Where's My Lunch

Another clip from a couple of years ago.
This was a heron looking for and getting a bite to eat.



Filmed on the River Cree at Newton Stewart.

A Guinness and a Fiddle at the Glan Bar

Another previously uploaded video clip from Ireland.

Filmed in Rua's (The Glan Bar)Glangevlin in 2006 this fiddler gives a sterling performance while enjoying a pint of Guinness.

Wigtownshire Ramblers Creetown to Cairnholy November 2010

It's Saturday the 13th of November and todays walk is a linear walk from Creetown to Cairn Holy.It's two years since we last did this walk.
2008 walk

We're a group of 17 today.(I started writing this as a press report out of habit.After writing one sentence it struck me I had no need.I'm having a break from writing reports. Hallelujah !
The route isn't exactly the same as it was two years ago.
We head up past “The Whinnie Face” which I've blogged before. The words on the stones are in the Japanese poetry form known as haiku.
We continue south along the same path I took on Wednesday to climb Larg Hill.

As we take a short break at Ravens Crags,we're treated to great views over the Cree estuary.

Shorty, who's todays walk leader tells me that a light plane in trouble once made a successful emergency landing on the Kirkmabreck Jetty.
We'll walk between the quarries today.Looking at two articles regarding the nuclear bunker above Kirkmabreck quarry,I mistakenly linked them together.This led me to the conclusion that it was being used as a store for the bodies of ET's (Extra Terrestrials)
Perhaps it isn't a mistake! ?

Here's a stitch of a moving group.


Here's one of the many buzzards we saw or heard on todays walk.

Just below Fell quarries a large herd of cattle have to be avoided.There's a lot of mud about today and this is a bad patch.There's evidence of the high rainfall recently in the flooded fields.

Now we reach the ruins of the old Kirkmabreck kirk,where I take an 'over the gate' shot.Now there's a future project !

Some of the headstones date back over 300 years.Though there are a few youngsters in here,they're generally people who've reached a fairly mature age for the period.Some of the verses are quite poignant.

I wonder how the top of this stone came apart.Surely not vandalism here?

N.B. A comment by fellow blogger Ruthie 5preciousthings has shed some light on damaged headstones. Hairline cracks,weather and frost all add to the damage.
Thanks Ruthie.

On the move again and another rather muddy section.This hare scared the life out of me.I'd left the path and nearly stepped on him.

Now we reach the tarmac road near Bagbie sheds.A very old unreadable milestone sits at what once would have been a junction.
We've slowed down somewhat.One of our more active senior walkers(Spike) has picked up an injury.It's probably a pulled muscle,but he'll continue on till something can be arranged for him


We're now heading back towards the coast.It's still a grand day.

Here's a similar view to one I took on Wednesday.We're on a line to Knock Fell,with Wigtown in between.

Reaching Bagbie farm we stop for lunch and arrangements are made for our invalid to be taken to the hospital at Stranraer.


After lunch we continue past Daffin and the Cleuch of Doon.In old Scots,'Cleuch' means a deep, wooded valley or a narrow glen.A perfect description.

Undulating rolling hills take us above Stroans Glen.The lowering sun reflects off Wigtown Bay.

An old loop of iron makes a frame for some photographic jinks.

Now Barholm Castle and the chimneys of Kirkdale House come into view.
As I've mentioned in previous blogs,the Kirkdale estate has long been associated with the Hannay family.Nowadays you can self cater on the estate.See here Kirkdale

As we approach Kirkdale Mains farm,this is the only Belted Galloway we'll see today.

At 220 years old Kirkdale Mains looks in great condition.
Kirkdale House and Mains farm were designed by a fellow Fifer Robert Adam.Admiralty Arch in Whitehall,London is probably his most famous creation.

Next we head to Cairnholy.I've covered this often as well.There's some interesting stuff on the Megalith Portal about Cairnholy

Now we move up to Cairnholy 2.

Two years ago we walked down to Kirkdale Bridge,but today we're going to cross the Kirkdale burn and descend on the Barholm road.
We've an invite from the owners of the Steading, the next time we pass, to take a look at the 'Cup and Ring mark' rock in their garden.


