Family Visit Outings - Part One

28th and 29th of October 2014.

Regular blog readers will know my eldest daughter and my two eldest grandchildren.

They're staying wiith me for a few days during school half term. This post covers Tuesday and Wednesday. It'll be short on information as I'll mostly let the pictures tell their own story. 

After they'd settled in, myself Michele, Callum and Erin went along to Kirroughtree to do some stargazing. 

We didn't have a camera that would take starry pictures, but we had a great time looking through the binoculars.

Their first look at the Wheel Bridge.

"Now, how have our smart phone pictures come out"

Pictures by the Riverside.

Wednesday we took a trip up north to Culzean Castle.

After parking up at the visitor's centre we took a look down by the caves before doing the castle tour.

This picture was pure luck.

The curlew doesn't come out as 'arty' as the heron did !

The armoury is the first room

Susanna, Countess of Eglinton

There was a lego man spotting competion

I'd seen this on a previous visit, but one of the room guides reminded me of how the foot strangely keeps pointing towards you. In these two pictures of mine though, it looks like she herself has turned to follow us.

A short rest in the orangery

Erin through one of the peepholes in the viaduct guard house

Visitors exhibition centre

Duck pond

From Culzean we took a run up to Ayr for some sightseeing..............

...............and shopping

Dinner at the 'Clachan' at St Johns town of Dalry ended an enjoyable day.

The colour of October and a Hipflask !

Yesterday, was Wednesday, the first day of October.

My walking friend the 'Ranger' was in Newton Stewart. 

She knows I've been suffering from my recent extractions at the dentist.

It was a nice day and we headed for Kirroughtree in the Galloway Forest Park for a short  walk round.

It's been a great summer, but the trees are now showing lots of colour.

This is the attractive garden of Daltamie House opposite where the visitor centre used to be.

Now darker nights are here this will be a great spot to view the night sky.

Galloway Dark Sky Park.

The 'Ranger' hadn't seen the new visitor's centre or the 'wheel' so this was a pleasant surprise for her.

Flying over was this Reims Cessna F172M Skyhawk, G-BAEY.

It's part of Skytrax Aviation of Peterborough's fleet.

We were taking one of the Short walks in Kirroughtree

Arriving at Little Bruntis Loch we encountered a guy throwing a stick for his dog to retrieve.

We said hello as we were leaving and the dog was still eager to go fetch.

View over to the bridge and the Gem Stane

Little Bruntis Loch

A closer view of the Gem Stane

I must go and find the Giant Axe Head sometime, I can't believe I haven't seen it yet !

Before meeting up with me, the 'Ranger' had just been for some pampering, hence the fingernails close up. (I hope I'm not in trouble for publishing this collage) 

After retracing our route we had coffee in the visitor's centre.

I'm still trying to get a good photograph of the elusive otters in Galloway.

The one above has no problem with people anymore.

While in the cafe we noticed people coming and going with hired mountain bikes from the Brake Pad next door. Kirroughtree is one of the most popular forests for mountain bikers in the country and of course it is part of the 7stanes network of mountain bike trails.

We had fun with the 'Whirlybirds' off the Maple Tree, 

I thought I'd try and get one whirling back to ground. 

DOH ! An instant picture won't show it whirling, will it ? Silly man.. There is a way, but I can't figure it out yet.

The 'Ranger' has headed back to Ayrshire now.Next week she begins five weeks of intensive medical treatment. 

Might I on behalf of all our walking group wish her well, and that she'll soon be back enjoying her hiking with us. We know she is one tough lady and though it wont be a 'Walk in the Park' she'll take it with the grit and determination that defines her.

I thought I'd finish this post with a photograph of a cracking gift I recently received from my eldest daughter. 

It supplements the pop up cup I received as an earlier gift.

While cropping the picture on Picasa I wondered how it would look with the colours inverted.

Hey presto !

Bye for now.