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Showing posts with label Monreith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monreith. Show all posts

Sunday, 7 September 2014

Wigtownshire Ramblers Monreith Circular September 2014

Saturday the 6th of September
Twenty seven walkers gathered at the top of the one hundred and fifty steps above Monreith beach.
Shorty was the walk leader and his report will follow the pictures.   
The walk was similar to one we did back in March 2013 with snow on the ground. 


I was intrigued by these plaques on a bench. 
Going by the names I imagine they're deceased pets.


Through the village and left at Clarksburn


To Stellock Farm via Tronachan


Short climb to the Fell of Barhullion




Views North and North West


Araucaria angustifolia, the paraná pine, brazilian pine or candelabra tree on the Monreith estate


Zoomed in to the Mull of Galloway


Now we began the figure of eight section of the walk.


Two walkers seem to be in two places at once in this picture


Lumpy terrain


Blue Roundhead Fungi ?


The most difficult of the day's obstacles.


Five walkers all looking in different directions !


Thanks to Miss Goodnight for slyly snapping me and the Milkmaid.


Recce photograph to Barfad Loch


Passing ruins of Fell of Barhullion farm 


Galloway Hills view........


..............ditto


Belties and muck spreader


Dowies............


also known as Old Place Of  Monreith.........


Available for holiday bookings at the Landmark Trust


Two ladies holidaying were somewhat lost between Dowies and Drumfad. We put them on the right track. The semi clad lady still stands in the garden at the Clachan of Myrton.


Core path, phoenix tree and the thickest ivy vine.


A moment for refreshment.


Top picture - looks like a rambler has come to grief.
Bottom Picture - he needs an introduction to the garden lady of Clachan of Myrton.


A Donsy of Gnomes in the Lochside Plantation


Lunchtime at the holiday house on the White Loch of Myrton.


I looked this up, am I right ?
Quattro Bella Donne !


Henry who's been hiding, gets discovered as we are leaving.


View across to Myrton Castle Cottage, swans and fisher folk.


A quick glimpse of Monreith House.


Nectar and pollen collection before summer's gone.


Boys 'n Birds Barsalloch Point


Steps up to Barsalloch Fort






Port Whapple


Monreith Bay.


Water's edge walkers


Approaching Black Rocks


A stony crossing to the one hundred and fifty Kelton Steps.


A grand walk completed we drove up to Port William for tea and coffee with a tray bake provided by A'OK. 
Kati and Ben had been warned to expect us.


A fitting end to the day................


.............looking out to Luce Bay.............


.................and the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway.

Here's Shorty's report.
Wigtownshire Ramblers Saturday, 06 September 2014 – Monreith Circular

Saturday dawned clear and bright and twenty seven cheerful ramblers, including a number of visitors from as far away as Australia, assembled above the beach in Monreith.  The air was unusually clear and the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway stood out clearly above the sparkling blue sea.  We set off through the village and turned up the road towards Stelloch Farm.  At Clarksburn Farmhouse we paused to admire the carved stone from 2005 with modern cup and ring marks and a Nine Man’s Morris board.  Unfortunately nobody was sure of the rules for the latter so we could not play the game.

At Stelloch farm we were greeted by two enthusiastic dogs and their owner.  The owner tried to explain where we could find the elusive ancient cup and ring marks marked on the map in the next field.  Following his guide we crossed the field and carefully examined the exposed rocks with no success until a walker’s shadow fell at the right angle and the circles became apparent.  The reason for these carvings is unknown but our leader postulated they were probably graffiti carved by bored Stone Age shepherds.

We then climbed the rougher ground above the field to the Fell of Barhullion and were rewarded with magnificent views in all directions.  The southern Marchars were laid out before us and the Galloway Hills formed a sun drenched back drop.  To the west the sea was a striking blue with the Skares rocks unusually clear.  One member thought he could make out the Mountains of Mourne as a grey outline on the horizon.  There had been a minor collapse in well-built summit cairn and the small message jar was exposed and empty.

