Wigtownshire Ramblers Cairngarroch to Ardwell November 2014

Saturday the 22nd November 2014

This walk was a repeat of one we did in January 2012.

January 2012 Walk

My report for this walk will follow my pictures and a selection from Scoop will follow that.

Twenty two of us set off down the track to Cairngarroch Bay.

A shaky stile was the first of a few obstacles we crossed.

The first burn crossing.

All walkers over safely.

The climb to the clifftops

Some find it easier than others.

View back to Cairngarroch Bay.

Undulating tops.

The three fence (two electric) challenge.

Stair step topography.

Seabirds were constant companions.

Sweetie break stop.

Various fungi.

Just in case we never noticed !

A distant view beyond Ardwell Bay.

Inland from Dove Cave Head.

Many more gulls. The photographic enhanced effect is from the 'I'm feeling lucky' button on Picasa.

Little Float Farm.

It's sad that people put these 'Private' signs up without explaining that the track is open to walkers.

It's perhaps something the Scottish Government should look into. There are too many being erected around our beautiful countryside.

Lunchtime at Float Bay brought this fellow in close.

Hungry walkers tuck in.

Whatever was attracting them, the birds kept coming.

Departing Float Bay. 

Treading carefully on the rocky stony terrain.

View back to Float Bay.

Water Cave, in need of exploration !.

A group photo after the steep scramble.

Kenmuir Farm Animals

Kenmuir Cottage, spaniels at the Pans and Saltpan cottage.

More stony and rocky terrain.

Ardwell Bay.

Cooling feet and the joy of sand after the stones.

Road up to West High Ardwell and the walk finish.

Here's the report.

Wigtownshire Ramblers 

Saturday the 22nd of November 2014

Twenty two walkers assembled near West Cairngarroch farm for the walk start.
A muddy farm track led us downhill to the shore at Cairngarroch Bay.
Here, a stop was taken for the tragic tale of the WW2 plane crash to be read out.
On July the 27th 1944, two C47 Dakota's carrying wounded US servicemen crossed here en route to Prestwick. One never made it over the cliffs and all 22 on board perished. There’s a memorial plaque at the northern end of the bay.
Now our route took us across a burn and past a picturesque cottage to begin an often muddy ascent of Cairnmon Fell.
Though somewhat misty in the distance the Irish coastline could be made out. The sun was shining.
Continuing along the coastal path we reached the area known as Slunkrainy. Here the steep slopes down to the rocky shore were of 'Stair-Step' topography and undulated in and out and up and down.
Two deer were seen bounding away over the skyline. Later we saw more deer on the horizon. Rabbits, partridges and pheasants were also spotted on the walk.
A grassy field gave us some relief from the muddy track but we soon arrived at an obstacle that required physical contortions. A track through gorse led us to three fences of which two were electric. Both were accidentally discovered to be live. Discarding rucksacks and rolling under the last fence seemed to be the most popular of the various crossing methods applied.
Now a change of direction took the route inland to pass through Little Float Farm. From here a downhill track led down to Float Bay.
The delightful residence on the bay seemed deserted, so, though not trespassing we used the garden edges to sit for a lunch break.
During a lovely break we observed seals and seagulls. Something in the sea was attracting the birds as their flying and squawking, overhead and in the sea, never stopped while we were there.
After lunch we passed another holiday cottage. We wondered about the tides as we spotted a flood shield on a door bottom.
More clambering over the rocky shore was followed by a scramble up the steep slopes to access the viewpoint overlooking Float Bay. Here on Island Buoy stood the promontory fort known as Kenmuir Graves.
The sun was still shining and afforded wonderful views back up the Rhins coastline, including the wide mouth of Water Cave back on Float Bay. A fine spot for group photographs.
Now we walked back inland through open fields to bring us to Kenmuir. Reaching the T junction we turned back to the coast. At the Pans, four spaniels being exercised were happy to wag their tails at our passing.  The road now brought us to Salt Pan Cottage where again we took the stony coastal path.
The humorous story of circus strong man Will Purves who lived in a cave at Saltpans Bay was again related.
The hard stony walking eventually gave way to the silvery sands of Ardwell Bay.
On reaching the car park we encountered a lady trying to recover a dog called Bobby who was spotted among the whins and bracken of the steep slopes. A happy ending saw Bobby re-united with his walker.
A short road walk up to West High Ardwell concluded the walk.
Drivers were now shunted back to Cairngarroch for their vehicles.

