Wigtownshire Ramblers The Lost Villages of Ayrshire March 2014

Saturday the 29th of March

We're heading north to Waterside for today's walk.

Previous posts for this area can be found at

March 2012

February 2013

and

18th March 2013

I'm today's leader and the report will follow the pictures. There'll also be a few pictures from Monday's recce with the 'Ranger'. 

Thanks to both Scoop and the Ayrshire Blogger for their contribution of photographs.

The leader.

Thanks to the aforementioned blogger for this first picture.

The Drumgrange Burn and Patna.

The Drumgrange Incline.

This one from Scoop.

A collage from the recce.

It was cooler but brighter.

Just about to enter the village of Lethanhill.

This is looking along the Auld Schuil (school) Row.

White Brick Row and Briggate

An interesting photographic portrait from Scoop.

More from Scoop.

A wonderful piece of civil engineering.

It probably would have withstood our crossing, but it wasn't attempted.

My call of "Yer on yer own", became the catch phrase for the group's wags for the rest of the walk.

The 'Weaver's' warning however carried more threat and weight.

The crossing to the  war memorial at Benwhat on Benquhat Hill.

It's still well looked after and frequently visited.

A group photo from Scoop.

Pictures from the recce showing snow on the Galloway Hills. During the recce there was barely a moment when we didn't see an aircraft above us.

Lunch at Benwhat.

Crossing to Burnhead.

Lots of slagheaps and bings.

Burnhead and Corbie Craigs by Scoop.

She also waited for this beauty.......

................and this.

Corbie Craigs Village.

The Hill Villages above Dalmellington, Ayrshire

More from Scoop.

Alongside the Rough Burn.

A well built tunnel. The flower, thought to be a Colt's Foot, was growing completely submerged. 

Abandoned vehicles and stone carvings.

A group photograph from Gordon.

Cheers !

Another cracking collage of Scoop's pictures..........

..............and more from the recce.

Pipe across to a disused mine shaft.

More recce pictures. The two Hercules were so quiet that I only just got a picture of the one at the back. I wouldn't have got that but for the 'Ranger' being alert.

There's a photographic video by Abandoned Scotland of Dunaskin on 

Youtube

The site is also up for sale at a giveaway price.

Right Move

Future Property Auctions

There must be a billionaire out there, possibly with Scottish roots, willing to fork out and save this site for Scotland's heritage ?

These last ones are from Scoop. Looks like she fancies herself as an engine driver.

Thanks to Google for this last picture.

It's the Eglington Hotel in Dalmellington. Thanks for a delicious and sumptuous spread Tom.

Here's the report.

