Wigtownshire Ramblers Cairnharrow and Cambret Hills September 2014

Saturday the 20th of September

I took over as walk leader from Shorty for this walk as he and A'OK are away on holiday.

We recce'd the walk on Monday, and a few pictures from the recce will be included in the post.

We walked much of this route back in 2009.

January 2009 Walk

The walk report will follow the images which include a fair selection from Scoop.

More pictures can be seen on the Ayrshire Blogger's page.

He, the Teacher, the Deerstalker, and four guest walkers swelled our number to a mighty thirty one, which for a hill walk was probably twice the number we'd normally expect.

Our guest walkers were two ladies from Port William and family members of one of our Portpatrick walkers. We'd love to welcome you back.

The walk start at Kirkdale Bridge.

Uphill road walk towards Barholm.

The road to Clauchreid with a background of Wigtown Bay.

Cairnharrow's lower slopes.

A very interesting flat topped stone close to a gate

It's a steady climb............

................with some sections steeper than others.

The sheep and quad bike tracks are much appreciated.

The high point of the day.

The weather outlook was for the odd shower, thankfully they never materialized 

A short coffee and sweetie break at the summit.

The descent begins.

It's a spongy slippery climb down so great care is taken.

The Cauldside Burn Cairn and Stone Circle  

Excellent seating for lunch (I hope the ancients enjoyed our company)

Cambret Hill Cup and Ring marked rock.

The light wasn't right to show the rings clearly except when the sun fell on the rock. The pictures above are those I took on the 2009 walk.

A search on Google Images for the Cambret Penny Stone finds a number of clearer pictures.

Here's a passage from The history of Galloway: from the earliest period to the present time ...

 By William Mackenzie (of Galloway.), Andrew Symson

I wonder whether any one has looked ?

A short distance from the Penny Stone a keen eyed 'Weaver' spotted that this rock had been split by drilling. An unfinished stone lintel perhaps.

The steep incline to Cambret Hill

The bridge over the Englishman's Burn has seen extensive repairs recently.

Top left = the central granite boulder of the Glenquicken Stone Circle (full zoom)

Top right = Knockeans wrought iron sign

Bottom left = Grass of Parnassus

Bottom right = Sweet Chestnut

Creebaby sculpted in 2011

( a clearer picture from Scoop later)

Fungi in Balloch Wood.

( I may do a separate blog post with all my fungi pictures)

A standing stone but not on the OS map. Approaching Creetown.

The Haiku Stone Circle also called Creehenge

Last leg of the nine and a quarter miles. Tea and scones await.

Here now is a selection of

Scoop's Pictures

We're on the way

The climbing starts here

We made it to the top

Take one of me please !

The blooming blinking bloggers

Watch out for potholes

Late for lunch again

Mishaps recorded for posterity

A leap of faith

Barbed wire crossing safely navigated

At the 'Penny Stone'

Portraits to order

A breather, then onwards and upwards

Creebaby 

Balloch Woods

Haiku and home

A great set of pictures Scoop.

After ferrying drivers back to Kirkdale for their vehicles, most walkers were tempted by the tea, coffee and scones of the Prospector's Pantry Cafe at the Gem Rock Museum. 

A refreshing finish to a gratifying walk.

Here's the report.

Walk Report

Thirty one walkers  assembled at the Robert Adam designed 18th century bridge at Kirkdale for the walk.Unfortunately a short way into the walk, one of our seasoned members turned back when she realized that the viral infection she was carrying wouldn't get her over the hills.

The first section took us past the 18th century Kirkdale water driven sawmill, one of only a few left in Scotland. 

A steady incline on the tarmac road took us past the entrance gate to Barholm Castle, a onetime stronghold of the McCulloch Clan,and a hiding place of the reformist John Knox.

Just beyond Barholm we turned north. With Cairnholy Glen below us to the west we continued along the potholed road leading to Claughreid.

A holiday cottage belonging to the actor Martin Shaw was pointed out.

After road walking almost two kilometres we gained softer ground entering the lower slopes between Barholm Hill and Cairnharrow. Now the incline became steeper and we were soon gaining height.

Behind and below us Wigtown Bay and Fleet Bay would occasionally stand out in the patchy sunshine. 

A zig zag climb on sheep and quad bike tracks eventually got us to the 1500 ft summit of Cairnharrow. With low lying cloud over the Galloway hills views were in limited supply, but across Wigtown Bay landmarks in the Machars and the South Rhins could be identified.