Most walkers now made their way to the Woodlea Tearoom at Sandhead for excellent after walk refreshments.

Next Saturday’s walk will be from St Ninian’s Cave to the Isle of Whithorn.. Meet at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart at 09:15, the Breastworks car park at 09:00 or the walk start at St Ninian’s car park (NX 431 366).  New walkers are always welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01988 840268 for full details.

Here's an excellent selection from 

Scoop

She tells me she took the one above at Port Logan on her way home. 

While I took these below on my way home.

Between us we've created a nice pictorial record of a great day's walking.

The Wigtownshire Ramblers Beneraird November 2012

Saturday the 3rd of November

The last time I climbed Beneraird was two years ago. 2010 Walk

Today's walk is being led by my good friend the Ayrshire Blogger

As regular readers will know there are a few nicknames for those walkers who are consummate walkers.

Gordon has been known as Slew Train after a hill we've come across often.

I've decided on a new nickname for him. Since he has retired, Gordon is game for any walking challenge.

Hence the nickname 'The Gopher', because if asked Gordon will 'Go For' it.

I'm taking a leaf out of 'The Gopher's' own blog by publishing a picture of the leader.

I believe what he holds here works as well as any GPS device, so we shouldn't get lost.

We're a group of 19 as we set off, but soon into the walk the figure changes to 20 with the arrival of a latecomer. After a heavy morning frost it's a lovely day.

Abundant views over the north channel were many today. Ailsa Craig must be one of the most photographed volcanic plugs in the world.

Mud is another feature of  today's walk as is another favourite hill of ours, Knockdolian. 

Ailsa Craig again. Will there be any more ?

Our route initially took us east passing the Auchencrosh converter station and below Auchencrosh, Benawhirn and Smyrton hills .

I can't resist taking pictures of Ailsa.

We're soon circling South and gradually climbing..........

.........and thanks to Scoop, back from more adventures, I get in the picture.

We make good time and are on the summit of Beneraird before lunch time. It's quite cold and breezy up here.

If I was a flush bracket collector, then here's BM S1808 

We drop down from Beneraird on the Lagafater Lodge track, the original Ballantrae to Stranraer road.

A short climb brings us to a nice spot for lunch. After lunch we'll be looking for wreckage.

Here's a couple of links to accounts of the 1945 air crash of a US Airforce Liberator.

Goodman's Cairn 

Pildinny

A short distance north of where we lunched we find whats left of the wreckage.

My next door neighbour has the book 'The RAF in Galloway' by A.T.Murchie. Here's a passage from the book.

"On 14 June 1945 a gamekeeper leaving his cottage at Lagafater Lodge found a seriously injured airman lying on the pathway leading to the cottage. Though barely conscious, the airman managed to indicate that he had come from an aeroplane which had crashed some distance away. Lagafater Lodge is a shooting lodge in a remote moorland area about seven miles north west of New Luce. The alarm was immediately raised by contacting the civil police who in turn contacted the RAF in Castle Kennedy. A search party were soon on the scene to find that a US Air Force Liberator, which had been reported to be missing over thirty six hours previously, had crashed on Pildinny Hill, 1200 feet above sea level and almost two miles from Lagafater Lodge. Two more seriously injured survivors were found together with seventeen bodies.The injured men were taken to Lochnaw Hospital and the bodies to Castle Kennedy before being handed over to the US Air Force Base at Prestwick."  