Wigtownshire Ramblers 29th March 2014  

Twenty one walkers gathered at the entrance to Dunaskin Ironworks for the walk. The weather forecast was for a good day.
Starting out in a north westerly direction, our first point of interest was the grade two listed building that is the Waterside Institute. Here we saw the first of three war memorial that we’d encounter today.
Now we climbed a few steps up to the disused rail line leading to open countryside. Here the open fields were dotted with odd brick buildings once associated with the mines and ironworks. At the Drumgrange burn a line branched uphill. This was the track of an incline drum and steel rope haulage system for raising and lowering rail bogies. A steady climb led us to the ruins of the drum housing. Open cast coal quarries lay abandoned to the west.
Here we saw and heard the first of the many skylarks that nest on these moors.
Now a level track took us past the second war memorial where those remembered were mostly conscripts of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. It was hard to believe that this was once a busy street separating the villages of Burnfoothill and Lethanhill. Further on, a large white painted stone declared 'Long Live the Hill'.
At the ruins of what was once the village store we entered the wood that encompasses the former village of Lethanhill. Here, thanks to an old map we walked along Whaup Row, White Brick Row and Briggate. The terraced houses now mostly reduced to rubble gave a fascinating insight to an age gone by.
Leaving Lethanhill we now headed east along a track. Only used by shepherds, walkers and wild animals these days, this track once carried bogies filled with coal and iron ore.
The track now took us to the edge of the former hill village of Benquhat.
From here we walked across a somewhat swampy moor to climb to our third war memorial, this one also remembered conscripts of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Wreath laying ceremonies still take place annually. A short break was taken to enjoy the somewhat misty views.
We now retraced our steps to Benquhat where we walked among the ruins of the school. Broken porcelain identified the toilet block.
Slag heaps and ironwork mounds are scattered across this area and it was between these we found a sheltered spot for lunch.
After lunch we made our way across more moor and old workings to the head of Corbie Craigs. With the sun now breaking through misty skies, we took our time to view the tumbling waterfalls in the deep gorge below.
A little lower down we came to Corbie Craigs Village. This was a single row of terraced houses built by the Dalmellington Iron Company in the 1850's. The village was abandoned in the 1950's and left to ruin.  A local man we encountered remembered visiting his grandfather here back in the nineteen forties.
Now we followed the Rough burn uphill to cross an old bridge where several initials were carved into the stonework. Once on the opposite bank, we followed the burn to where it converges with the Burnhead Burn to become the Dunaskin. Here we followed the undulating track overlooking the beautiful Dunaskin Glen. A disused rail track ran alongside.
At a high point where the burn turns sharply south we came to the site of Laight Castle, belonging to Alpin, King of the Scots. He was defeated and killed in battle in the 9th century; there are conflicting reports of where and when he died. He is our present queen's 34th Great Grandfather. Nothing remains of the castle, but we could imagine the drawbridge. We took another short break here to enjoy the ambience of the area. A peregrine falcon was spotted across the gorge.
Back on the move and with the giant chimneys of the Ironworks in view, we were soon walking into the grounds of the Dunaskin heritage centre.
Boarded up and abandoned were turbine houses, ovens, kilns, and a wonderful 1847 Italianate blowing-engine house. redundant relics of an industrial age that once was the lifeblood of South Ayrshire. There's still life here though, volunteers from the Ayrshire Railway Preservation Group are always around preparing for the Steam Open Days in the summer.
Back at the cars, we now made our way into Dalmellington and the Eglington Hotel where we enjoyed scones, cakes, tea and coffee, an indulgence likely to counteract the good healthy work of the walk !

Next week walk; the 5th of April will be an 8 mile circular from Stranraer to Castle Kennedy. Meet at the Riverside in Newton Stewart for car sharing at 9.15am or the walk start at 10am. The walk starts at the 10am in the Breastworks car park in Stranraer (NX 059 610). New walkers are welcome but please speak to the leader first on 01776 840226.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Auchencrosh Converter to Cairnryan March 2014

Saturday March the 8th 2014

It's a bit of a drizzly morning as four of us leave Newton Stewart for Cairnryan.

As we arrive in Cairnryan we see small groups of walkers walking back from the car park. They're heading to the bus stop which is a few hundred metres back from the car park.  We decide not to chance getting the the bus to stop at the car park, and get warmed up by walking back to the bus stop too.

So off we go in our carriage calling in at the Stena terminal en route.

It's adverse weather as we alight at Auchencrosh crossroads.

Our walk leader and deputy today are both from Cairnryan. Cairnryan has a long maritime history so maybe someone can come up with good noms de plume for this intrepid pair. ( I don't think Sailor and the Kelpie are fitting, but maybe Jack Tar and Bertha..........well maybe not !)

Anyway, the walk report will follow the pictures as usual.

Some of us found it pretty hard going in the wind, while the sylph like creatures in the group cut through it like a knife through butter.

So after a quick dash from the start here's our leader wondering where the rest of his flock are.

(That is a shepherd's crook isn't it)

Two of the Glenapp Estate bulls. I'm not a cattle man, but comparing them to internet images, is the one on the left a Beef Shorthorn while on the right is a Luing ?

The first look at the masses of frog spawn we came across today.

The rain stops, but we needs breaks from the wind.

We're on familiar territory on reaching the Ayrshire Coastal Path.

We walked the section from Ballantre to Glenapp in September 2011

Nearing the coast we get a misty view of Corsewall while I zoom as far as my camera will for this Stena Line ferry. The zoom belittles her size doesn't it !

Into the wind and along the tops.

View down to Finnarts Bay and the disused fish factory.

View across the A77 to the second half of our walk.

Now that Scoop is out of the wind and she's no longer in danger of being picked up and thrown out to sea, she feels confident enough to start taking pictures. I think she's caught my good side above. (The truth is this is my Dr Jekyll, you won't be seeing my Mr Hyde picture)

Oh well, if you insist !

Scoop thought you wouldn't want to see this.

