2024 May 16th - Screel and Bengairn - hills or mountains

 Thursday16th May

As planned we headed out to walk up the two hills close to Auchencairn - Screel (344 m/ 1126ft) and Bengairn (391m/ 1283 ft)

A grand day for walking, though the views across the Solway were still fairly hazy.

We soon met a diversion which we clever-arsedly ignored,

only to find the way seriously blocked by fallen/ felled trees. We had to retrace our steps and lose a serious amount of height, then continue on the longer gentler uphill path. The top section of Screel Hill is quite steep and rocky.

Up at the top was a woman with a dog. 

After a short boggy and rocky trek over to the second summit, we had our coffee and half a large scone from Auchencairn’s shop. 

Fabulous views over the Solway, with the wind farm visible and the Cumbrian coast coming in and out of the haze. Plus a few scattered spots of rain.

We chatted to a couple from Staffordshire and warned them that the direct route down was not a good idea!

From now on we saw no one for the rest of the walk… until very close to the end.

We tried to follow instructions from a guide, but missed a turn. luckily we had maps and the OS app.

Over the next long mile or so there was no sign of a path as we followed a drystone  dyke, through rough bog. One of the hardest walks we’ve done in a while. But ‘t would have been as hard to go back as onwards at this stage. Eventually we crossed the wall twice and headed, still through some boggy patches for the highest point of Bengairn - not so bad once the cairn was in sight.

Once again we were rewarded with wide views in the always changing light.

We lunched at the cairn, then made our way down - still tricky, as there is no clear path, but heading towards the track we could see below, and negotiating the steep slopes.

As the guide said, we crossed a footbridge, went through a kissing gate, and along the track ( full of flowering broom) for a good mile or more, through a field of cows, which ran away from us, and back to the car.

One of the toughest walks we’ve done for some time. Just over 8 miles, and around 1,500 feet of climbing.

In the evening we walked the mile and bit down to the shore near the cottage, where Harry spotted another red squirrel.

2024 - May 15th Balcarry and Rascarrel Bay

Wednesday 15th May

Glorious sun early on. 

Breakfast outside, then off to Auchencairns. We chatted to a local resident we met while walking around, and he made the comment “You’re younger and fitter than me!” as we overtookhim on the hill. Then we met him again on his way back home with his newspaper - I said it was a while since anyone called us ‘young’!

He replied, “Everyone’s young compared to me”

We chatted a while and he told us that he and his wife settled in the village after he had a long career in the navy. He told us the village had tried to buy the pub when it closed, but didn’t manage to. He recommended the village community shop, then he was away, as his wife would be wondering where he’d got to.

The shop is excellent, and remarkably well stocked. We had a good coffee there, and bought pizza, bread and various items.

The drive out to Balcary was along the usual narrow road, and we parked easily opposite the hotel, an attractive white building with blue paintwork, which we could see as we walked along the shore for a short distance before taking the path to the point, then along the cliffs to Roscarrel.

There are spectacular cliffs and rocks here, and once again a profusion of flowers - thrift, birds foot trefoil, gorse and others.

We passed a group of bird watchers who’d seen a puffin, guillemots and fulmars. We saw a stonechat sitting on top of a post.

The views across the Solway Firth were still hazy today.

At Roscarrel Bay we turned up towards Loch Mackie, where we saw geese and heard a cuckoo. The path led back to Balcary, and we decided to have a coffee in the hotel - very good coffee, and a magnificent view over the bay from the window.

All silver in the pale light, with mountains receding behind.

Just under 4 miles and about 360 feet of ups and downs.

Back to Auchencairns, to buy milk and teabags, then to the cottage for pizza and a drink, and watching swallows and martins again.

And when we were drinking tea - a red squirrel!! First in the wild on these shores

2024 May 13th and 18th Kirkcudbright

 2024 - 13th May

Later on we headed to Kirkcudbright to get some basic supplies of food. 

It’s a lovely town, coastal, with plenty of boats, a large bridge, where we saw yet another tractor and trailer, wide streets, pastel coloured houses, and a pleasant coffee shop for lunch - the Solway Tide.  

The tables in its yard are set out with large potted .shrubs between, the coffee is excellent and the sandwiches are also very good.

We saw swifts flying around near the town and river.

On May 17th we  ate at the Selkirk Arms. Excellent haddock and chips and superb service too.

Then a brief, slow stroll through the town, to the river, where we sat for ages. Back in the centre we watched swifts and martins.

2024 May 13th - into Dundrennan

 Monday 13th May 2024

Hung around until coffee time, and at 11.30 we took a walk into Dundrennan. We took the track from Cutlar’s Lodge,

and then the small road past Rerrick, and made a short detour into the cemetery. The  gravestones give family stories in much greater detail than we normally find in England - something we noticed at Portpatrick a couple of years ago. 

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/dundrennan-plane-crash-1944-memorial-to-the-members-of-the-hamilton-familywho-died-on-18th-july-1944.33150/

The whole story, as told by the sole survivor in 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8156122.stm

Our route included a section of the walk round the original route of the abbey walls, passing the old mill, crossing the river twice, and with views of the abbey. (almost 5 miles).

Dundrennan is a village of no shops and no pubs, but a lovely walk, alongside flower filled road verges.

Back to base - the only traffic on these minor roads appears to be tractors and trailers and the occasional enormous cattle truck.

2024 May 12th - A day to relax

 Sunday 12th May - Orroland

A recovery day from aurora watch on Friday and drive on Saturday.

Sitting around, drawing, and Harry cooked. 

Late-ish afternoon stroll down to the rocky shore to listen to the sea, and sit.

Warm and misty glimpses of Isle of Whithorn area, and the large mid Solway wind farm.

Through steeply sloping woods with bluebells, campion and wild garlic.

Around the Machars - Wigtown

 Friday 13th May 2022

First of all a stroll around the centre of “Scotland’s Book Town”, with a coffee and scone in The Reading Glasses a bookshop and cafe.

Then we walked down to the tiny basic harbour area, past the old prison house…

to the harbour

along to the bird hide, and by the marshes to the monument to the Wigtown Martyrs.

Back to the town past the church

About three and a half miles of wandering around.