I wonder what happened to these, the survivors.
John R. May, Staff Sergeant - Kenneth R. Nelson, Sergeant - Richard G. Pokorny, Technical Sergeant

We're heading back now. We retrace our steps back down the slopes of Beneraird so far before taking to the heather and tussocks.

After crossing a burn that eventually becomes the Water of App, we're ready to climb up Smyrton Hill.

It's quite a steep haul, but the last of the climbing today.

A rest at the top where far reaching views and landmarks are identified.

Views of Kilantringan Loch, Knockdolian and the town of Ballantrae as we descend.

I've no problems descending.!

We're soon back at Smyrton Bridge and the track back to the cars.

I've enjoyed today's walk. As always the 'Gopher', has excelled in his leadership and imparting geographic and historical information. Good on you sir.

Here's the leader's report.

 Wigtownshire Ramblers – Saturday 03 November 2012

On Saturday November 3^rd Wigtownshire ramblers did an eight mile circular route up Beneraird and Smyrton Hills which are just two of the many hills situated in the Glenapp area.  Twenty walkers met at the crossroads just off the A77 where there is ample car parking for the cars that came from Stranraer, the South Rhins and Newton Stewart. The leader welcomed and introduced three new members to the group and hoped they would enjoy today’s walk. Setting off on a clear sunny but cold morning along an old farm road they passed the electricity convertor station which takes the power to Northern Ireland. The equipment hummed loudly in the quiet morning; more intrusive than the traffic on the nearby main road.

After all the recent heavy rain that has fallen recently in this part of Scotland the going was very muddy, slowing their progress until they reached the old road that takes you from Ballantrae to New Luce, a distance of some 19 miles . As this road once carried horse drawn traffic many years ago the ground was somewhat easier to walk on. The first stop was at an area described on the map as hut circles where we learnt that these were small dwelling places with low earth sides and a timber structure was erected above this. Today all that is left are several circles in the grass where the houses once stood.

Making their way up to Beneraird they met the farmer on his quad bike taking feed to the animals grazing on the hillside. This was a relief to some of the group as the beasts turned their attention to the food and ignored the walkers completely.  Once on the summit the leader pointed out several hills visible today mainly towards the Galloway ranges.

Heading down the road towards Lagafater Lodge the leader took the group to the remains of a Liberator aircraft which crashed on the hillside in 1945 resulting in 17 deaths out of the twenty that were on board on that dreadful day. The plane was on its way from Northern England to Prestwick when, in thick fog and perhaps due to the lack of reliable navigation aids, the plane hit the hill. One of the survivors crawled to the lodge to raise the alarm and when the rescue services finally got to the site they discovered two of passengers were still alive. This was made even more remarkable in that two days had passed since the accident happened. A lunch stop was taken there beside the wreckage whilst they remembered all who had perished on that fateful journey.

After lunch they retraced their steps to the top of the pass and then crossed over a grouse moor to the headwaters of the Water of App.  A brace of Red Grouse took off noisily and swept down into the valley. After crossing the burn a short steep climb took them to Smyrton Hill with its panoramic views of the Clyde and Loch Ryan with the ferries making their way to and from Ireland.  From the summit it was a very steep descent down to Smyrton Bridge and the track back to the start.  The group thanked the leader for an excellent walk in the autumn sunshine before retiring to Stranraer for coffee and scones in “Stir It”, one of the many fine tearooms to be found in the town.

Next Saturday, November 10^th, the walk will be an 8 mile circular moderate route on farm tracks, woodland paths and open moorland from Castramont to Loch Whinyon. Please meet for car sharing at Breastworks car park, Stranraer at 9.00AM and Riverside, Newton Stewart at 9.30AM. If going to the start at Knocktinkle Car Park on the Gatehouse to Lauriston road (NX608 602) or for any other queries please contact the leader direct on 01776 840226.