The walk down to lunch by the Water of App.

After lunch we're onto the Glenapp to Cairnryan section of the Mull of Galloway Trail, last walked by us in June 2011  

Crossing the A77

Another from Scoop 

View back to Mark and Glenapp Church

The section of rhododendrons that once spelled out the name 'Elsie'

A group photo by Scoop

Crossing the March Burn.

Frog spawn. 

An obstacle collage - this is a Scoop scoop.

A study in dimensions, groups and angles.

There's been a tremendous amount of felling. 

Downhill.

Another set from Scoop

The light was quite un-photographic friendly, I've lightened all the above.

  

I do like the atmospheric way this one has turned out.

Up to Laight and the Taxing Stane

Scoop has her camera in full swing now.

The last downhill to Cairnryan.

Well !, we did it girls. let's go eat cake.

Wigtownshire Ramblers.

Saturday March the 8th 2014

Twenty walkers gathered at Cairnryan to take the bus to the walk start. It was a surprised bus driver who dished out tickets, mostly on bus passes.
Alighting at the Auchencross Interconnector crossroads waterproofs were soon donned, it was blawin' a wet hoolie.
After hearing an outline of the walk by the leader we set off south-westerly along the tarmac road passing Kilantringan Loch.
Though the rain would soon cease, the head wind would feature along most of our route.
At a Y junction we went left to cross the Ballochdowan Burn over Kilantringan Bridge. Continuing on we crossed the picturesque Blood Glen and Ballminnoch burns tumbling off Carlock Hill. A puddle with frog spawn was commented on. We were to see a profusion of frog spawn in puddles the whole length of the walk. Another wildlife feature of today’s walk was the variety of birds on the wing.
A pair of prize bulls at High Ballochdowan regarded our passing with a little curiosity as if to say “We need to be out here, what’s your reason ?”.
Continuing on, the tarmac turned to farmtrack as we traversed the lower slopes of Shallochwreck Hill. Reaching Craigans we now joined the Ayrshire Coastal Path. A refreshment stop on the bridge at Black Glen Burn saw a variety of sweeties distributed.
Now at Glendrisaig farm the track turned directly into the wind and uphill. Offers to tether our lightest walker to another were turned down as she struggled to keep her feet. At least the rain had now stopped.
The route now levelled along the western edges of Penderry and Sandloch Hills, but the wind still blew. Westerly views were limited to a hazy Corsewall Lighthouse while a ferry emerged from Loch Ryan.
Relief from the wind came as the track turned down and east on the lower slopes of Sandloch Hill. Finnarts Bay looked particularly attractive in the dim misty light.
After passing Craiganlea House, lunch was taken alongside the Water of App. As in many parts of Galloway due to disease, tree felling has been extensive here too.
After lunch the group now braved the traffic on the A77 for a hundred metres before turning into the track leading up towards Wee Leith Hill. This is the Glenapp to Stranraer section of the Mull of Galloway Trail.
Though the wind had eased slightly the zig zagging climb was tough. 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, and we were able to make out the odd letter.
Continuing upwards we reached the tumbling March Burn. Here our leader had decided that adverse conditions on the moors meant a series of detours.
We now continued via undulating forest and farm tracks to reach Laight. Negotiating fallen trees, muddy tracks and frog spawn galore kept us alert. Another sweetie distribution kept our sugar levels up.
 Soon the path took us above Old Park of the Gleick crossing the Galloway burn, where we looked down on the ferry terminals of Cairnryan.
A last uphill trek took us to the Taxing Stane and gun battery of Little Laight Hill. Our arrival prompted a field mouse to dash for cover. 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.
Now we headed downhill passing the concrete bases of the many army billets that once stood over the village. We now descended the Bonny Braes back to Cairn Point, the cars, and the end of a challenging walk.
Brambles Tea Room in Stranraer proved popular for after walk refreshments.
     
The next walk on Saturday the 15th of March is a B++ eight mile ‘Three Hills Walk’ from Kirkdale to Skyreburn and Mossyard.
Meet for car sharing at the Breastworks, Stranraer 9.00am, the Riverside, Newton Stewart 9.30am or the walk start at Kirkdale Bridge (NX 517 531) at 10am. For further details or if going to the start please phone the walk leader on 01776 870231. New members are always welcome.