Wigtownshire Ramblers Skyreburn Circular February 2015

Saturday the 14th of February 2015

 This was a new walk for the ramblers.

Of the hills we climbed, I/we've been up two of them.

Each time the ramblers walked to Pibble Mine, I was away, but I did get to Pibble Hill summit back in 2010.

Pibble 2010

The other one is Kenlum Hill, but by a different route and with the Ramblers.

August 2009 Walk

May 2010 Walk

May 2011 Walk

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

Twenty three of us gathered at a junction on the Corse of Slakes road between Creetown and Skyreburn for the walk start.

Our walk leader pointed out the route.

It was a tarmac road to begin with

Shorty kept up a good pace................

................and backup Mr Lionheart kept watch at the rear

We took a short break just below Cambrett  Hill..........

...............and took to the moors

Bog and drainage burns were a feature for much of the walk

Climbing Pibble Hill, we soon gained height.

The pole signified the gas pipe crossing. A big lump of quartz sat in a drystone dyke and we looked down on what was a steel yard but now distribute bottles and barrels of whisky

Whisky Broker

A wry smile from our leader

It was a fair pace.....

...............and Cambret Hill  got further away

Pibble ridge levelled out, but the going wasn't a lot easier.

The summit of Pibble. To the north Cairnsmore still had his hat on.

Quite a few pockets of snow remained

The lochan still had a little ice around the edges.

I remember coming across a few skulls up here in 2010.

We crossed the Nick of Trestran

Meikle Bennan climb

A mid hill sweetie break

A few walkers at a more sensible pace

In the above picture of the Big Water of Fleet Viaduct, the buildings bottom left house the 

Cairnsmore of Fleet National Nature Reserve Visitors Centre

There's a poem called Silhouettes and Soliloquies. I should have been reciting it as I compiled the collage.

Meikle Bennan summit and Flush Bracket S3872 

After leaving Meikle Bennan the weather brightened considerably and the sun shone for the rest of the walk. Our views became quite extensive. 

Our group members from the Gatehouse were able to pick out many prominent features 

After Meikle Bennan a slight descent brought us to Stey Fell, a long  high ridge with the steep western edge being the area where the small moorland streams merge to become the Skyre Burn.  

A long zoom in got me this picture of the masts back on Cambret.

There's something about masts, pylons and power lines ! 

The cloud eventually lifted on Cairnsmore of Fleet

Lunch break on Stey Fell

Refreshed and ready for the second half

Another descent though not so steep.

Our cumulative elevation gain would have taken us up to Cairnsmore's south summit.

A brighter day gets better pictures.

Doon of Culreoch and White Top of Culreoch above Culreoch Farm

Almost, but not quite in the picture is where the Little and Big Water of Fleets converge to become the Water of Fleet

More heathery swamp brought us in view of our last summit

The ascent of Kenlum

Gatehouse of Fleet

Carstramon Wood, Ornockenoch Loch, Benfadyeon and Bengray at 366 Metres

The last descent

Just south of Fleet bay from left to right lie Barlocco Isle, Ardwall Isle and Murray's Isles

Kingslaggan farm to the right brought us onto the old military road back to the vehicles.

Snowdrops at the roadside

A petrified rugby ball ?

A last stretch of the legs.

Here's Shorty's report and a collage

Wigtownshire Ramblers – Saturday 14 February 2015 – Skyreburn Circular

Twenty three ramblers assembled at the crossroads in the valley of the Skyre Burn.  Looking northwards we could view most of the intended walk.  The weather, which had been bright and clear when we left home was somewhat overcast but the cloud level was well clear of the hills as we set off cheerfully up the road towards Cambret Hill.  This road forms part of the military road from Carlisle to Portpatrick which was constructed in the 1760s to facilitate the movement of troops to Ireland.  It followed the route of earlier roads, possibly dating back to Roman times when they travelled westwards from the camp at Gatehouse of Fleet to gain the minerals abundant in the hills.  It is a stiff climb to the pass below Cambret Hill and must have been a difficult ascent in full military equipment.

