Wigtownshire Ramblers Stranraer to Castle Kennedy October 2011

Saturday the 15th of October 2011.


Today's walk leader is the 'Weaver', and her report will follow the photographs.
I'm sure her report will be as well written and absorbing as usual,so there'll be little of the account from me.
There's 21 of us today.Not a bad turn out given the weather forecast.

Leaving the car park, it's dull but fair.

Through the 'Gardens of Friendship'.

Through Westwood Avenue, up the 'Approach' by the chicken broiler houses and across Commerce road.

All that's left standing of Culhorn, the temporary home of the Earl of Stair.
In the 1841 census ,Stair (8th Earl) The Right Hon. John, 69, army, Scotland and Lady Stair,55, Scotland were recorded as being at Culhorn House in the Parish of Inch together with 26 staff.

I like this warning notice.

Three deer after they'd moved to a safer distance.

Autumn colours have definitely arrived.

My thanks to Scoop for her pictures used in this post.I've no idea who this is.

Our walk leader distributes the sweeties.

Ruins of the military camp along the Southern Upland Way.

Castle Kennedy village.

Castle Kennedy entrance lodge.

Along to White Loch.

A group picture.Who's that on the left ?

I was quite chuffed to get this picture.

A fully zoomed picture of Lochinch Castle

Into the the grounds of Castle Kennedy and Gardens.

Lunchtime on White Loch.

There's been military exercises on the area the past few weeks. A helicopter circles us.

Around Black Loch with exotic trees and plants.

A view of the old Castle Kennedy.

Bridge over Black Loch.

Is this one or two Weeping Willows.

The other side of Lochinch Castle.

Lodge at Balker Bridge.

A couple of colourful macros.

Out into the country and a small hill climb.

Zoomed into the ferry terminal and a look at the HSS.
It'll be sailing when we get back.

Inchparks to Balyett.

Remnants of the old railway and a birdie playground.

The last leg to Loch Ryan.

Here is the Weavers excellent walk report.

Ramblers’ walk Saturday 15^th October 2011

The ramblers met on Saturday, barely fitting into the marine car park, which was congested with vehicles and caravans from the autumn shows. Nineteen members walked to the ferry terminal, crossing to North West Castle hotel to view the neglected artwork attached to the wall here.

Panels represent the connections between Northern Ireland and Galloway, with people migrating both ways, with names mixing  and origins blurring. Sibyll von Halem created ‘Watermark’ in 1995 as a contribution to the 400 year celebrations commemorating the Burgh of Barony satus of Stranraer.

The Garden of Friendship, into which the route now led, also has a story to tell. First laid out in the 1920s as a quiet attractive entrance to the town, it has always been a community involved garden, from first donations of plants, to the 2001 refurbishment by ‘Friends of the Garden’, guided by the ‘Beechgrove Garden’ celebrities.

Quickly moving through the town the walkers passed the first of the many Stair Estate buildings to be met with this day – the former Offices on London Road, an iron lampholder still arching over its gateway.

Two more members joined the company on Westwood Avenue, bringing the numbers up to 21.

The town was left behind suddenly as the beautiful beech avenue of the ‘Approach’ was followed; the path was strewn with gold, red and russet leaves, the trees showing their glorious autumn colours to perfection. After crossing Commerce road the woods continued to the old Stair house of Culhorn, where the family lived when the old castle at Inch was burnt down in the early 1700s. All is now demolished except for a couple of red brick walls and a great archway.

The Southern Upland Way footpath was soon joined. Culhorn Loch could be glimpsed shining through the trees and the sight of three roe deer cheered the walkers on what was proving to be a dull day weatherwise. The path became muddier. A hedged track between fields led to a lodge house on the old Military road. The railway now determined a slight detour from the original direct avenue of trees that leads to Castle Kennedy, but once under the railway bridge it was rejoined, and the first wartime remnants were seen - overgrown bases of huts and blast shelters that the grounds of the estate abound in.

The A75 was crossed and the beautifully kept main drive to Castle Kennedy Gardens was followed, alongside the White Loch. Loch Inch Castle, the nineteenth century Scottish baronial house was viewed over the water. It replaced the old seventeenth century ruin which could also be seen directly ahead amongst the trees, on the peninsula between the White and Black Lochs.

Although the weather remained dreary, the rain just held off whilst the ramlers had lunch by the canal which joins the two lochs.

The walk now left the Southern Upland Way and contoured around the Black Loch, along a track bordered by exotic trees and rhododendrons, some of which were flowering, deceived by the mild wet weather. After crossing a bridge spanning a narrow part of the loch, another drive was followed giving a good view of the west side of Loch Inch Castle.

