Wigtownshire Ramblers Stranraer Castle Kennedy December 2014

7th December

It's a Sunday outing for us for a change.

Our walk leader is the 'Weaver' and her report will follow the pictures.

It's a walk we've done with variations previously.

April 2014 Walk

The 1st of October 2011 Walk

15th of October 2011 Walk

The walk started at the car park on a windy Loch Ryan.

We disturbed a flock of Oystercatchers.

Road to High Balyett

Road to Garthleary

Leaving Garthleary

View north to the Fell of Craigcaffie

In the grounds of the Stair Estate through Kennel Bank Wood.

Lochinch Castle 

Crindil Bank Wood

Sheuchan Hill

Bamboo and a passing dog (with owner of course).

Fungi

Heron Isle on Black Loch.

East Lodge and entrance gate.

More fungi and bamboo.

View across White Loch to Lochinch Castle.

I zoomed in....................

.........................and again.....................

......................and once more. 

(I listened to a programme about photographic drones today, talk about big brother watching you !)

Castle Kennedy road crossing.

I hope it doesn't spiral out of control !

Castle Kennedy Primary School mural.

Lunch in Long Planting (old military road)

Lit up tree at Limekiln Lodge. (the window rail matching the grid spacing is purely coincidental)

A muddy Southern Upland Way.

Power lines.  

Sweetie distribution at Guyon's Brae Wood.

All that remains of Culhorn House

Industrial Estate view from Witches Howe

Commerce Road crossing.

Even more fungi.

Westwood Avenue to Ladies Walk.

Loch Ryan.

Cairnryan Road.

Loch Ryan Swans.

A sandy walk back to the cars at the Balyett picnic site.

A lovely walk with only one little drizzle of a shower.

Here's the 'Weaver's' walk report.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Castle Kennedy walk.

For a change the Ramblers met on Sunday for a 9 1/2 mile circular walk around Stranraer and Castle Kennedy, a walk of woods and water.

Seventeen members set off from the parking place on the cockle shore, along the edge of Loch Ryan with high tide water splashing ferociously in the bitingly cold wind. A lone goose sheltering in the undergrowth was sent flapping into the choppy sea as the unexpected invaders passed.

Once over the coast road, High Balyett farm road was followed, crossing the old railway line to Cairnryan, only shown now by one rail in the road and a depression across the adjacent field. The next road crossed was the A751 and another farm lane taken, leading after a short while to a grassy field with a good view down Loch Ryan, though the wind was so cold that very few people climbed the small hill to get the best view. The policies of Stair Estate were entered by a tree lined road alongside a small burn which, by a circuitous route, connected the Black Loch with Loch Ryan.

The shelter of the trees now meant that the biting wind ceased to chill the walkers and the milder climate here was shown by a pretty azalea bush covered in tiny mauve flowers. The Black Loch was spanned at a narrow point by a rustic wooden bridge and the north side of the loch was enjoyed with views over the water to the manicured lawns around the castle. In the 1730's these gardens were made by the second Earl of Stair. They are said to be inspired by the gardens at Versailles and the hard work of shifting soil, in order to build terraces, was done by the Royal Scots Greys and the Inniskilling Fusiliers.

The geese and ducks which usually frequent the loch were nowhere to be seen until the Southern Upland Way was joined at the end of the Black Loch. Now the geese were spotted far away near the castle, resting on the grassy banks. Coots and ducks swam out from the reeds at the side of the White Loch and a buzzard soared overhead mewing. Loch Inch Castle was picturesquely situated on the North bank of the White Loch, with the remains of the old church and graveyard on the West bank and the ruined Castle Kennedy, built in 1607 and burnt down in 1716, on the East bank. This driveway to the A75 is a glorious spot to traverse in all seasons.

The walkers soon passed through the village of Castle Kennedy and onto the wooded track which was once full of wartime buildings conveniently situated alongside the railway. Now there are only the foundations of huts and the odd shelter to be seen. Lunch amongst the trees brought a welcome rest for everyone.

The walk continued along the tree lined track until it reached a deviation of the old road caused by the building of the railway, which was crossed under a bridge near Loch Magillie and picked up again after a stretch of the Old Military Road, by a lodge and gate. A boggy piece of ground at Lime Kiln alongside the path had been transformed into a small loch and soon Culhorn Loch was also seen, making a total of six lochs passed today. The archway into Culhorn House is all that is left of the old Stair residence for about 150 years, after Castle Kennedy was burnt and before Lochinch Castle was built.