After a short pause to regain breath and partake of energy replacing sweeties we set off northwards on a cattle path through the whins and bracken towards the Fell Wood.  As we went a pair of young roe deer bounded away amongst the bushes.  We eventually found a rough quad bike track which descended to a gate into the wood.  We then followed animal tracks through the open woodland with high bracken and brambles and then crossed onto the Fell Farm where the going got easier.  

We soon reached a track and walked up to the remnants of Fell Farmhouse.  Some reconstruction work had been carried out but a great deal of effort will be required to restore the buildings.  From the farm we took a tractor track down the fields to the Dowies Castle, also known as the Old Place of Monreith. This was once the seat of a branch of the powerful Maxwell Family from Caerlaverock near Dumfries.  The tower house was restored some years ago and is now let as a holiday home by the Landmark Trust.

On the way back to Court Hill Plantation we met two dog-walking ladies who had lost their way trying to follow tracks marked on their map.  As is quite common round here, the tracks just disappeared leaving them directionless in featureless grassy fields.  We were able to redirect them to their route which they thankfully followed.  We followed the surprisingly squelchy track around the lower side of the plantation and reached the Estate road which we would follow to Drumfad and the Clachan of Myrton.  As we went we were amazed at the profusion of hazel nuts, rose hips and brambles but the paucity of the crop on the hawthorn and sloe bushes.  

At the Clachan we turned onto the Core Path, a rather muddy old track cut through the edge of the Hill Head Plantation.  We walked on the bank above the extensive cutting to avoid the deep mud.  The extent of the earthworks was surprising for a track which seemed to lead from the old smithy to a rather small farm.  The farm is now ruinous, marked only by a few low walls.  We walked down the field to the Monreith Estate North Lodge and turned in through the gates and then followed a narrow path through the trees to the larger path which runs round the White Loch.  We stopped for lunch in the opening in the woods next to the Kennels Cottage with views out across the White Loch.  During lunch we were entertained by a diving bird that was hunting in the loch and emerged with something in its beak which was causing it some difficulty.

After lunch we continued round the west side of the loch, meeting dog walkers and fishermen, to Monreith House and then down the drive for a short distance.  We then crossed the Barsalloch Burn and walked along the new cattle roads to the county road and then between hedgerows down the concrete road to North Barsalloch Farm.  The farmer had obviously been talking advantage of the dry weather to spread slurry on his fields which added a distinctive aroma to our progress.  Below the farm the track dips down a small glen cut by the burn to the sea shore.

We crossed the main road and walked along the shingle beach back towards Monreith.  The shingle contained a remarkable range of hardy plants growing vigorously out of the unpromising soil.  One member was particularly pleased to find the relatively rare Yellow Horned Poppy which was still flowering amongst the stones.  Further along the beach some ramblers took the longer but easier route over the firm sand revealed by the low tide.  Others trudged manfully on along the shingle.  Both groups finished the walk by climbing the 150 steps back from the beach to the cars.  We then motored through Portwilliam and enjoyed tea and coffee on the sea shore at the Streeteatery with tray bakes provided by an absent member.

Next week’s walk will be a nine mile moderate walk across the southern Rhins starting from Port Logan.  Meet at 09:00 at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart or 09:30 at the Breastworks car park in Stranraer to share transport.  The walk will start from the pier car park in Port Logan at 10:00 (NX 094 404).  New walkers are welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01776 860315 for full details.

Friday, 17 May 2013

Three Walks - Newton Stewart Walking Festival - 2013

After the galavanting done to Southend the other weekend, last weekend was the start of the 11th annual Newton Stewart Walking Festival
I decided I'd do one of the first day's (friday) walks led by Shorty and his missus.
The weather wasn't the best over the weekend and I didn't take many pictures.
Here's the best of them anyway.

Friday
Walk 1 - 2 Newton Stewart by the back door
Shennanton Gatehouse


Daffodils below Shennanton House. There was a very good turnout for this walk.


Domesticated quadrupeds spotted on the walk


Lovely local ladies
A nice steady eight miles, I'm warmed up for the walk I'll lead on Saturday.