The outfall of the loch continues on to enter Loch Ryan near Innermessan but the walkers left the burn and track to climb a grassy hill which gave good views over the surrounding countryside. Another track led to the A751, joining up with a farm road through High Balyett, and crossing the line of the old Cairnryan railway, picked out now only by small embankments and hedge lines. By the gate a lone remnant was found – a single iron rail.

The shores of Loch Ryan were soon reached and whilst some walkers were transported back to Stranraer in waiting cars, others opted to walk along the cockle shore, just arriving back before the rain began and rejoining the company for welcome refreshments at ‘Stir It’ tea rooms.

It had been a varied and most enjoyable walk, a pleasant way to spend a day of dismal weather.

Next week a 9mile exploration around Murray’s monument is planned. Meet at Breastworks Stranraer 9am, Riverside, Newton Stewart, 9.30am and at the walk start, NX 491 720, 10am. If going directly to the start, please phone walk leader, 01671 401222. All are welcome to join the walk.

Afton Water

Thursday the 13th of October saw me heading up to Ayrshire to walk with a fellow rambler.
I'd seen what seemed to be a decent walk to the west of New Cumnock.
A climb up Carsgailoch Hill to a Covenanter's monument and a trig point would have been the target.
However circumstances were against us.
Start point should have been a forest track by Dalgig farm.
Well we got to Dalgig farm,but there's now no forest track there.In fact the whole hill is now surrounded by opencast mines.
After talking to a crane driver we decided to see if there was another way up.We were lucky to get the cars out of the mud.A pick up truck driver associated with the open cast mining suggested we might get up back at the village of Skares, but he was just fobbing us off
Making inquiries from a couple of local men, we realized it was futile and decided to abandon this particular walk.(As my fellow rambler pointed out,the mining contractors will probably have promised to put tracks back in when they're finished.) Open cast mining is extensive in this part of Ayrshire.
In fact there are more open cast sites here than in any other part of the country.
 Scotland's Open Cast Sites

 So it was a case of walking somewhere else.
We headed to somewhere I'd never been before.After turning south in New Cumnock we headed down Glen Afton.

Afton Water

Flow gently, sweet Afton! amang thy green braes, 

Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise; 

My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, 

Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream. 

Thou stockdove whose echo resounds thro' the glen, 

Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den, 

Thou green-crested lapwing thy screaming forbear, 

I charge you, disturb not my slumbering Fair. 

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills, 

Far mark'd with the courses of clear, winding rills; 

There daily I wander as noon rises high, 

My flocks and my Mary's sweet cot in my eye. 

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below, 

Where, wild in the woodlands, the primroses blow; 

There oft, as mild Ev'ning weeps over the lea, 

The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me. 

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides, 

And winds by the cot where my Mary resides; 

How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave, 

As, gathering sweet flowerets, she stems thy clear wave. 

Flow gently, sweet Afton, amang thy green braes, 

Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays; 

My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, 

Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

First stop was to take a look at Burns Cairn.

Overlooking Afton Water this lovely memorial park was erected by the New Cumnock Burns Club in 1973.

An old Scots plough completes the display.

It's a long narrow road  down Glen Afton.The hills rise up on either side.This is the top end of the Carsphairn and Scaur hills.
All the hill tops are shrouded in mist.
Maybe we wont climb any today.

After passing the Afton water treatment works we arrive to find the car park closed.Due to unstable trees it said.I take it they mean the one's still standing.There was parking close by though.

A short walk brought us up to the entrance to Afton reservoir.

Neat and tidy from a distance,the building and surrounds are in a state of neglect.
A pot with a poignant message lies in memory of someone loved.

I've just read of an upgrade to the Afton water treatment works that has brought clearer drinking water to the area.Might I suggest a clean up of this once proud reservoir entrance next.

I just can't understand why service industries have to cut back so much on labour when there is work.
The forestry man I talked to on Wednesday tells the same story. He was once one of a group of thirty three,now he's one of seven.
Surely, instead of paying welfare to the growing unemployment list it would be better have people in work.
The way I see it, it's not job creation but restoring jobs.I'm sure a local 23 year on the dole would sooner be cleaning this lovely place up than hanging around the job centre.Ah well !

The Water of Afton flows through the reservoir.As well as being the natural flow,I'd guess this incline serves as a fish ladder.


How a place like this attracts vandals is beyond me, but it looked like the iron gate had been forced open.

After climbing up the zig zag steps we take a look at the reservoir.The graffiti vandals have managed to get up here.No Banksy here I'm afraid.

This area with the right management could be a great tourist trap.

There's too much mist on the hills above to attempt any climbing so we decide to walk clockwise around the reservoir.

It's a bit soggy ,boggy and a little overgrown in places, but we make our way past Cannock Hill to reach the Montraw Burn.It's eight years since my fellow rambler was up here and the path has deteriorated lots.

