Wigtownshire Ramblers - SUW - Portpatrick to Stranraer - March 2015

Saturday 14th March

Wigtownshire Ramblers - SUW - Portpatrick to Stranraer

This is a walk we've done several times.

The last time was January 2014.

Links to previous walks are in that post.

January 2014 Walk

I've been having problems with my right knee and had it xrayed a couple of weeks ago.

I have degeneration in the padding in the knee's interior and I'll be seeing an orthopaedic specialist whenever to determine what treatment is required.

At the moment big hills are out for me, but I'll see how I go on with lower level walks.

This was supposed to be a test for me, but I only did half the walk.

Another of our mature walkers was struggling a little when we reached the Leswalt to Portpatrick road so I volunteered to accompany him to the bus back at Portpatrick. 

Lucky us jumped straight into a passing farmers landrover who dropped us at the bus stop.

We had forty minutes to wait.

I walked around parts of Stranraer while waiting for the rest of the group.

The Taxi Driver and Miss Goodnight were walk leaders and Scoop has written the report,

Her photographs will follow mine and her report will follow those.

So here's my pictures from the section of the walk I did. 

Big Ed was watching as we got off the bus at Portpatrick.

It was quiet as we set out towards the cliff path.
By mid July, this place will be swarming with holidaymakers.

I got the group to stand for a picture

The steps which begin the SUW

A view back to Portpatrick

Climb down to Port Mora (Sandeel Bay)

Port Kale (Lairds Bay)

The steep chained climb out of Lairds Bay

Crossing Ouchtriemakain Moor

Portamaggie and the wreck of the Craigantlet

A group picture under Killantringan Lighthouse

Killantringan Bay with the House of Knock above Knock Bay.
Should you click on the link and wish to holiday at the House of Knock, I'm sure it's a fine establishment.
There's just one thing about the write up you'll have to be careful of.
It's this "private access to a secluded beach below". I'll grant you that the access is private, but do not be surprised to see other folk enjoying the beach. It's only really secluded when the tide is well in.

This is where the SUW leaves the west coast.

View back to the lighthouse.

Youngsteers

Hey, there's a coupla birds on the line

This was the point at which me and 'The Man from the GPO' deserted the group.

All the times I've been to Portpatrick I'd never before noticed this milestone.

While awaiting our bus we lunched and I took a few pictures.
That's it from me now ................ 

....................here are the pictures from

Scoop

Scoop's Report

Wigtownshire Ramblers Report 14 March Portpatrick - Stranraer

The numbers of walkers varied throughout the walk, starting with 18 who made use of the bus from Stranraer to Portpatrick.  Sunshine accompanied the group as they rounded the northern side of the harbour and climbed the steps which zigzag upwards towards and passing Portpatrick Hotel.  This is the start of the Southern Upland Way.  Soon they reached the now abandoned radio station where one of the walkers regaled the others with his memories of working there. On the rocks below, seabirds were busily making sure of their nesting places, announcing their presence noisily.
With the sparkling pale blue sea on the left and the golf course on the right, the cliffs were followed until the path descended to the beach of Port Mora, passing the gushing waterfall to the right. It was once the custom, on the first night of May, to bring those suffering from ailments to bathe in the water. Having crossed the beach and then taken the narrow path round the point to Port Kale they passed the cable station before crossing the bridge over Dunskey Burn.

The walkers continued along the SUW, passing a large detached piece of cliff and climbed the steep staircase of steps making use of the chain handrail to regain the cliff top on the northern side of the bay.  The way marked path follows the coast northwards across easy grassy slopes until it reaches the gully of March Howe, where the track had to be negotiated with care.  Now Killantringan Lighthouse came into view and was soon reached, the group pausing for a short while to remark on the remains of the bow of the Craigantlet still being pretty substantial despite the pounding it will have endured since this coaster ran onto the rocks directly below the lighthouse, in 1982.

