. The shooters are on their way, they pass us in a number of up market four track vehicles.  

Approaching Glenapp

The Water of App and Coastal Path information boards

Glenapp Church

I was a little late in taking this picture, but what it was, was a group of 4 or 5 buzzards being harried by 2 crows. Here's the answer to the question. Thanks to Adam Bimpson for this information.

Crows are large enough to pose a real nuisance to most birds of prey. There are three things that really make corvids a pest to raptors:-
1. Intelligence - Their response is slightly more than flight or fight
2. Aerial performance - Their wing shape allows them to turn and stop quickly.
3. Size - Large enough to really harry the raptor.
These three combined give the crows the edge as they are better able to judge just how "far they can go" with a raptor.
Crows will frequently have a go at large raptors, buzzards, goshawks etc. Ravens are very intolerant of Golden Eagles in their territories. Crows will also gang up on raptors, the benefit of numbers.

Now following the Loch Ryan Coastal Path

Here we come across an information board telling the story of the aviatrix Elsie Mackay

The March Burn

Forest track through Low Mark Plantation

Lots of tree felling due to the larch-killing phytophthora ramorum disease.

Lunchtime overlooking Loch Ryan

Heading along the 'Old Park of the Gleick'

As the darker rain clouds loom in the west, the Stena Line terminal gives off an ethereal glow

The Galloway Burn, the border between Ayrshire and Wigtownshire

The ovine frontline ?

The Taxing Stane at the Laight Gun Battery

Lairds Hill down to Cairnryan.

The P & O European Highlander leaves the terminal as the Stena Superfast VII manoeuvres for berthing. 

Myself and a couple of other walkers take some video

The music accompanying my clip is a composition by Moby called 'Division' from the album 'Wait for me' 

As the Stena Ferry docks another information board gives details of Cairnryan's military and industrial past.

The walk finish, the car park in the foreground.

Here's the Weaver's report

Ramblers’ report, Saturday 26th January 2013.

Glen App to Cairnryan.

With the cars left at Cairnryan, 24 walkers took the bus to Finnarts Bay for a leisurely walk of 7 miles, which was to include part of the Lochryan Coastal Path. In great contrast to the previous wet and stormy day, the weather was kind, the snow left by the last week almost completely washed away by rain, and even the sunshine appearing for brief moments.

The route began by passing the former Finnart’s fish processing factory, now in a dilapidated state but remembered well by the walkers, with one of the number reminiscing about working there. From here a small hump backed bridge crossed the tumbling burn of the Water of App and an estate road led through Garry wood alongside carpets of snowdrops to Finnarts farm and the ruined remains of the mansion house. The cylindrical dovecot on the hillside above was a collecting point for beaters, soon joined for a shoot by the guns passed along the road.

The next stretch coincided with the Ayrshire Coastal path which led back across the Bridge of the Mark over the Water of App to the little gem of Glenapp kirk. Unfortunately there was not time to visit the memorial to Elsie Mackay, Lord Inchcape’s high flying daughter, who disappeared in a presumed air accident in 1928.

The path south from here becomes the Lochryan coastal path which climbs steeply up above the A77. One burn falling in small cascades with the light behind illuminating the peaty brown water was particularly beautiful. Magnificent views across Glenapp to Sandloch and Penderry hills made the hard going well worthwhile, with Lochryan itself coming into view and a brief glimpse of a ferry sailing down the loch.

Buzzards floated in the sky above whilst a forest road was followed, leaving the coastal path temporarily to avoid much of the wet boggy ground. A new double deer stalkers’ ladder with good views down the intersecting forest rides announced that it could only be climbed by authorised personnel. This area had provided a fairyland spectacle earlier in the week, when snow lay on the ground and decorated the trees to look like crinolines.

The forest had been felled further on, and it was here that a line of tree stumps made dry seats for the ramblers, who sat resembling a line of pixies having lunch. The views were now over the rolling hills above Cairnryan, which would make the returning route.

After leaving the forest road the way became boggy, the recent rain swelling the moorland drains and creating the perfect conditions for reeds and peaty quagmires. The Lochryan Coastal path was rejoined by a series of bog hopping and squelching areas alongside a dry stone dyke.

Soon the border between Ayrshire and Wigtownshire was crossed at the Galloway Burn and lucky timing showed two ferries passing in the waters below. Across the loch could be seen the woodland on Clachan Heughs, north of Kirkcolm, which had been laid out in the exact formation of Sir John Moore’s troops at the battle of Corunna in 1809 by Moore’s brother or nephew, who inherited Corsewall estate. Unfortunately the ‘Ace of Spades’ wood is straggling a bit now.