There's the remains of a structure or dwelling by this bridge.
Now on a solid track we make our way over flat land to Afton Water prior to entering the reservoir.
Here's where we stop for lunch. A fine drizzle comes down.

Back on the move we're now around the western edge of the reservoir passing the Green and Swinkey burns.
Weird mushrooms and strange and bright mosses are along the track edges.

I try out a macro shot and never even notice the spider spinning his web.

We're soon back at the dam itself.

Here's how the weather's changed since we started.

Now as we walk back alongside the Afton we come to a path we'd noticed on the way in.
It's leading up to an interesting looking crag. We decide it's clear enough so we head up.
(I don't know who persuaded who)
  

She's as fresh as a daisy while I'm out of puff but we get there.There'll be great views on a good day.
While looking for the name of the crag (or craig) I've come upon the following from cumnock.net

The photograph above shows what is known locally as “Castle William”, though little more than a rocky outcrop it is referred to by this name on Ordnance Survey maps and likely is the location mentioned by Blind Harry?……………the outcrop is immediately below the text on the photograph. William Wallace associations are claimed by a myriad of locales, however it could be submitted that Glen Afton near New Cumnock has a strong case to claim a link to Scotlands most famous freedom fighter. Many of the tales of Wallaces exploits can be accredited to Blind Harry or Henry the Minstrel as he was also known. Blind Harry was born in Ayrshire around 1446 and penned The Life of Wallace, a poetry work containing lore of Wallaces exploits. Although said to contain inaccuracies this work is the single most important source of information about Wallace.In this work Harry names Glen Afton as where Wallace had a "Royal Household". He refers to "Black Crag in Cumno", the photograph above is of a "Castle William" as shown on OS map near to Black Craig hill at the head of Glen Afton nr New Cumnock. This is the actual text relating to the year 1297 from Blind Harry`s "Life of Wallace",

"To ye Black Crag in Cumno past agayne, Hys household set with men of mekill mayne, Three monethis thar he duelt in gud rest"

Another reference goes,

"In Cumno syne till hys duellyng went he"

and again probably relating to Wallaces return from France,

"And Wallace past in Cumno with blithe will, At the Black Rock, quhar he was wont to be, Apon that sted a rayal hous held he".

So all that above being right ,we're looking at the same view old Willie Wallace looked at all those years ago.
Imagine !

On the way down,and looking like lost jewelled brooches I spotted water-drops on spiders webs.

I used the flash for this one above.

Although not the walk we'd planned,nor the weather conditions we'd expected this was still a lovely walk and I look forward to my next visit up Afton Glen.

On Geo Trips on Aberystwyth University's website, Chris Wimbush has logged via GPS a walk round the hills around Afton Reservoir.
A Walk of the Hills around Afton Reservoir

Maybe we'll get a chance to follow in his footstep.
What a wonderful place,it's no wonder the bard was impressed.

A Wet Day in the Forest

It's Wednesday the 12th of October 2011 and another miserable wet day.
It's not going to stop me from heading out into the forest though.
I've parked up at the Red Deer Carpark on the Queensway and I'm heading up the forest road opposite.
I've an idea for a climb up Craignelder with the Ramblers next summer.
However today I'll stick to forest tracks because of the miserable weather.

This reflection caught my eye.

There's been a lot of forestry operations up this way so there's lots of timber about.

I'm soon gaining height as I look back at my car.

I'll take a couple of Macro shots as well

Plenty of young trees growing.

There's mini waterfalls every so often.Is that pure Galloway Granite under that waterfall.

Many of the following pictures are of running water.I like the way each one seems completely different to it's predecessor.

Different blends of foam also.

Around this point I stopped to talk to the JCB driver busy keeping the forest road in good shape.I now know how these gullies have been shaped.

Because most of the forest is on hills and we get lots of rain,It's easy to see regular maintenance is essential.

This is the main water course up here.It's the Palfern burn.

Another of the many tributaries of the Palfern.Love the bubbles.

This was the type of view of most of my walk.

A bad attempt of a macro raindrops shot.I'll get it right sometime,I've done it before.

There's still colour in the heather.

All along the roadside were these spiders webs.Now that's better with the water drops !

More bubbles.
The forest track runs out at Craigeazle but there's a lot of quad bike tracks up here.
I'm led to believe that the Forestry Commission are now selling shooting rights for sections of forest,and quad bikes are being used for that purpose up here.On my way home later I noticed two quad bikes making their way up the Queensway.

A lush swampy spot in the shelter of some trees.

The Palfern making it's way downhill.

All throughout my walk I could here a stag calling from the Red Deer Range.
Once back at the car park I decided to take a look.

This lonely young fella was near the viewing hut.

I couldn't help him any.

Most of the others were way up the hill although I could here another stag somewhere around the enclosures. 

I got some video footage.

A wet but quite enjoyable walk today.