After a mile or so of climbing and a pause to distribute sweets we squelched off across the boggy land towards Pibble Hill.  The first section of the watershed is poorly named; not much water seemed to have been shed from this area.  After a quarter of a mile the land rose a little and became rockier and the going became drier and easier.  A steady climb took us to a march dyke which we followed upwards.  Across the dyke male Red Grouse clucked off noisily across the moor while the more sensible females slipped silently away in a different direction.  Remnants of snow drifts remained in patches along the dyke which suggested that there had been a considerable fall in this area.

We soon reached the summit of the hill and enjoyed views westwards towards the Cree and the Machars and northwards into the Galloway Hills.  Patches of sunlight now picked out areas of the countryside and only the summit of the Cairnsmore retained a small cap of mist.  Our route now took us eastwards and descended steep slopes to the head of the Skyre Burn at the Nick of Trestran.  We then headed up the heathery slopes to Meikle Bennan.  When we reached the trig point on the summit we paused to take in the magnificent views and more sweeties.  To the north the Cairnsmore with its steep eastern crags still covered with snow dominated the horizon.  Further round, the cliffs of the Clints of Dromore stood out clearly with the other Galloway Hills stretching away into the haze.  In the other direction the waters of Fleet Bay glistened in the sunshine.

A ridge led us southwards into the bright sunshine towards Stey Fell with views eastwards to the Fleet valley and westwards to the upper reaches of the Skyre Burn.  As we went some excitement was caused by the appearance of a large bird of prey soaring on the steady breeze.  This turned out to be a Red Kite.  Lunch was taken in the shelter of the summit of the Fell.  After eating our well-earned lunches we reluctantly climbed back over the fell and set off down the descending ridge towards Scar Hill and the adjacent forest.  Once we crossed a march dyke the heather became a lot taller which made the going more difficult.  An animal track lead us to the forest dyke which we followed as we struggled up the steep slopes to the summit of Kenlum Hill.  Once again we paused in the bright sunshine to admire the views in all directions.  Gatehouse of Fleet spread out below us and the islands of Fleet stood out in the sparkling sea.  In the distance we could make out the mass of Criffel in the mist.

Descending the steep northern slopes of the hill we soon reached Kings Laggan Farm and the Old Military Road which we followed gratefully back to the cars.  All in all a strenuous but most enjoyable walk improved by the lovely weather.  We then retired to the Gem Rock Museum café who generously stayed open late to provide us with excellent tea and cakes.

Next week’s walk will be a strenuous walk in the hills north of Glentrool.  There will be an early start to take advantage of the daylight.  Meet at 08:00 at the Breastworks car park in Stranraer or at 08:30 at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart to share transport.  The walk will start at 09:00 from the Bruce’s Stone upper car park.  (NX 416 804).  A less ambitious walk around Loch Trool has also been arranged.  Meet at Stranraer at 9am, Newton Stewart at 9.30am for the start of the walk at Bruce's Stone car Park at 10am.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Anwoth Circular May 2011

Saturday the 21st of May 2011.

My short walk in the Glasserton area on Thursday somehow brought back the pains in my right calf again,so I wasn't sure of walking today.A crepe bandage obviously helped since I completed the walk.Feeling tender in both legs now,but I'm sure I'll be fine.

The press report this week has been written by the walk leader (The Weaver) and will be at the bottom of the post.(She's awfully good with words)

We've done this walk a couple of times before.Last time was a year ago to the day.

2010 Walk 

Anwoth Bush o' Bield

Pictures added 17th January 2013

I was asked where I took the picture of the 'Bush o' Bield plaque, and I couldn't remember. 

Anyway here's Google's Street View to the rescue. Reading the passage below the house standing was either adjacent to the manse or is a new build.

Samuel Rutherford

The passage below is from an 1884 biography by  the Rev.ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., F.R.S.E.