The last section of woodland was now walked, leaving the Southern Upland Way and heading through Big Plantation and Witches Howe, crossing the Industrial Estate road and following the Approach into town. Now that the trees were not so thick the biting wind reappeared with a spattering of rain which thankfully lasted no longer than a few seconds. The walkers were reunited with their cars along the A77, helped along by the wind behind them, some taking the easy path along the roadside and others venturing onto the cockle shore to crunch their way back.

Refreshments at Craignelder were a welcome end to the day’s walk with great service and comfortable surroundings, whilst a very black cloud built up over the loch. This was a well-timed finish for a fresh but enjoyable walk.

Next Saturday’s walk will be a circular from Ballantrae to the summit of Knockdolian returning along the river Stinchar. Meet at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart at 09:00 am, the Breastworks car park, Stranraer at 09:30 am or the walk start at Ballantrae Shore car park (NX 082 825) at 10 am.  New walkers are always welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01988 700553 for full details.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Lochinch Circular October 2014

Saturday the 11th of October 2014

 I still like to publish the walks I miss for the perusal of the wider walking community.

I missed this walk due to my trip down south.

Thanks therefore go to Scoop for the pictures and Shorty for the report.

White Loch approach through Broad Wood

Lochinch Castle view

Castle Kennedy House grounds

White Loch and WWII hut remnants

Graveyard in the old Inch Parish Churchyard

Happy Ramblers

The obligatory obstacle on any of the 'Farmer's' walks

'Shorty' to the rescue

Balker Fell

Group photograph overlooking Luce Bay, Cults Loch, Black Loch and White Loch

Return to Castle Kennedy grounds

Bridge over the channel linking the White and Black Lochs

After walk refreshments by the old Castle Kennedy

Wigtownshire Ramblers – Saturday, 11/10/2014 – Lochinch Circular

The weather forecast had promised a fine day so twenty seven ramblers assembled at the Castle Kennedy gardens for a walk around the Lochinch Estate.  The group set off cheerfully along the main drive towards Castle Kennedy village along the shore of the White Loch.  It was so calm that the water looked like glass.  The only ripples were caused by a group of ducks which hurried for cover on the far side of the loch.  Across the water Lochinch Castle was mirrored in the smooth water.

The route then turned off the drive and we followed a track through the woods.  All along the way were remnants of buildings which had formed part of the numerous military establishments built here during the war.  Nature was rapidly reclaiming the sites and only a few wall and concrete foundations were visible.

We soon reached the Lochinch Castle drive and turned north.  There we met a group of cheerful children who had been enjoying an outing in the countryside.  A little further on we made a short diversion to the old Inch parish church with its graveyard containing many old gravestones. The site is now used as a private burial ground for the Earls of Stair and their family.

After returning to the drive we followed the road with views over the White Loch until we reached the woods.  A track led us through Hamilton Wood down to the Balker Bridge.  The path was remarkably dry considering the rain of recent days.  It will obviously take further rain to make the soil really wet.  We then followed the road on to Balker Farm, the home farm for the Estate.  After a short pause for sweeties we then tackled the climb up the track towards the television transmitter on Balker Fell.  As we ascended the track the views opened up over Stranraer and Luce Bay.  The Mull of Galloway was silhouetted against the bright sea and the Isle of Man was just visible on the misty horizon.

We followed the track until we reached the aerial and then turned down through the woods following a well-used deer track.  The woods were criss-crossed by deer tracks and our leader was concerned that the group kept well together as any stragglers might easily be confused by the choice of routes amongst the dense trees.  We noticed significant damage on the trees which suggested that red and roe deer were prolific in the area.  We soon emerged from the woods into a grassy meadow where we paused for lunch. The sun shone for our lunch stop and we enjoyed lovely views over the Black & White lochs with the tower of Castle Kennedy standing out against the trees on its promontory between the lochs.  Flights of geese were busy on the Black Loch and their haunting cries could be heard clearly.

After lunch we descended to field and turned onto the road through the Tongue Glen.  We paused on the bridge over the Tongue Burn to examine the remains of an older bridge now represented by a series of walls which had supported the abutments.  Further along the lane we passed Sheuchan Farm and then reached the New Luce road.  We then turned back towards Castle Kennedy.  The road was unusually busy.  Perhaps the fine weather and the start of the autumn colours had tempted out the visitors.

