Wigtownshire ramblers. Grey Hill circular by Girvan. November 2015

Todays starting point

Making our way up Byne Hill

Looking down on Girvan

Snow covered Rhinns of Kells in the distance

Arran peaks with snow on the summits

A well wrappped up rambler

A wee break on some unusual seating

Met a friendly farmer

who entertained us with

a display of one man and his dog.

Todays group at the summit of Grey Hill

this group always finishes with tea and scones.

G I Joe was our leader

Yesterday Saturday November 21 I met up with Wigtownshire rambler for a 7 mile circular walk up Grey Hill just south of Girvan. 19 of us left the car park at Woodlands Hotel to start with a climb up the side of Byne Hill before making our way over the moorland with its wonderful views of the Firth of Clyde on this clear cold morning.Upon reaching the summit of Grey Hill the leader pointed out a lot of the distant hills which were all covered in this winters first fall of snow. Our descent took us over an area controlled by the RSPB with lots of different wild birds flying highup in the sky including a gaggle of geese. A busy farmer came along on his quad bike with the usual dog sitting on the rear to bid us good morning and hoped we would all  have an enjoyable walk when he then rounded up his sheep and herded them into a pen ably assisted by his trusted dog. One man and his dog was an excellent description and he was thanked by all of us for putting on a display of his  shepherding skills. After our lunch break we took a path down to the main road and back to the hotel for some wonderful freshly made home made scones washed down with lots of tea and coffee. Another great day out with my old group it is always nice to see you all and catch up on all the local gossip. Hope to see you all again soon on another walk next time you venture up to South Ayrshire.
Thanks also to Scoop for her contribution to some of the above photos. 

Wigtownshire ramblers day out to the island of Arran. September 2015.

On the ferry

Looking down of Coire Fhionn Lochan

She always does this at the trig point

"A" walkers including me.

Some well earned fish and chips.

C group walk looking over the the Holy Isle

C group walkers

Yesterday Saturday September 26th I the deerstalker and I were extremely honoured to be asked to lead two walks on the island of Arran for the Wigtownshire ramblers. It was a cloudy morning when 18 of arrived in Brodick after our sail over for Ardrossan on the cal mac ferry. 8 of us were going on the "A" walk led by myself whilst the rest went with the deerstalker for a more leisurely low level walk. My group caught the bus to Thundergay on the West coast of the island. After we had journeyed past Lochranza the bus stopped on the crest of a hill to allow passengers a birds eye view of a basking shark displaying its swimming skills right in front of us. It was without doubt the best sighting of the worlds second largest fish we were ever liable to see and made a wonderful start to our day out.Arriving at Thunderguy we started out up the hills to our first stop at Coire Fhionn Lochan a small stretch of water at the base of a ridge we were about to climb. First benn on this walk is Meal Biorach (551M) and then onto Meal Donn(610M). At this point the mist was swirling about us giving only the occasional blink of sunshine but no worries our resident meteorologist assured the group that it would be full sunshine by 1.00PM . (it was now 1.30PM) Pressing on to our next summit of  Beinn Bhreac(711M) the mist started to lift giving us all some magnificent views of the Arran mountains. After a steep descent it was good climb up to Mullach Buidhe(721M) before the short challenging rocky ascent onto our final summit of Beinn Bharrain (717M). After a another short break we started the extremely difficult descent down to the village of Pirnmill where we caught the bus back to the ferry.

The other group did a very interesting walk from Brodick over the Clauchlands hills towards Lamlash where you get some of the best views over to the Holy Isle. In the afternoon and the welcome sunshine had arrived they walked along forestry tracks back to Brodick for some well earned refreshments.

My thanks to the deerstalker for all her help in reccies and planning for yesterdays extremely successful day out without her assistance it would not have been possible to do an "A" and "C" walk on the same day. Thanks pal.

Wigtownshire ramblers. Smyrton to Finnarts Bay on Clyde Coastal path. May 2015

We took the bus to the start.

Going past Glenapp Castle.

We admired the flower pot men.

A break high above the Clyde.

Ailsa Craig.

This took walking the plank to a new meaning!

The age of chivalry is not dead.

We stopped in this lovely bay for lunch.

"G.I." Joe was our leader today.

Yesterday with the deerstalker and a fellow rambler from Kilmarnock we journeyed to Finnarts Bay just north of Cairnryan to meet with Wigtownshire ramblers to do a 10 mile walk from the small  hamlet of Smyrton onto the Clyde Coastal path back to the start. As there were two walks on, the large group of 33 split into two groups one to climb Penderry  to Carlock Hill. As I have been a wee bit off colour recently I opted for the low level supposedly easier walk. 16 of us caught the bus to Smyrton and started off walking down through the lovely Glenapp Castle estate with all its different trees including the giant sequoia which we stopped to admire.From here we ventured out of the shelter of the estate onto the cliffs high above the sea where the wind was picking up with the threat of rain coming in from the south west. A blustery walk was undertaken on good dry ground until we reached Currarie Bay where we had our lunch break watching the ever closing in rain clouds approaching. The afternoon part of the walk was wet and very windy making for arduous conditions until we reached the lower slopes of Glen App which gave us shelter from the weather. Once back at the start the first group headed off to Cairnryan for home made scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream washed down with several cups of freshly brewed tea and coffee.Thanks to G I Joe for his leadership today, he told us it was an easy walk but he had not taken in to account the difficult windy conditions we experienced on the moors high above Glen App.Well lead under the circumstances.