We took a short sweetie break at the summit of Cairnharrow before making a careful descent to the col between Cairnharrow and Cambret.

During the descent we disturbed quite a number of black grouse. A full sized red deer was also spotted running away. Bright purple heather was in full bloom. 

At the remains of a stone circle and a large round Neolithic burial tomb cairn we stopped for lunch. The cairn made for great seating.

After lunch we crossed the Cauldside Burn, barely noticeable because of the lack of rain, a drystone dyke and a barbed wire fence.

On the lower slopes of Cambret Hill we viewed the cup and ring marks on a slab of rock. The markings were barely perceptible until a ray of sunshine highlighted the the rings.

A steep climb took us up to the masts and satellite dishes atop Cambret where we regrouped ready for a length of road-walking.

Now we descended to the Corse of Slakes road. Harebells and Grass of Parnassus were among the wild flowers spotted on the verges.

Now a fair distance of road walking took us across the Englishman's and Billy Diamond Bridges passing the extensive plantations of the Garrocher Christmas tree farm.

At Garrocher ponds we paused to look at the wooden roundhouse and the wire man, Creebaby. It was created in 2011 by sculptor Alex Rigg and originally had roses and clematis climbing the frame. It's bare now, but is still an impressive sculpture.

Our route now took us through Balloch Wood where various fungi grew in abundance.

We emerged from the woods at Creehenge, the stone circle featuring seven large illustrated blocks of granite. Here we took a moment to read some of the inscribed Haiku verses compiled by the pupils of Creetown Primary School under the guidance of the Galloway born poet Lucy Burnett. 

Now a short walk through Creetown brought us to the Gem Rock Museum and the walk finish.

After car drivers had been ferried back to collect their vehicles, we gathered in the Gem Rock cafe for after walk tea, coffee, scones and other delights. A fitting end to a cracking walk.

The next walk, on Saturday the 27th of September will be a 7 mile, C+ linear walk from Finnarts Bay to Cairnryan.

Meet at the Riverside car park Newton Stewart at 8.45 am, the Breastworks, Stranraer at 9.15 am for car sharing, or at Cairnryan for the bus (NX 060 697) at 9.45 am. Remember to bring your bus pass.

New members are always welcome, for more information or if going to the bus stop in Cairnryan, contact the walk leader on 01581 200256

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Three Hills Walk July 2011

Saturday the 30th of July 2011.
Today's walk is over three hills which we've done previously.
July 2010
With a group of ramblers still away in the Alps numbers are short on the ground.There are thirteen walkers today.(We've heard on the grapevine that it's been raining in the Alps.Read nothing into this,it's just a statement for the record.)
There'll be few words from me concerning this walk.The 'Weaver' is today's walk leader and I'll be copying her report for this post.

Setting off from Kirkdale Bridge (locally pronounced as Kirdle)

Barholm Castle getting a fresh coat of paint

Heading North towards Barholm Hill (top left is a TV star's holiday home)

Ascending Barholm Hill

Views to the Murray,Arwall and Barlocco Isles

Is this a Meadow Pipit ?

The up and down slopes of Barholm hill

Memorial to Philip between Barholm and Ben John

(does anyone know the story behind the memorial ?)

Ascending Ben John

Ben John Summit

Marked stone on cairn

Views from Ben John

Descending Ben John

Mill Knock Ridge

Coming down Mill Knock the bracken thickened as the slope got steeper

Lagganmullan

Triangular Stone Circle

Skyreburn

Cardoness Beach

Mickey and Faith

Mickey and Faith from Bishop Auckland.

Faith spotted the little chapel while searching the internet and decided this was where she wanted to be married.

Her and Mickey duly tied the knot right at this spot back in March.Isn't that a brilliant way to begin married life.

All the best for the future you lovely people.Keep coming back.

Chapel at Cardoness

Dalavan Bay

Exiting beach at Newton Caravan Park

Across the A75 to Laggan

Interesting sign at Court Knowe

Kirkclaugh Equestrian Centre

I took quite a pictures of wildlife and other stuff,so decided to do a musical composition.The music on the following video clip is Winifred Atwell's 'Poor People of Paris'

Ice House and Kirkdale House

For a more observational and detailed account of the walk continue reading.