Turning inland they followed the road towards the farm with its attractive Simmental calves who regarded them solemnly as they passed. As the walkers reached the main road, a couple of them decided to make their walk a circular one and left the others to return to Portpatrick.  The remaining walkers followed the SUW signs along this and a more minor road for some time, the wind farm above Low Auchenree working well on the right, before eventually leaving the farm road and gaining a grassy track.  It was here that another member of the Wigtownshire Ramblers joined the group, having walked from Stranraer.
The grassy path opened out onto the grassy Mulloch Hill with its viewpoint cairn specially built for the SUW. On a clear day the green undulating Rhins to the wider horizons of Ireland, Kintyre and the Galloway Hills can be seen, along with dramatic Ailsa Craig which stands out in front of Arran.  Today the sunshine was warm but intermittent and visibility was not at its best.  It was from here that today’s leader and backup had seen a White Tailed Eagle, on one of their recces, but no sign was seen of it today.
Soon afterwards sharp eyed botanists spotted some white jelly like blobs, beside black spotted ones and the answer to their identity came via a nature programme seen by one of group on a TV nature programme the previous night – they were of frogspawn consumed and then discarded by an owl! The sun was beginning to wane as the group found shelter below the hill to have lunch but the day stayed dry as they made their way over rough moorland towards Knockquahassen Reservoir.  Marshy sections were crossed with only a few wet boots before a concrete farm road was reached.
After some road walking another member joined up with the group, near Hillside Piggeries, receiving an enthusiastic welcome and the road was followed until a ‘short cut’ was taken across a field, down to Ochtrelure.
While enjoying the welcome, cakes, scones and hot drinks in Brambles, two more members arrived, both of whom had been unable to walk with the group but who were greeted with pleasure by all.  It had been a day of comings and goings of the Wigtownshire Ramblers.
Next week’s walk follows the southern coastline of the Machars from St Medans to the Isle of Whithorn, of 11 miles although a shorter alternative may be planned.  Meet for car sharing at Breastworks, Stranraer at 9.15am, at Riverside, Newton Stewart at 9.30am or at St Medans beach car park (NX 365 395) at 10am.  If going to the walk start or if a new walker, please contact the walk leader on 01671 403351.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Glenwhan Circular February 2015

Saturday the 7th of February

Previous walks around this area include

June 2009

March 2010

Scoops April 2011

February 2012

August 2014

As usual around this part of Galloway the Farmer is the walk leader.

Shorty's writing the walk report and that will follow the pictures.

Scoop forgot her camera, but managed some good pictures on her smart phone and I'll include a selection of those too.

Twenty six of us began the walk.

The start was at the section of the SUW next to Airyolland Moss.

The sky was clear enough to get a great look at the snow covered Galloway Hills

Vapour trails were plentiful throughout the day

Forestry operations.

The larch disease phytophthora ramorum is still being eradicated by felling.

Herald Scotland

Our leader imparts local knowledge

We encountered snow and ice 

Very slippery in places

I can see lots of anilmals in the ice at the top.

A baby polar bear bottom left and a big dog has certainly been this way

Bottom right above our leader points out the moors of his childhood

The Glen Plantation

A mossy scramble

At Craig Crossing we had to wait for a train....................

......................this one

The gate keeper doesn't get too many visitors on foot

View across the Water of Luce

Drainage pipe under the railway

Leader again imparts his local knowledge..............

................of Craig Farm

Easy underfoot

Crossing the Craig Burn

Lunchtime, snowdrops and lichens

Back on the move

An enigma for Shorty.............conifer cones and no conifer trees ?

To the left of the trees on the left is an area called The Devil's Flesh Barrel !

