Glen Tig January 2013

Tuesday the 15th of January

I got up to a very hard frost this morning.

I'm heading up to South Ayrshire for a recce with three others.

The roads were very slippery, but once I was north of Barrhill it felt like I'd gone into another country.........definitely a few degrees hotter.

I'd walked Glen Tig with Slew and the Ayr and District Ramblers before. I thought it was four years ago, but I see it's less than three years ago..............what a memory,

May 2010 walk with Ayr and District Ramblers  

Scoop, The Teacher and Spike are my companions today

The first thing to catch our attention was this deer that couldn't make it's mind up which way to go.
We're following the 'Water of Tig' through Craig Wood.

It was quite wet and muddy underfoot, but we soon made our way to the grain mill ruins.

This looks like it's been a wonderful piece of engineering. If anyone who knows more about this ruined mill reads this post, please let me know and I'll update the information.

All that I can find about a mill in Glentig is on this Wikipedia Page about Dunduff Castle near Dunure where it mentions " the 10 Merk lands of Glentig, and it's grain mill"

There has been an old road along here at one time. I don't think the Ayr Ramblers have been back.

There were stretches of half decent paths, but then we'd run out of path, or trees and brambles would slow us down. At times we'd have to climb up steep slippery slopes to get past obstacles.

Some of the scenery however was gorgeous. Craig Wood is an SSSI (a site of special scientific interest)

The sun shining on the Water of Tig would often make a sparkling spectacle.

I could have taken a lot more colourful fungi, but at the next batch I was climbing out of a thorny hole so needed two hands free. This could be possibly be a walk for the hard core walkers of our group, but I think we'd need a long dry summer to consider it.

There was what appeared to be a reasonable track on the other side of the river and if this bridge had been complete the going might have been easier. We were having fun though.

River froth often looks quite revolting, this looked like freshly made candy floss.

Eventually we came out into a bit of open country.

At this point the walk with the Ayr group had left the river and climbed up the green fields to begin the return over farming country. My idea was to continue to reach Pedens Mount and begin the return from there. 

Another pair of deer wondered if we were a threat.

After studying us closely they decided we were and headed off up the hill.

We continued through the fields but then came to another wooded area alongside the river.

I'd wrongly thought that this was a short section of wood, but it turned out to be longer and just as hazardous as Craig Wood had been. 

Eventually we emerge on the hillside above the Meraddie burn.

Time for a lunch break and a rethink.

The snow covered Galloway Hills looked beautiful.

During lunch the plan changed.

Since we were way behind time-wise, we agreed we'd go no further along Glen Tig, but follow the Merradie burn up to it's source at Loch Meraddie.

Following the Merradie burn we had some fun with shadows.

We heard the hum of quad bikes.

Two quad bikes and two working dogs were rounding up around a hundred sheep.

It was brilliant to watch, but into the sun.

Once the dogs had manoeuvred the sheep through an open gate, the farmer came over to see us with a warning about continuing up to Loch Merradie. 'If we got into the next field but one we'd probably never be seen again' It was just a quagmire he informed us.

We were welcome to walk through his farmyard at Bellimore on Tig.

So now it would be track and road back to the cars. The Galloway hills looked magnificent.

She may be vertically challenged, but Scoop still has a fair stride.

Scoop was ready to photograph this flock of starlings swooping as we shouted and banged to make them fly away. We failed miserably, they mostly ignored us.

More inquisitive onlookers.

This is one of the collies we'd seen rounding up the sheep.

Talking to the shepherd as we passed through Bellimore on Tig, he told me they win their fair share of sheepdog trials.

Now it's all downhill and we get wonderful views.  

A flock of gulls take off. Somewhere along here we did our good deed for the day. A sheep had it's head through a square mesh fence and was frantically trying to dislodge itself. We needed to twist it's head round to free it. It was a happy sheep as it ran back to the flock and was quickly surrounded by other sheep. Caring sheep !

A tree lined avenue, a jumbo jet and a casual wave.

