Wigtownshire Ramblers. Portpatrick circular September 2011

We started out from Portpatrick harbour.

This strange shaped building once housed telephone cables that crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

Dunskey Glen.

Bellcote at Dunsky Home Farm.(See text)

Dunskey Castle. (circa 1510)

Lunch stop in the lee of the castle.

Craigoch Burn making its way to the sea.

Wonderful old railway cutting.

One of the many railway bridges in this area.

Demonstrating the strength of the wind. (I think)

An old radar station known locally as "Hush Hush"

Todays happy walk leader.

Today Saturday 10 September I met up with my mother group namely Wigtownshire ramblers on an 8 mile circular walk of Portpatrick situated on the beautiful Mull of Galloway. First of all this was a wee bit of an experiment for me I decided to try using my trusty bus pass instead of the car. On to the 7.30AM bus from Ayr  to Stranraer I arrived at Port Rodie to be met by a fellow rambler who then took me the final 8 miles by car to the walk start. Portpatrick Harbour was a wee bit wet and windy as 13 walkers set off up the steep steps onto the Southern Upland Way. On reaching Islay Knoll bay we entered into the grounds of Dunskey house to go through a lovely wooded glen. At Dunsky Home farm we admired the building with its Bellcote on the roof. There was the remains of a clock face but the actual bell is still there today.Crossing over the A77 we walked past the caravan site until we reached the remains of Dunskey Castle where our leader informed us has now been bought by a  German gentleman but did not know if he has any plans to renovate it.Lunch was taken in the shelter of the castle looking out on an ever increasing rough sea. The rain had gone off by now but we started to get buffeted by a strong wind which may be the start of the storm the weather man has been predicting to hit us later this weekend. A lovely cliff walk was then undertaken in the full force of the gale which made it a wee bit tough going especially for our older members.We then turned inland through a field of Galloway Belted cows to reach a second world war radar station aptley named locally as Hush Hush. From here we road walked 2 miles back to the start to end a walk of two halves, wet in the morning and dry windy conditions in the afternoon.Thanks to the leader who kept us all going trying to keep up with her and to my fellow ramblers for  another memorable walk in the South Rhinns.Back onto the bus at Stranraer to have a wee snooze on the way home to Ayr.

Superior shot of the bellcote.
I took it off a fellow bloggers site.
www.jimzglebeblog.blogspot.com/