Of Rutherford's manse of Bush-o-bield, not even a stone remains. But there are those still living who remember its site and its ruins. It was an old house even in his days, built in baronial style, having belonged to an Anwoth family of rank, and containing more space than the simple pastor needed. It stood on a gentle eminence, with a garden behind producing sufficient vegetables for culinary purposes, and abounding in the rose, the honey-suckle, the balm, and other flowers in which our fore-fathers delighted. The Anwoth people of the last generation used to tell of gigantic hollies which lined the front of the house, while a green field gradually sloped down to the level, along which a tiny burn found its way to the Fleet not far off. The church was so near that when the pastor heard the first sound of the bell from its little belfry, he had ample time to don his Geneva gown, and, passing calmly through an intervening copse, to be in his place at the appointed time, to read out the first words of praise.

Passing Anwoth Old Church

Bluebells and Wild Garlic

Coming out of Killiegowan Woods

Over fields to Killern Cottage

Hopeful young angler on Ornockenoch Loch

Passing Ornockenoch Loch

(A good name to practise rolling your R's)

Approaching Upper Rusco with the Clints of Dromore in view

A long forest road upwards

Below Kenlum at the old mine entrance

Mine exploration

(Thanks to a fair and fine fellow walker for the above fotos)

Kenlum Hill climb

It's a cloudy summit

Descent to Kingslaggan

Rounding up the strays

Anwoth Old Church 

17th Century Gordon Family Memorial

Inscriptions

(Dumb Senseless Statue of Some Painted Stones-Samuel Rutherford)

Ramblers walk Saturday May 21st Anwoth circular.

Despite a gloomy weather forecast 18 ramblers turned out for a bluebell walk at Anwoth on Saturday. Leaving the cars in front of the new church, the road north was followed to the entrance to Killiegowan woods, where the walkers shadowed a deer, running before them onto the narrow grassy path.

The bluebells were still flowering in strength, but they had now been joined by the unfurling fronds of bracken, wild garlic, yellow tormentil and purple orchids, producing a profusion of colour.

The woods were followed to the point where a gate gave access to a field of cattle. A rough track now led towards Killern where the Pulcree burn accompanied the quiet road to Ornochenoch Loch, the stately home of several swans. The waters being disbursed over the reservoir dam, through a pipe leading uphill, led to some astonishment.

The road deteriorated into a field track leading uphill to Woodhead where the views over to the Clints of Dromore and Cairnsmore were admired. With a sharp swing to the south the forest road now led more steeply uphill, along the shoulder of Scaur hill, slowing the walkers and causing some of their wet weather gear to be discarded. Early welsh poppies brightened the shale verges and frequent stops allowed the views to the north to be surveyed as they opened out.

Lunch was eventually taken by an old mine where the forest road ended. As torches had been brought, the short adit could be explored. The interior was dripping slowly, building up stalactites and giving the beautifully hewn walls of the tunnel a white shiny surface.

Now the weather worsened and a slight drizzle accompanied the very steep climb to the top of Kenlum (305m). The path led up the side of a high dry stone dyke which gave shelter from the cold wind which was steadily increasing. The mist closed in and the views out across Fleet Bay to the Solway and the Isle of Man were non existent.

Little time was lost when the ramblers reached the summit. A heathery ridge led downwards and soon grassy slopes and deep gullies brought the company to Kings Laggan and the Old Military Road leading back to Anwoth.

Bluebells were once more in much evidence as the often muddy track was followed past an old deer park and eventually to the beautifully kept cottage garden across from the old church at Anwoth.

The rain was now coming down steadily and there were few volunteers for a wander around the interesting grave stones and monuments in the churchyard. One momento mori which took the explorers’ fancy was near the east end of the church. It has inscribed upon its sides epitaphs to three members of the Gordon family. The words are hard to decipher, but the old wording of the virtues and expected glorious afterlife of these ladies, caused some amusement.

The weather had been unexpectedly good for most of the walk, but it was a wet group which regained the cars. However, all agreed that the walk and company had been exceptionally pleasant.

Next weeks’ walk, on Saturday 28th May, is a B, 6mile Girvan – Byne Hill circular.

Meet for car sharing 9.00am Riverside, Newton Stewart, 9.30am Breastworks, Stranraer, or 10.00am Girvan South car park, NX 183 965. New members are very welcome. Please phone walk leader if going to the start. 01776 870 441