This is our illustrious walk leader's report.

Ramblers’walk, Saturday 30^th July 2011

Thirteen ramblers met on Saturday at the Kirkdale Bridge car park and despite the inauspicious number managed to have a most delightful day’s walk.

A steep road led up past Barholm castle and along towards Claughreid. Frequent stops to point out places of interest were most welcome. The sixteenth century L shaped castle features in Scott’s Guy Mannering, and was once a hiding place for John Knox; the Neolithic chambered cairns at Cairnholy could be seen across Kirkdale glen, and in the distance the whitewashed holiday home of Martin Shaw, nowadays Inspector George Gently, was made out.

Soon the exercise began in earnest as the walkers took to the open hill and made their way, with ever increasing views over the Solway, to the top of Barholm Hill. Some discussion of exactly where the summit was took place before a descent through rough ground to a shooters track where a memorial to Philip was inspected. There is no information available about Philip; indeed it is only conjecture that he was a man.

The track was soon abandoned for a climb once again to a second summit, Ben John, at 337metres the highest point of the day. This time a large cairn marked the spot, with numerous inscriptions scratched on its stones by previous walkers. The sun was hot, the views magnificent and the walkers were ready for a rest, so lunch was eaten whilst the various surrounding countryside features were identified. The sunshine had brought out boats and water-skiers from across the Fleet estuary at Sandgreen and a full tide made their excursions quite extensive, an entertaining view from this perch so high above.

Lunch over and one more peak to go, it was down again through heather and bracken to reach a well built dyke which eventually took the company to the top of Mill Knock. As the hill was climbed a profusion of summer flowers congregated in any grassy space, with sneezewort, thyme, ladies bedstraw and the first open flowers of Grass of Parnassus making a colourful display, contrasting with the bright green of the bracken and the purples of ling and bell heather.

Once over the dyke, which runs across Mill Knock, the going became much rougher for the downward trek. Bracken covers the ground, with hollows and boggy patches making the walking quite adventurous. When at last level ground was reached there was a ford to cross; the many ways the walkers tried to cross whilst keeping their boots dry was quite entertaining.

Standing stones, a triangular stone circle, fenced thickets and Galloway cattle with calves and bull in attendance, made this parkland a welcome change from the rough hills, and the road to Skyreburn was soon reached for a short walk to the Teapot roadside café where the second part of this long walk commenced.

The tide had retreated enough for the ramblers to make their way along a well trodden path through the reeds to suddenly be confronted with a wide sandy beach with water dancing and sparkling as a background. Now some walkers took their boots off for a cooling paddle along the waterline. In contrast to the quiet and lonely hills, the beaches and coves now passed were well frequented by caravanners from the site above. The good weather had brought out the sunbathers and bucket and spade brigade.

The second stop of the day was by Cardoness chapel, a picturesque, tiny building set amongst sessile oaks, above a rock skirted sandy cove. Here, a pearly king and his wife were met with. Married in the spring in this lovely place they had just returned to find their wedding venue even more delightful in the summer. The chapel was built in 1768 by the laird of Cardoness for his wife, and is open for all as a place of quiet prayer and contemplation. An open air service is to be held here on the 7^thAugust at 3pm .

The walk continued along the coast, across sandy beaches and over rocky outcrops until the camping site below Newton hill was reached. Here a farm track was followed to cross the busy A75, and the homeward stretch of road took the walkers past Laggan, where a pretty roadside garden has been made, bordering a burn. An hour’s walk along a quiet road, all the while enjoying extensive views over the Solway, reunited the ramblers with their transport below Barholm castle.

It was a weary sunburnt group of walkers who eventually reached the cars, but after leaving the rucksacks they still had enough energy left to visit the beautifully constructed ice house belonging to Kirkdale house, just across the A75 from the car park, and view the front of the 1787 Adam style house, from the field below. It had been a most enjoyable day.

The next walk, on Saturday the 6th of August will be a circular ' B ' grade 'Country and hill walk in Carrick' of 13 Miles from Ballantrae to Beneraird.

Meet at the Riverside car park Newton Stewart at 9.00 am,the Breastworks, Stranraer at 9.30 am for car sharing, or at the walk start at Ballantrae Cemetery Car Park (NX 087 814) at 10.00am.

New members are always welcome, for more information or if going to the walk start, contact the walk leader on 01776 700707