After a short walk along the road we turned into Sheuchan Bank wood.  The road had been tarmacked but was rapidly disappearing below rampant vegetation.  We then turned back through the Broad Wood and soon reached the cars again.  We then retired to the Tea Room and enjoyed tea and cakes in the sunshine below the walls of the old castle.

Next week’s event will be a moderate walk over the hills behind Creetown.  Meet at the Breastworks car park in Stranraer at 09:00 or the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart at 09:30 to share transport.  The walk will start from the Gem Rock Museum in Creetown at 10:00 (NX 477 590).  New walkers are always welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01988 840268 for full details.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Castle Kennedy Circular October 2011

It's Saturday the 1st of October.

It's dry in Newton Stewart, but very wet in Castle Kennedy.

I've written the walk report so it'll follow the pictures.

Lots of herons to be seen today.

I believe top left is or was the Factor's house

Picking snowdrops illegal!

I guess we all know someone with one of those.

The Sheuchan Burn created by the Black and Tongue (Top Picture) burns

Tongue Glen

Cullurpattie

Balker

Lunch Break

Inquisitive calves

Jackdaw

Here's an interesting sign we saw.

The next picture was after we'd passed.

Ha ha

Lodge House

Strange Fungi

Shetland Pony

Approaching White Loch

Lochinch Castle

Inch Parish Church ruins

WW2 Military Camp Ruins

Wigtownshire Ramblers Walk Report

A very wet morning saw eleven ramblers meet at the Castle Kennedy Gardens car park for the walk.

A warm welcome was given to visiting walkers from Stirling and Edinburgh.

The walk began by crossing the tree lined canal connecting the White and Black Lochs. A heron was spotted standing patiently on the bank where the canal leads into White Loch. A little further on a second one was seen on the aptly named Heron Isle on Black Loch.

Passing through Broad Wood a red squirrel was seen scampering up a tree. A notice proclaimed "It is Illegal to remove snowdrops from the wilds" 

After walking a few hundred metres along the New Luce road, the group now took the road north leading to Sheuchan and Meikle Tongue. After a while the tarmac road turned to farm track.

It was thought that the double barbed wire fence along here was for hedge planting.

It continued to rain with only occasional respite. The confluence of the Black and Tongue burns meet at Tongue bridge to become the Sheuchan Burn. Threatening to burst its banks, the Sheuchan was a white water avalanche.

At a fork in the track the route turned along the western edge of Tongue Glen.

The original route was to include the radio telephone mast above Balker Wood, but after consultation the walk leader decided to omit it as the views would be non existent in the rain and mist.

Emerging from the woods the rooftops of Lochinch Castle came into view. 

Another heron stood at the edge of a flooded section of a field.

The track was followed through Cullurpattie and onto Balker farm. A fine detached house was pointed out as being the residence of Davina Katherine Bowes-Lyon, Duchess of Stair.

At Balker, lunch was enjoyed under cover in a farm shed. Adorable Friesian calves were in a nearby byre.

After lunch the group now headed south. Shortly after crossing Balker bridge they took a path through Hamilton wood, the leaves on the trees now adopting their autumn colour. Now and again a resting pheasant would be disturbed.

Reaching a quaint lodge house, the route now followed a field of maize waving in the breeze. Shetland ponies grazing in the next field came up to the fence to make the acquaintance of the walkers.

On reaching the tarmac road leading to Lochinch, the castle could be seen across White loch. A short distance along this road brought the group to the ruins of the old parish church of Inch, which was explored. The Stair family name of Dalrymple was predominant on the headstones and wall plaques. The church and nearby school were closed in 1861.

Continuing on, the walkers now entered Macgill and Douglas woods where there are extensive ruins of the WW2 military camp. After a short exploration and with no let up in the weather it was decided to hastily finish the walk.

Back on tarmac the group were soon back at the walk start. After abandoning wet clothing they made their way to the sanctuary of the tea room.

Welcome tea, coffee and various cakes and scones concluded a wet but interesting day. 

The next walk, on Saturday the 8th of October will be a ‘Woodland Coastal’ walk of 8 miles from Garlieston to Innerwell and back.

Meet at the Riverside car park Newton Stewart at 9.30 am,the Breastworks, Stranraer at 9.00 am for car sharing, or at the walk start at Garlieston Village Hall (NX 478 462) at 10.00am.

New members are always welcome, for more information or if going to the walk start, contact the walk leader on 01988 840268