Bridge on the SUW across the Water of Luce

Railway footbridge at Airyolland

Walker's signpost

Zoomed into Milton of Larg

View north and east from Airyolland Fell

Milton of Larg, Mains of Larg and Arecleoch Wind Farm on the horizon

Solo wind turbine above Low Airyolland

Galdenoch Farm view

To the east, low cloud descending on the Galloway Hills

Highland Cattle

Tarmac back to the walk start

After walk refreshments were enjoyed at the County Golf Club

Back at the Glebe, Snowy stood guard

Here's are the pictures from 

SCOOP's

phone

A lovely day in the countryside

Here's Shorty's report followed by some of his own photographs 

Wigtownshire Ramblers – Saturday 7 February 2015 – Glenwhan Forest Circular

Saturday morning was a bright, clear, chilly winter’s day with barely enough breeze to turn the blades on the wind turbines on the distant hills.  Ideal weather for our planned walk around Glenwhan Forest. Twenty six ramblers assembled at the gateway on the surprisingly busy New Luce to Castle Kennedy road.  After a short address from the walk leader we set of briskly down the rough road towards the start of the forest.  We carried on along the road, treading gingerly on the frozen tracks where the road was shaded by the older trees.  Later, we turned onto the “New Road” (only about 20 years old!).  Our leader regaled us with his memories of the area when it was all open moorland with not a tree in sight.  The second crop is now well grown.

We followed the New Road eastwards over increasing patches of frozen snow until we reached a sharp bend.  Several members commented on the size of the paw prints in the snow.  It must have been a large hound.  At the bend we left the road and followed an old dyke southwards.  The trees on our left were mostly horizontal.  Some had been down long enough for the tip to be swinging upwards and others had produced numerous new stems along their length as they struggled to make the most of the daylight.  Ahead of us Luce Bay sparkled in the winter sun and the rising breeze stirred the standing trees.  At the top of the Airyhemming Glen we found our way blocked by fallen trees but a short detour took us onto the steep bank of the glen and back on to our route.

At the bottom of the wood we reached Craig Crossing over the railway line.  A call to the signalman warned us of an approaching train so we waited until it whistled past heading down the hill towards Stranraer.  We then crossed the line and turned northwards below the embankment.  At Craig farm the track disappeared but our leader assured us that in his youth he had travelled by vehicle up the route towards Airyolland.  Our route ran parallel to the railway and the open fields soon gave way to scrubby woodland.  After crossing the Craig Burn, which fortunately was not running too fast in spite of the melting snow, we climbed back up to the railway line at the site of an old railway cottage, last occupied in the 1960s.  The site of the old road crossing could be discerned by two old gates in the railway fences where the traffic had once crossed.  We stopped here for lunch, perching on various fallen trees and stone walls.  We were interested to observe the number of old bottles which had been tossed over the garden wall.  They ranged from small co-operative milk bottles to varieties of whisky containers and a strange bottle with a narrow spout, possibly an oil container.  Our leader told us of the earlier occupants’ method of obtaining their milk.  They had arranged an aerial ropeway across the valley to the dairy at Galdenoch Farm and milk containers were trundled back and forth across the river, a distance of over 300 metres.

After lunch we continued northwards through the woods. We were intrigued to find an area some 10 metres square covered in spruce cones in the middle over a stand of oak trees.  No satisfactory explanation occurred to us.  Beyond the wood we crossed a field and briefly joined the Southern Upland Way where it crosses the railway on a bridge over a deep cutting.  Continuing northwards and then westwards we skirted a wood and climbed to Airyolland Fell where a small turbine rattled cheerfully in the rising breeze.  There were lovely views eastwards to the snow covered Galloway Hills and the rough moorland to the north.  Westwards the land rolled down towards the woods of Stair Estates and Stranraer.

We descended to the farm road where a group of young highland cattle trundled over to inspect our brightly coloured group.  Following the road we passed Airyolland Loch which lapped over the road.  The loch was largely frozen but two pairs of ducks found enough space to take off quacking into the wind. 

The road soon took us back to the cars after an exhilarating walk in lovely winter weather.  Most of the group then repaired for excellent tea and cakes at the County Golf Clubhouse.

Next week’s walk will be a more strenuous trek around the watershed of the upper Skyre Burn.  Meet at 09:00 at the Breastworks car park in Stranraer or at 09:30 at the Riverside car park in Newton Stewart to share transport.  New walkers are always welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01671 401222 for full details.

Thanks Shorty, lots of good pictures on this post now.