A couple of Machars hotspots.

Headed down to the Machars for a little exploration today.


My first stop was here at Druchtag Motte near Mochrum.I've passed it on numerous occasions,but never stopped till now.
See full size to read the information board.

Gazetteer:-A mediaeval earthwork in the Machars district of Dumfries and Galloway, the Druchtag Motte lies just north of Mochrum village. It forms a steep-sided mound and has a summit area 20m (65 feet) in diameter. Druchtag once formed part of the barony of Mochrum of Druchtag held for a time by the McCullochs of Druchtag.
There's a rope provided to get you up all of the 20 feet.
Next a look at these substantial ruins at Auchengallie.I'm not including 'Bully' in that statement though.
Now with walking boots on,I'm heading over the Fell of Carleton as I promised I would,to take a look from above.
I'm soon overlooking Carleton and the coast.On the OS map,there's a Machermore's Mill Stone,though I doubt whether this is it.

Now I'm overlooking Laggan Pond and Laggan Camp.
This is from Scotlands Places dot gov.

(NX 3976 3725) Laggan Camp (NR)
OS 6" map (1957).

Laggan Camp: Fort - This pear-shaped fort occupies a strong position on the summit of a steep-sided hillock, connected to Carleton Fell on the NW. It is defended by double ramparts and a medial ditch, drawn round the flanks of the hill. The ramparts were probably earth- works, now mostly reduced to terraces. The top of the hill has a well-defined margin which might be expected to have carried an inner rampart, though there was no trace of one in 1951. The entrance is on the W, where the terraces are 12' wide, one 8' below the other. At the E end, the ditch is 20' wide, 5' below the crest of the scarp, with the external rampart visible as a mound.
RCAHMS 1912, visited 1911; RCAHMS TS., visited 1951; R W Feachem 1956.

Generally as described. The enclosure area measures 76.0m NE-SW by 57.0m NW-SE. A slight stony scarp is suggestive of an inner rampart around the summit of the hill, whilst on the E is a possible internal quarry ditch. An old field bank crosses the site from N-S otherwise the interior is featureless.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (DWR), 1 February 1973.
There's the thickest drystone wall I've seen going up the hill here.I wonder how many man hours went into the building of it.
The raptor in the middle was circling and I wasn't sure whether it was what I thought it was,but it's call was very distinctive.After looking at this page,Harrier Sounds I can confirm it was a Hen Harrier.
Now I'm heading back along the clifftop.Remember the flotsam and jetsam from the ramblers walk? This would be a great spot to watch for shoreline wildlife.I might do that in warmer weather,there's still a lot of features along this coast to explore.
The clouds and damp weather are moving in as I get back to my car at Craiglemine.Doesn't seem to bother this fella though.
More to come from this stretch of coastline.I'll be looking for a way over the clifftops to St Ninians Cave.

Knocktim and Blairs Hill

Monday the 15th of March 2010.
Took myself over to Palnure and Cuil to recce future routes for the ramblers.
I parked at the Cairnsmore Hill climb car park,and made my way up through the estate.
The snowdrops are having a great season.
I wonder how old this beech was ? For perspective,I should have set up my ten second timer,and got myself next to it.It had a diameter of at least four feet.
After following a path through the estate,I joined the track leading up to Knocktim.The Graddoch Burn's cut a deep furrow on it's descent from Cairnsmore.The hump on the right is the 'Door of Cairnsmore'.

Reaching Knocktim,the weather began to change and i made the decision to head back.Following a long drystane dyke over Clanery Hill,I reached Blairs Hill,with views over the Cree valley...

Panorama of Cree Valley from Cuil on CleVR.com

...from where I took this panorama.
A zoom in to try and capture Newton Stewart.Palnure in the foreground.(I think I'll have to save up for a zoom lens)
Back to Cuil to finish a pleasant walk.
There's a way back from Creetown behind Blairs Hill.I'll bear it in mind for the autumn and winter programme.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Palnure to Creetown March 2010

It's Saturday the 13th of March 2010,and todays walk is one we've done before.
December 2008 Walk
I was to be deputy walk leader on todays walk,but circumstances have meant I've had to take over as leader.
The press report will now cover as a blog post.I'll also include some pictures from Wednesdays recce.

A clear morning,with a forecast of scattered showers saw thirteen ramblers gather at the Cairnsmore Hill carpark for the walk to Creetown.

As well as snowdrops,white flowers spotted by the garden of the lodge house were later identified as Leucojum vernum,also known as the Spring Snowflake.They were also spotted later in gardens in Creetown.

They began the walk by heading south from Graddoch Bridge at Cuil along the route of the old railway line,which is now part of the National Cycle Route 7.This took them through Cuil and Blairs wood.

Along this two mile stretch of tarmac,they passed one of the one thousand Royal Bank of Scotlands mileposts that were erected to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network.


A sign that spring was on the way was the discovery of frog spawn in a small pool alongside the track.