The next two collages are courtesy of Scoop.

Very nice.

After crossing the burn and more muddy places it's all downhill to the bridge and the walk finish.
Back at Creetown we'll finish an excellent walk by having tea,speciality shortbread,cakes and scones.
It's been a good day.

Previously uploaded Ireland video clips

I'm uploading some clips that I'd previously had on Youtube.
Here's three from 2006.

Pictures I took on a trip to the Emerald Isle back in 2006.
The music (If I'm allowed to leave it on) is Galway Bay by the legendary Josef Locke.

(The music on this video clip is to accentuate the accompanying pictures only and you are encouraged to buy the CDs and downloads of the artists you like.
This song is copyrighted by the artist and record company and is here for evaluation purposes only.
No profits are made on this site from it's use. )


Held in the west of County Cavan in the market town of Dowra,the annual bed race for charity.



Another place I stopped on my 2006 visit to Ireland was at the Glencar waterfall near Manorhamilton in County Leitrim.Once again I had the place to myself and all that could be heard was the sound of the water and the accompanying bird song.What a magical place.
I apologise for the amateurish video taking.One of these days I'll get better.

Creetowns Larg Hill October 2010

N.B
Regular readers will recognise the name Slewtrain or Slew as I commonly call him.
Well, Gordon (His real name) has become a blogger.He's new to the game so bear with him.Here's a link to his blog.
Gordon and Anne


It's Wednesday the 10th of November and the forecast is for today to be the only good day this week.
A small hill and good views will suffice,so I'm off to Creetown.
I've parked up at Kirkmabreck church behind a vehicle I recognise.They're recceing Saturdays walk.

There was a fair old frost last night.

I'm soon alongside Castle Cary woods and level with Larg farm (Above picture to the right)

Gaining a bit more height I can zoom in to get a picture of Wigtown.
Creetown is also known as Ferrytown.Less than five miles by boat,but thirteen miles by road.There's no ferry these days.

Another zoom up the estuary sees Newton Stewart.

A bit more height and I'm looking at the traffic along the A75.

Same view from a little higher.

And now it's opened up a little more.The top of Ailsa Craig can just be seen.

Larg Hill's only 276 Metres or 905 feet,but it's great on a sunny day for views.In the above picture with the lowlands of the Machars in the foreground,stands the Isle of Man.

To the north I can see Cairnsmore and the Minigaff Hills.
From the left I can see the two peaks of the bigger Larg Hill,then Lamachan,then a little peek at the snow covered Merrick.Next comes Curleywee and then Millfore,Red Gairy and Drigmorn.

To the south is Cambrett and Cairnharrow.

A zoom shows the snow on the Merrick beyond Curleywee and Lamachan.

I'm on the top and it's time for a cup o' tea while i look at the markings on the stones.
97's obviously recent,but I believe some of the others are fairly old.

I try out my ten second delay...there's no one else up here today.

Panorama of Cairnsmore of Fleet and the Cree Estuary on CleVR.com

I get a 180 degree panorama from the Clints of Dromore round to the Mull of Galloway.


Another zoom to Solway Structural.Apparently they use a lot of Scunthorpe steel.

Here's a similar panorama to one earlier,but i'm a peak to the west with this one.

It's time to descend.
A rabbit,a small bird (My twitcher pal Slew tells me it's a Great Tit) and a crow with a broken wing complete my pictures of the day.
Very enjoyable !

Ray and others perform at Glentrool

There'll be a number of blog readers who'll recognise Ray.He's walked with the Ramblers in the past.
Sounds great Ray,but maybe a bit more practise on the choreography!


This second clip includes short clips from other performers at the concert.
Well done Ray.


Ray's own YouTube Channel is at
Ray YouTube

The first seasonal snow

9th of November 2010
While the highlands are getting it much heavier,we've had a light covering of the white stuff over the Galloway Hills




A covering of snow accentuates and enhances the beauty of Galloway