Saturday
Walk 2 - 6 Monreith to the Isle of Whithorn
This is the walk I'm leading. I'm limited to a group of fifteen as our return transport is a minibus and the driver is also my backup. As it turned out there were thirteen in total on the walk.
We begin at St Medans Golf Course Car park and immediately go along to Kirkmaiden church. Here my deputy told the story of Francois Thurot. 
Monreith's Home Page has the story


It's one of the oldest churches in Scotland, and the resting place of many of the McCulloch and Maxwell family members, who owned the Monreith estate.
The Galloway Gazette has the story of how Kirkmaiden and St Medan came to be named


The Gavin Maxwell Memorial


Once over the top of the golf course we stopped at the promontory fort of Back Bay.
On the walk with us was Elinor (Ellie) Graham, Research Assistant at SCAPE, University of St Andrews and Natalia a colleague. They're researchers for SCHARP , Scotland's Coastal Heritage At Risk Project
and have come along to explain promontory forts and the WW2 sites that are at risk



The lovely ladies from St Andrew's University


Our first coffee break was below Laggan Camp


I'd quite a fit group with me and dykes, fences and gates were easily hurdled


Climbing down to Port Castle Bay


At St Ninians Cave the appearance of the sun allowed us a relaxed lunch break


Continuing south


A WW2 structure inland from Carghidown
I'm surprised I can't find this on some of the pages of the 'geographers' who occasionally read my blog.
 Any ideas?


Near Blockan Hole


It was around now we had a shower of hailstones, hence the poor seal shot


Burrowhead has the most extensive promontory fort in Castle Feather. It was also an important anti aircaft site in WW2.  
Here's Statutory Rules and Orders No 144 of 1940
Ellie was very enthusiastic about this site and explained much of the layout.


Also at Burrowhead are the stumps of the original Wickerman
This was where Howie (Edward Woodward) met his end while the inhabitants of Summerisle danced round the big burning basket.


A short climb brings us back to the cliff top


A look back at Burrowhead


Just short of the walk finish at the Isle of Whithorn a rainbow appeared.
Feedback from my walk in 2012 suggested the walk was a little further than advertised.
It was the same today with one walker suggesting that if she sees me as a walk leader next year, she'll add a couple of miles. 
A successful walk made much more interesting by the input of Ellie. Thank you young lady, your company and knowledge was much appreciated. 

Sunday
Walk 3 - 6 Devils Bridge Coastal
It was a miserable forecast for this walk which was led by my fellow ramblers the 'Weaver' and 'Scoop'
I have a new small camera for such days. The problem being that the camera was awaiting collection in the Post Office sorting office.
The first section took us across country in the South Rhins to Salt Pan Bay


The weather was fine for these creatures


I did occasionally get my camera out. This was to try and capture the Shag swallowing a fish he'd just caught. I was too late.

We walked across Ardwell beach, around Ardwell Point to Doon Castle and the broch before heading back inland where we had a little respite from the wind and rain.
Eventually we were back along the cliff edges on the Mull of Logan...........
.....................and the Devil's Bridge


With us was Tim Stephenson from the Gem Rock Museum
As well as imparting very knowledgeable information he handed out the following explanation.


The weather again turned and we were soon on the move again


A few obstacles were surmounted as we continued along the dramatic coastline


We were soon at the next feature intriguingly called..................................


.............................Little Bridge


Lots of photographs..........................


.........................then a scramble.


Spring Squill (Scilla Verna) probably my picture of the day


Port Logan and the walk finish in sight. Is it brightening up ?


The primroses blanket many of the gullies. Stunning !


The last picture is of an interesting bridge with conical corners. I didn't want to finish with a dull picture hence the enhancements.
A lovely walk considering the weather.
Well done leaders and Tim.

My weekend ended at the Belted Galloway where Ellie talked about the archaeology of Galloway’s coast. Our previous day's walk was also a feature of the presentation and slideshow.

It was a very enjoyable weekend despite the weather.


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