Once the group were through the trees,views of Wigtown Bay and the tidal Cree were enjoyed.The flocks of geese spotted on the Wednesday recce,were conspicuous by their absence.

Heading through Blairs,the group were treated to a few new born lambs making an appearance.


Reaching Spittal,they now walked along the road towards Creetown.They followed this for a few hundred yards to Lennies,before taking the public footpath down through Barholm Mains.

The last time the ramblers did this walk,there were three water buffalo in an enclosure just below the road.It was generally assumed they were probably being wintered under shelter.


A line of sheep walking single file,and three endearing ponies put smiles on the groups faces.


I got a full width picture of this impressive building the last time we were here.

I think the dogs were about then too.

Reaching the woods beyond Barholm Mains the snowdrops were a carpet of white.They continued through the woods passing close to the sound of the traffic on the A75 before reaching Barholm Bridge into Creetown.


Emerging daffodils and crocuses were spotted in a number of gardens.What a bonnie flower the Spring Snowflake is.

Turning left into Bridge street they now made their way through the Old Bridge to the Hollow and the Moneypool Burn.


Now they followed a path alongside the burn up to where it is joined by the Kilwhirn Burn,before turning back on itself and emerging by the school on Chain Road.


An interesting structure of plastic bottles in the school grounds.
A short walk now took them to the Gem Rock Museum and it's cafe where lunch was taken.
I had the mushroom and garlic soup.Very tasty.


After lunch they returned to the walk start via the same route.

I think i mentioned the last time that this was a bit of a stroll.Very enjoyable though.

Reworked Video Clips

Three video clips I'd previously uploaded.


A reworking of a video previously uploaded in 2008.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Portpatrick (Gd: Port Phàdraig) is a village hanging on to the extreme south-westerly tip of mainland Scotland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs.
Dating back historically some 500 years, and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, its position on the Rhins of Galloway affords visitors views of the Northern Irish coast to the west, with clifftop walks and beaches both north and south. The Gulf Stream, flowing in from the north, gives the coastline a pleasant climate, in which subtropical plantlife can flourish.
Industrially, the village was founded on fishing origins, with construction of the crescent shaped harbour that remains the focal point of the village today.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Portpatrick was important as a ferry port for passengers, postal mail and freight between Ireland and Scotland. During this period (1759-1826) Portpatrick was described as the Gretna Green for Ireland. There was a daily packet boat from Donaghadee, and marriages for couples from Ireland were conducted by the Church of Scotland minister in Portpatrick, although according to Brack (1997) he often overlooked the rules about the publication of banns or the required period of residence.
However, in the late 19th century, when shipping became a considerably larger feature of industry, the village's vulnerability to strong westerly winds made it unviable for larger ships, and thus most of the profitable trading routes were diverted to nearby Stranraer, despite the longer voyage out of the northerly-facing Loch Ryan.
To the extreme north on the clifftop where the village's 100 year old Portpatrick Hotel stands, begins the scenic Southern Upland Way to Cockburnspath on the east coast.

A look at one or two of the ferries (Including the Stena Navigator) operated by P & O and Stena Line, operating out of Loch Ryan in South West Scotland.
Thanks to Mobygratis for the accompanying music 18 and Aerial from the albums 18 and Hotel-Ambient.


Baling and cutting of silage in South West Scotland.

Black Craig of Dee and Benniguinea

N.B This post will be light on description since it's late.

Tuesday the 9th of March,and since we're doing quite a bit of climbing with the ramblers this summer,I need to get in trim.
Opening the map randomly, Cairnsmore of Dee(also known as Black Craig of Dee) and Benniguinea were the first hills I saw.
I've climbed up here with the Wigtownshire Ramblers,but I seem to have mislaid the post.(I've found it now,it was back in August 2008 and it's here Previous Walk
I'm doing it in reverse today.The last picture will be a map of my route
Parked at Raiders Road car park Clatteringshaws end.Forest road to 'The Labyrinth'
Part of Art in the Forest,it must have running water in the summer season.
Laggan O'Dee farm.
Still plenty of frost about.
Over the Laggan Burn.
As I gain height I take a picture of Benniguinea.
North of the 'Rig of Craig Gilbert' a couple of stone piles at the bottom right of this picture.
First glimpse of Clatteringshaws.

Ascending from this side there's lots of rocky outcrops.
The summit of Black Craig of Dee.
A couple of self indulgent ten second delay pictures.I took some video that I may upload some time.
Views over to Dalry,New Galloway and Balmaclellann.
A very frozen Lochan.
Clatteringshaws again,beyond Benniguinea.
A lorry with a topped up trailer heads along the Queensway.
Snow topped Galloway Hills.

The mast on Benniguinea.
There's no recognised path,but the drystane dyke goes all the way back to the Raiders Road.I'll chance it.
Reaching Clatteringshaws Fell,my two hills are behind me.Animal tracks have helped a little,but much of the way from Benniguinea has been boggy and tussocky.Heavy going.
Lovely views over Clatteringshaws...
...and this is the way I went.
Not too taxing a day.