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 Brambles Stranraer to Castle Kennedy January 2015

11th January 2015

Saturday's walk had a new leader due to injury and a new route for safety reasons.

Our new leader was G.I.Joe with Miss Goodnight backing him up.

The walk turned out to be a 'Gallimaufry' of several walks we've completed.

This Castle Kennedy link covers many of them.

I've written the press report for the walk, as usual it'll follow the pictures which will also include a selection of Scoops.

The weather forecast was bad, but the weather was better than most of us expected.

Walk start from Brambles Cafe along Stoneykirk Road

I'm not sure what happened here. On the ground they seem to be walking together, yet above the fields something's not quite right. 

Aha ! Right click, open in new tab and you can see the join.

Power lines included for another blogger of high renown 

A shower of sleet and hail arriving

A muddy field followed by a short climb through Boreland Woods

A bonny sight o' some deer, verra shy cratures

A pair o naw sae shy cratures

Tarmac road to Low Boreland

Ayr to Stranraer train

Path through Long Planting

A Castle Kennedy resident and one of their vehicles

Across Loch of Inch (White Loch) to the old castle

The newer Lochinch Castle

Lunchtime seating

Yew tree, domain of a flitting Goldcrest

Above might well have been a REME building. Barrack room foundations were everywhere along here

An exploration of the old Inch Parish Church ruins

Memorials to the Earls of Stair and their families

John David James Dalrymple is the 14th Earl of Stair (born 4 September 1961) and is a British politician

Some happy explorers

Approach road to Lochinch Castle

The boat house with apparent wind damage close by

Adorable equine

Crossing the A77

The top cat of Limekilns Lodge

Through the Culhorn Estate

The power lines have come out better in sketch form

Back through the woods and all that remains of the old Culhorn House and back to Brambles

Back on a Walk of 2008 the Brambles was called the Galloway Tea Rooms.

Here's a selection from my fellow snapper

SCOOP

......and here's the walk report

Wigtownshire Ramblers Walk Report

Saturday the 10th of January 2015

Despite a forecast of high winds and wintry showers, twenty one ramblers met at the Brambles Cafe car park in Stranraer for the walk. This was an alternative to the programmed coastal walk for safety reasons. 

Well wrapped up against the biting wind, we set off by heading south along the Stoneykirk Road.

After passing multicoloured sheep and some fine horses at Clashmahew, the route took the minor road past Culreoch to join the route of the Southern Upland Way. This was short lived as we took to a muddy field just before Culhorn Mains. The sky was a mixture of sun and dark clouds and we now experienced a short sleety hailstone shower.

After the mud, it was a relief to climb up through Boreland Wood where a short stop got us our breath back.

We were now walking south on a short section of the Mull of Galloway Trail.

To the west a group of five or six deer studied our passing before bounding away out of sight.

At High Barnultoch, more fine horses came up to a gate to be admired.

On reaching the tarmac road we turned east before turning back north along the Low Boreland farm track. Here sweeties were distributed while our walk leader considered where the sounds of shotguns were coming from. With the shooting season well advanced, it seemed there were many shoots this day.

Back on the move, we continued along wet farm tracks before coming back onto tarmac at Gallahill. After passing the newest Culhorn House we rejoined the Southern Upland Way. Another short stretch of tarmac brought us to the woods of Long Planting. This took us past the foundations and ruins of the one time military camp that existed here. A short walk through Castle Kennedy village brought us down to the beautiful Loch of Inch from where we could see over to both the old and new Lochinch castles. A blown down tree provided ample seating for a lunch break. 

Lunch wasn't a long affair. Due to another shower of rain and sleet, we needed to move before the cold could penetrate. As we readied to move it was a joy to watch a tiny Goldcrest flitting about the branches of a yew tree. Now our route took us anti clockwise alongside the White Loch. The mature woods of American Cedars and other large firs led to open parkland and the road to Lochinch Castle.

 A short distance along this road brought us to the ruins of the old parish church of Inch, which was explored. Memorial headstones to various Earls of Stair were predominant.The family name Dalrymple was seen on many of the wall plaques. The church and nearby school were closed in 1861. 

Leaving the road we passed a couple of delightful Shetland ponies before making our way through Hamilton Wood to the busy A75.

After crossing the A75 we passed the Auchrochar Wetlands SSI before retracing part of our route on the Southern Upland Way.

Shortly after turning into the Culhorn Estate at Limekiln Lodge we needed to take a short break to await the conclusion of a shoot taking place. Pleasantries were passed as we encountered the shooting party. 

Soon we reached the ruined shell of the old Culhorn House. Apparently, when Lady Stair moved to Culhorn House in 1792 the garden grew a remarkable range of vegetables, including five types of onion and six varieties of cabbage.

Big Plantation and Witches Howe Woods  brought us to Commerce Road and the pavement back to Brambles and the walk finish.Excellent after walk refreshments were soon being enjoyed at the Brambles Cafe, a fitting end to a good long walk.

The next walk, on Saturday the 17th of January is an 10 or 11 mile circular B- walk in Bargaly Glen. Meet for car sharing at the Riverside, Newton Stewart at 09.30 am. The Breastworks Car Park, Stranraer at 09.00 am, or the walk start at the Fisherman Car Park, Stronord (NX441648) at 10.00 am. New members are always welcome.  If going to the walk start or for more information, contact walk leader on 01671 402733.