We could see Ireland and the Mull of Kintyre coming down here.

No Ailsa Craig though, last Saturday's hill obscured it's view.

Overlooking Laggan House Country Park and Heronsford.

"I love to go a wandering"...................... but getting back in one piece makes us happy

It was tough but enjoyable.

Scoop also took many excellent pictures
Here's a few.

Her camera is also a Canon of high quality.

It's a Powershot G1X ....takes great pictures.

Back home at Newton Stewart my last picture of the day was the one below.

A new moon.

Glen Tig with the Ayr and District Ramblers May 2010

N.B.I'm trying a few frames around some of my pictures.A different slant for a change.

It's Sunday the 16th of May 2010, and I've decided to branch out a little.
I'm heading for Ballantrae to walk with the Ayr and District Ramblers.
They walk quite often in the Galloway area,and have regular Sunday walks,so it's a nice alternative if I want a Saturday free for other things.One of our group lives in Ayr,and will be walking today.
I get to Ballantrae early enough for a walk around.
'Ballantrae in Bloom',is always colourful.
My mobile ringing disturbs the tranquility.It's 'Slew' to inform me the walk start will be at Herensford,and that they're running late.
As I wait at Herensford there's more colour for me to photograph.
It's not too long to wait till the convoy arrives.It's not the easiest thing for seven or eight cars to find places to park along a narrow country road.Were soon gathered though,and after I'm introduced our walk leader outlines the route.There's 25 or 26 walkers today.
We're soon on the way in a generally easterly direction following the river Tig.The first part will be a bit of an obstacle course our leader tells us.

He's not wrong as we clamber over barbed wire fences,gates,fallen trees and muddy burns.
We're heading through Craig Wood when we come upon this derelict mill.In the archives there's a mention of a mill in Glentig in the late 1500's.This is surely more victorian.The engineering is fantastic though.Most of this land belongs to Lord Richard Gerald Wellesley of Knockdolian,son of the Duke and Duchess of Wellington.It's possible that's the reason for lack of information on the internet.Places like this were inaccessible to the public until 2003 and the 'Right to Roam' law.

This black fungi on a dead branch is Daldinia concentrica,also known as King Alfred's Cake.(I'm not really knowledgeable about a lot of the stuff I write on here,but the internet is like an encyclopaedia of everything.A couple of mouse clicks and Hey Presto there's the answer.)
This is our first 'Coffee Break'.It's not as tranquil as it looks,there's one or two fairly vociferous females in todays group.Not that the men are that quiet either.
Another break after a fairly difficult section to allow the tail enders to catch up.

Once clear of Craig Wood a steady climb brings us to the banks of the Meraddie Burn where we have lunch.The sun's come out,and the views to the Galloway Hills are excellent.Eating,drinking,and enjoyable conversation makes the break seem too short...
...and we're soon preparing to start the walk back.
We meet a farmer later who produces a rule book regarding young cattle and how ramblers must avoid them.There may well have been cattle in this field somewhere,but we saw no sight or sound of them as the farmer insisted we must have.
Across the glen,construction of the Arecleoch Windfarm is well under way.
Now it's all tarmac and farm track back to the start point.
The North Channel,officially classified as the "Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland" comes into view.
Now we can look down and across our outward route.
At the Mains of Tig the young steers are intrigued by our passing as they run across the fields to take a closer look.

It's just a short walk back to the cars now,and my first walk with the group has been a gentle and enjoyable introduction.I'll walk again with them when they return down our way.
On my way home I stop overlooking Colmonell...
...and finally get some pictures of the ruined...
...Craigneil Castle.Built in the 13th Century and named after Neil,Earl of Cassillis.
In its time it's served as a hiding place of King Robert the Bruce.It's been a feudal prison,and they used to execute people here.
Archive dot org describe it as "a grim old peel, rearing its bare walls above a rocky eminence".
There are signs detailing the perils of entering here.It certainly looks as though it could collapse at any time.
It's been an enjoyable day.