Loch Maberry and the Bladnoch

A while back someone suggested i should do a YouTube feature on the River Bladnoch from Loch Maberry to it's outlet at Wigtown Bay.Yesterday i thought i'd make a start by taking a few pictures.

Loch Maberry lies on the Ayrshire,Dumfries and Galloway border.
I began my walk at Barloch Wood heading south on the eastern side of the loch.

Behind me as I set of was a lovely view over to the Galloway Hills with Loch Dornal in the foreground.

Plenty of lovely views of the loch including a fish watching heron.Doesn't sound right that does it.Maybe the fish were watching the heron,but what i meant was the heron was looking for his dinner.

Barloch Wood is coniferous with the occasional deciduous patch.

This ford in the track appears to be the first easily accessible part of the river.

The track now passes Drumshalloch Loch nearly covered in lily pads.

After a short walk from here,the track turns south and rejoins the river.

For the next few hundred yards the river becomes a series of deep and wide pools and a myriad of riverside plants and insects.

I decide to stop for a coffee here.It really is beautiful and although there are lots of midges around they're not bothering me.
There's been no significant rain for a few days.I think staying close to the river could be difficult when wet,but at the moment it's up to taking my weight.
Eventually the river narrows and becomes shallow again and here i start back the way i've come.

This lovely creature allowed me to take a couple of pictures,but didn't like the look of the video camera.He or she could certainly get some height bounding into the trees.This whole walk reminds me of walking in Swan Hills Alberta.The only thing missing is the beaver dams and the moose.
Back at the car,i head back down the B7027 and turn along the unclassified road that is part of the Southern Upland Way.

Here just past Waterside farm at the Tannylaggie Bridge I take a few more pictures of the Bladnoch heading south.
A couple probably about the same age as me are walking the Southern Upland Way.They've got from Castle Kennedy to here and are stopping for the night at Knowe.I hope it stays good weather for the rest of their walk.I might just take up the challenge sometime.

Glenamour Loch and Loch Dee

The last few days i've been drawn to water.
Glenamour Loch is a short walk from the car park,but well worth a visit.

This is a view taken from just above the loch.

Sitting quietly on the edge of the loch i was soon serenaded by wonderful bird song...

...while watching the hundreds of tadpoles swimming around.

The next stretch of water is the lovely Loch Dee.
A little longer walk this time.
Starting from the Craigencallie Outdoor Centre it's a two and a half mile walk to the loch.

A circular stone walled sheep pen on the way.(at least that's what i think it is).

The Black Water of Dee running through the forest.

I wonder what happens at midnight?



At the loch the centrepiece is the small island with two trees on it.

Wearing my 'Chic Murray' hat i even get myself in the picture.
I sat here for a good half an hour watching the sun shimmering of the water.
A relaxing YouTube video is on the way.

Monreith Walk

It's Saturday the 10th of May,and i'm going on a walk today with some Wigtownshire ramblers who for one reason or another haven't booked walks on the Newton Stewart Walking Festival.
I wont be adding much information to this particular blog,as i'll probably be looking more in depth in a future blog of the numerous standing stones and cup and ring marks that are all over this area.

Eleven walkers met up at the Monreith Car Park on Luce Bay.
This will be an easy circular walk taking in the Monreith Estate of the Maxwell family, of whom Gavin Maxwell the author of 'Ring of Bright Water' was a member.

A left turn in Monreith village...

...and we're soon into the beautiful rolling countryside.The Bluebells are in full bloom now.

Over here are the 'Wrens Nest' standing stones.Not visiting today.

This route takes us alongside the wonderfully named hill 'Fell of Barhullion'.That's a future project-I believe i'll get lovely views over Luce Bay from there.

Like most small lochs or Lochans around Wigtownshire,swans are nesting.

This Cabbage White allowed me to get this macro shot.

On the Monreith to Whithorn road we decided to lunch at the Drumtroddan standing stones.A really beautiful spot.

Now more than halfway along our six mile route we're walking through Monreith Estate.
The White Loch of Myrton is on our right side.The one picture i took of it was blurred.
The remains of Myrton Castle were slightly obscured by a washing line.Not suitable for this blog.

There's wild garlic everywhere.

Now it looks like the swamps of the Everglades.

A glimpse of Monreith House.

And now out of the estate and back towards Monreith village.


Sheep and cattle dominate the landscape of agricultural Galloway,and these lovely creatures at Barsalloch seemed happy to pose for pictures.
A very enjoyable walk.

Bargaly

After a couple of days tidying the garden and shaking off the bug that laid me low,I decided to make the best of the weather with a walk today. Bargaly Glen with the Palnure burn running through it is beautiful anytime of year. Today i decided to take a walk through Bargaly Woods,part of the Galloway Forest Park. The wild flowers are out in force,and the blubells put me in mind of the Blubell Polka by Jimmy Shand 'Picking the Bluebells in the Merry Month of May'. I cant think how long it is since i heard it. The track through the woods appears to have been neglected.Fallen trees across it's path are in abundance(Coming back a different route to where i'd parked the car,i did spot a No Admittance notice-so perhaps it's closed and i shouldn't be here) At a junction in the track I decided to climb above the woods towards Craig Heads. Lovely views from here of Cairnsmore.... ....and the local woolly families seemed quite oblivious to my presence.
Reaching the burn above Bargaly Farm i began my descent.
There's been no rain since sunday,so there's not a lot of water about.The sounds of the tumbling water though mingled with bird song is an aural pleasure and i decided this would be a nice spot to open my flask of coffee.

The problem with being in a spot of such tranquility is that it cant be bottled and taken home.Time to move.
On the farm track now to Bargaly farm and approaching the farm there's a bull eying me.I'm quickly through the gate to safety.
Down past the barking collies and to the farmhouse where i get in conversation with the farmer.He's got lots of bulls,takes them all over to the agricultural shows.
I think it's his son who's with him moving a couple of bulls into a field.
Soon time to move again,don't want to hold up the workers.

This handsome pair posed for the camera.

Now i'm walking alongside the Palnure burn and the sun's just gone behind a cloud

I did a youtube video of the Palnure Burn.It was filmed on the first day of November last year when there was a lot more water about.
Our rivers up here in Galloway never disappoint-gently flowing or in torrential spate they've got character.
Now after crossing the Bargaly and Graignine bridges i'm back onto a tarmac road and at the entrance to Bargaly House.For more info have a look at
http://www.bargaly.net/index.htm
For a secluded holiday cottage look no further.
In fact i've just noticed that they've linked their fishing page to my aforementioned Palnure Burn video.Fame at last.

It's possible that these lovely horses also belong to the Bargaly estate.

And now i'm nearing the end of my walk and the thought comes to mind that this pole's been up a long time!?or is that the time it was erected.Ach please yerself at least i've had a nice walk.