Wigtownshire ramblers. Cairnryan hills and tracks . May 2014

Leaders briefing at the start

Beginning to climb out of Cairnryan

A breather at the top

Lake Superior (Yes this is in Scotland)

Now there is a happy chap!

Dis used quarry above the port.

Helping hands at the stane dykes

Steep descent and a rather wobbly bridge

Our large group

plus leader.

Today Saturday May 17th I travelled by bus to Cairnryan near Stranraer to meet with my mother group for a 10 mile walk into the hills above the town. 22 of us met of a dry cloudy morning with a forecast of rain later we set off up our first hill to take us to Brockloch Fell forest with its tracks through the woods to  Lake Superior,I had always thought until today we only had one lake in Scotland but if you check the map I was proved wrong (yet again). After a lunch stop our next climb was up Cairn Hill (199M) complete with trig point and wonderful views of Loch Ryan. Passing Meikle Laight reservoir the group then made their way down back to the start completely dry as the forecasted rain did not appear. Thanks to the leader for an excellent walk and for pointing out all the various landmarks visible from these range of hills.
 Again a wee reminder that a full professional blog of today will appear on the Newton Stewart bloggers  page sometime tomorrow Sunday 18th.

Wigtownshire Ramblers – Saturday 17 May 2014 – Cairnryan and Lake Superior

After the exertions of last week’s Newton Stewart Walking Festival twenty one Ramblers assembled at The Merchant House on the main road in Cairnryan.  The weather had been wet and a thin drizzle persisted as we set off through the village and turned up towards the quarry.  Another walker joined us as we puffed up the hill.  Once the quarry was reached the slope levelled off a little and we continued up the road towards the forest.  Here the gate was locked with an impressive chain so we clambered over the barrier and followed the forest road through the woods.  

The rain had now stopped and the skies to the west looked distinctly brighter and blackbirds were singing noisily in the surrounding conifers.  A little further along the road a greylag goose was seen lurking in the mossy ground at the edge of the trees.  She eyed us warily as we tiptoed past but made no move to leave the nest.

After climbing the next rise we came upon Lake Superior, one of the few Lakes in Scotland.  There was considerable speculation as to the derivation of the name.  The lake was apparently created on the upper reaches of the Fellsavery Burn some time in the early 1900s.  The name may have been given by a humorous landowner returning from travels to the Americas.  As we passed another greylag goose lumbered skywards from the water and numerous ducks headed for the far shores.

The loop of road was then closed and we made our way back to the gate where we had lunch in the watery sunshine, using the dyke as shelter from the brisk breeze.  After lunch we passed the ruins of High Croach accompanied by a posse of young lambs.  We then climbed above the quarry and crossed the fields to the trig point on the summit of Cairn Hill.  The views over Loch Ryan with the hustle and bustle of the ferry ports contrasted with the mournful cries of the whaups on the moors behind us.

The route next took us down across the wetter moorland towards the small reservoir at the head of the Glen Burn.  In spite of the recent damp weather the water was only trickling over the lip of the dam in a pair of narrow streams.  We made our way gingerly down the steep bank to a wobbly bridge over the burn below the dam.  This was followed by a steep climb back up to the road serving Meikle Laight.  We turned down the road through the glen.  Along the way we passed numerous rhododendrons flowering magnificently in a variety of colours.

At the bottom of the glen we turned towards Lochryan House and then followed the track back up above the gardens.  The foundations of numerous nissen huts flanked the track with the remnants of a few brick chimneys marking the site of an army camp left over from the last war.  The track descended into the village where we visited the Merchant House for excellent tea, coffee and cakes.

Next week’s event will be a strenuous walk over Kirriereoch and the Merrick on Sunday 25th May. The walk will start from the Kirriereoch car park at 10:00.  Meet at the Breastworks Car Park in Stranraer at 09:00 or the Riverside Car Park in Newton Stewart at 09:30 to share transport.  New members are always welcome but please contact the walk leader on 01776 870231 for full details.

Recce for ADRC Muirkirk circular November 2013

Not all of them look happy!!

Yesterday Tuesday November 26 I did a recce at Muirkirk for Ayr and District group with two other members from
Wigtownshire and three members of the
Cunninghame group,we decided this was an excellent example of cross co-ordination between the local groups.It was a damp drizzly morning as we left the village behind and headed out onto the moorland but thankfully it did clear for a while to allow us to complete the walk and catch the bus back to Ayr. A full post will appear on Sunday 8 December when I lead the walk for ADRC when hopefully we get a dry day.Thanks to my walking partners for their assistance in reccing this 9 mile circular walk.