On the way into Monreith I come across a memorial to Gavin Maxwell who wrote an autobiographical book called “A Ring of Bright Water”. It tells of him bringing an otter back from Iraq and taking it for walks along the beach. The story was later made into a successful film.
At Port William I take a breather and of course a coffee and cake. I then walk around the harbour to the seafront where I notice a stone has been laid.
I ate at the Harbour Inn at Garlieston last night and the food and beer was excellent. It seemed quite popular especially as it is close to two camping & caravan sites.
In the Second World war, Garlieston Bay was used to test the first Mulberry Harbours. These were artificial harbours that could be assembled quickly to allow troops and equipment to disembark onto the beaches. The area was ideal due to its remoteness and the rise and fall of the tide.
Newton Stewart is the main Market Town of the area with a variety of shops and businesses. The main street has a few interesting buildings including the Town Hall with its Clock Tower and white painted brickwork.
It’s time for me to leave this pretty little town but I’m afraid my route takes me along the main road for a few miles. Just after Nether Barr I turn off the main road and follow the signs for Carty Port and Moss of Cree. I eventually enter the old county town of Wigtown.
Mossyard sits on the Solway Firth just blow the mouth of the River Cree.
Time to leave Mossyard which also has a very pleasant looking campsite. I make my way up the access road to the main road (A75). The road is quite busy and I pass another Caravan Site with quite a few static caravans and a shop on site.
I make an early start on a nice day from the sandy beach of Brighouse Bay to the old port of Mossyard which was part of the Cardoness Estate. The McConchie family now farm there and hire out holiday lodges.
I follow the track at the end of the car park which eventually becomes a path and climb through some trees to a caravan site. I continue on a track past Southpark Dam to Borness. From here I make my own track across fields, hedges and ditches until I hit the coast at Ringdoo Point.
Kirkcudbright sits on the River Dee with a busy fishing harbour and farming industry. It is also known as an artists town with galleries and a museum and an artistic community. It also has a the MacLellan Castle which was built on the site of Greyfriars monastery. Today it is maintained by Historic Scotland.
I first start off by walking around St Mary’s Isle, a wooded peninsular just to the south of Kirkcudbright. You get wonderful glimpses of the estuary through the trees.
Today I am walking from the small village of Auchencairn with it’s village store, garage, church and pub to the town of Kirkcudbright. Auchencairn in the past has had a history of smuggling in the bay, probably why the pub is called the Smugglers Inn.
I take the road leading from the War Memorial towards Balcary Bay. I pass the lovely Balcary Bay Hotel where there are some stories that smugglers used some caves that were behind the hotel.
Today I take a lovely walk which takes me across cliff tops over smugglers caves and past pretty coastal villages.
Leaving Sandyhills, I walk through a caravan park and follow the cliff tops over the Smugglers cave towards Port O’Warren. The beach here was known to smugglers.
Gutcher’s Isle is interesting, a secret sandy cove accessed from the sea by a very narrow inlet between the rocks.
Dumfries is the county town of Dumfries and Galloway and was named as Queen of the South by a local poet called David Dunbar.
The famous Scottish poet Robbie burns spent the last few years of his life in Dumfries and there is a statue of him in the Main Street. He had spent most of the money he had made from his poetry, so he came to Dumfries to work as an Excise Officer. The house wher he lived is now a museum.
At the end of my walk in Ruthwell yesterday I passed a building that said the TSB Museum. Being intrigued I went to investigate further.
It turns out that a minister, the Rev Henry Duncan started a self help savings scheme for the local community who were not so well off. This scheme was later copied by other towns and villages and later became the Trustee Savings Bank.
Breaking free and paving my own way.
Mad dogs and Englishmen decide to walk the coast of Britain! I don't think I'm a mad dog but many think I'm a mad Englishman!
1 Year - 5000 miles
My challenge to change my life this year...
Coastalwalker.co.uk - walking around the British coastline, very SLOWLY.
Tony's walk around the Coast of Britain 