Another war gave the area more remains; when the top of the rise was reached the ruins of gun emplacements and ancillary buildings were explored by some walkers. The site was to have been an anti-aircraft battery for four 3.7 inch guns, one of four such batteries built to protect the military port in Lochryan, but it is not certain that the guns were ever removed from their covered storage place.

The Taxing Stone was the last historical interest of the walk. A six foot high standing stone which is said to mark the burial of King Appin, murdered in Glenapp in 741, was also the old boundary between the kingdoms of Galloway and Carrick.

From here it was downhill back to the picnic place in Cairnryan, enhanced by good views over the new port. An easy end to a delightful walk, on an unexpectedly bright and rainless day, brought the ramblers back to the cars and on to ‘Stir It’ in Stranraer for welcome social refreshments.

Next week’s walk, on 2nd February, will be an 8 mile saunter through Dunskey Estate woods, a C walk. Meet for car sharing 9am Riverside, Newton Stewart; 9.30am Breastworks, Stranraer; or 10am at Portpatrick South car park for the walk start. New walkers are most welcome, but must phone the walk leader first for more information. 01776 700707

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Finnarts Bay to Cairnryan June 2011

It's Saturday the 11th of June 2011.Today's walk takes in much of what we've walked in the past.
November 2009
April 2009

I'm writing the press report,so as usual it'll double as a blog post.
So here we are.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Walk Report

11th June 2011

A lovely sunny morning saw twenty walkers gather at the north car park of Cairnryan to await a bus to Finnarts Bay.Two walkers already on the bus swelled the group to twenty two.

After disembarking, they now took the road leading to the disused Pinney's Fish Factory.

The fish factory was in the news back in 2001 after six workers pocketed a cool £1.1 million each in the national lottery.

After crossing the old bridge that takes the Water of App into Loch Ryan they now followed a farm track through Finnarts Farm.

Next they stopped to view a doocot once associated with Finnarts.Finnarts was a 16th-century mansion house which had an enclosed, planted park by the late 18th century. Around 1930 Finnarts was absorbed into the Glenapp Castle estate. The house was demolished soon after.

They continued on past Altygunnach Glen, recrossing the Water of App and the A77 to Glenapp Church.

Here a surprise awaited the group.Today's walk leader had arranged a visit into the church where Mr Munro Clark told the story of the Honourable Elsie Mackay, Lord Inchcape's pioneering aviatrix daughter.

They were shown old photographs, the guest book of the church's re-opening after the installation of Elsie Mackay's memorial window, and newspaper cuttings.

They also learned of the book "West over the Waves - The story of Elsie Mackay",which featured on BBC's Radio 4 in 2008.

After thanking Mr Clark the group now braved the traffic on the A77 for a short distance before turning into the track leading up towards Wee Leith Hill.

A steady climb saw the walkers gain height till they were able to look back down to Glenapp Church and the rhododendrons on the opposite hill.The rhododendrons once spelled out Elsie, and it's still possible to make out the odd letter.

The sun was still shining as they took a track through the coolness of the forest at Low Mark.

After emerging from the forest they followed the drystane dyke running along the edge of the plantation till they were above Old Park of the Gleick where lunch was taken.

The lunchtime views in the sunshine were far reaching.To the south was the Isle of Man,to the west, the Antrim coast, Donegal and the Mull of Kintyre were prominent.Ferry traffic was non stop.

After lunch they continued south crossing the Galloway burn, the small wooden bridge signifying the border between Ayrshire and Wigtownshire.

An abundance of wild flowers, too numerous to mention, were identified along the route.At one point, wild orchids flourished in numbers.

Next they reached the Taxing Stone on Little Laight Hill.
Believed to be a toll point, the standing stone also marks the burial-place of Alpin the King of Dalriada and father of Kenneth McAlpine, King of the Scots, killed in 741 in Glenapp.

Here also they looked around the remnants of the ww2 Laight Gun Battery.It's remains are fairly intact with the gun mountings still in place.

Above an aerial view from Google Earth  

Laight Taxing Stone and gun battery

They now continued downhill, passing the still prominent foundations of the army billets before stopping to look over the new Stena terminal and jetty, still under construction.

The Otterbank

We were discussing whether this was a dredger or a scallop boat because we couldn't get as close a view until I'd enlarged it on the computer.A closer look shows it to be a Londonderry dredging tug boat.

Now the road down the Bonny Braes brought them back to Cairn Point, the cars, and the end of a lovely walk.

The next walk, on the 18th of June will be a circular B+ grade walk of 9 miles to the summit of Cairnsmore of Fleet by the Door.

Meet at the Breastworks, Stranraer at 9.00am, the Riverside car park Newton Stewart at 9.30am for car sharing, or at the walk start at Cairnsmore Car Park (NX 464 632) at 10.00am.

New members are always welcome, for more information or if going to the walk start, contact the walk leader on 01671 401222