A Sad Farewell

It was with a heavy heart that I had to finally give up on my walking shoes last week, I bought these Scarpa shoes in the January sales back in 2011 and so far on all my walks they have been the most comfortable shoes/boots I have worn.  They lasted for a heroic 1600 miles so I mustn't grumble..........Farewell old friends!!!!!!

Walk 146

Stanraer to Ballentrae 20miles

The day was again thankfully dry as I made my way around the southern edge of Loch Ryan, I picked up a cycle route which I was thankful for as this was a very busy road.  The cycle path eventually runs out at Cairnryan at the first of two ferry terminals to Northern Ireland, what amazed me was the heavy police presence in the area I must of seen a least a dozen different police vehicles between the two ferry ports!! then it came to me, the G8 were meeting in NI over the next few days ah ha!!!

Ailsa Craig

Once the cycle path ran out it was head into the traffic with fingers crossed, but fortunately this didn't last long because at Finnarts Bay I'd noticed a track that ran parallel with the road for a a while, and then it seemed to head uphill so I decided to follow this path. This path led me to the find of the week!! the Ayrshire coast path this once again was not marked on my map so I followed the way markers and then two people 1/2 a mile or so in the distance as they seemed to know where they were going!!  The route takes you uphill and down dale eventually arriving in Garlefin just outside tonight's stop of Ballentrae.  This had been a great and varied days walking with the added bonus of finding a "new" coast path.  Also Ailsa Craig came into full view today which is spectacular.

Ballentrae

Walk 145

Portpatrick to Stranraer 20miles

I decided to take the cliff top route as I had been into town last night and I'd seen all there was to see in Portpatrick.

Stanraer Lighhouse

 The day was warm and sunny as I made my way along the Upland Way path, this route along the coast only lasts a couple of miles but is very up and down ending at the Killantringan Lighthouse, which is the best one I have seen in all my walks so far.  Just after the lighthouse there is a lovely beach and I noticed on the map that there was a track at the end that I could get up to the road from, so as the tide was out I decided to go for it! The route up from the beach took me past a large imposing house right through their front garden!! just as I reached the house I bumped into the owner and I thought uh oh this could be bad! So I put on my nicest face and asked kindly if it was OK to walk along this path, the owner was polite and proceeded to tell me that they are in dispute with the local authority about the access issues, I nodded sympathetically and agreed with everything they said and finally I managed to get away. However I walked around to the fence by the road and hey presto there in front of me was a kissing gate with a BIG padlock attached, and next to it was a style!!!! I couldn't quite believe it, that is why people think its a right of way..... because it is you Dipshit!!!

NI in the distance!

The next few miles took me along narrow winding country lanes with very little traffic and eventually I arrived in Kirkcolm on the banks of Loch Ryan. I stopped for lunch at the local pub and got chatting with the owner who was from Lancashire.  Once I'd had lunch I was on my way traversing the left bank of Loch Ryan, the traffic gradually increased until it was dive in the hedge time again!!

Walk 144

East Muntloch to Portpatrick 20miles

Port Logan

I decided the night before that I would have an early start  today so I could try and miss the worst of the rain forecast for the afternoon...... I failed!  Today was all road walking along minor country lanes and this started with a 2 mile walk back the way I came yesterday! This road eventually led me to Port Logan which was closed but I imagined that it would look lovely in the summer.  The road eventually bought me back to Ardwell where I stopped for a packet of crisps at the Chandlers but I only had 43p in change but the crisps were 50p so the lovley lady behind the counter let me off the 7p Scottish people are so nice!!

Portpatrick

The road out of Ardwell is long and winding and at Kirwell Farm you are high enough up to be able to see both sides of the sea which was nice. The rest of walk came and went quickly and wetly, unfourtunatley though due to the weather I had to give the magnificent castle at Portpatrick a miss....maybe next time?

Walk 143

Glenluce to East Muntloch 21miles

A little overcast today which was a relief as it really was too hot to walk in yesterday. I had to walk along the A75 for the first 2.5miles which was horrendous as the road has a lot of blind corners and the lorries were coming at me thick and fast. I did however manage to take a nice picture of the viaduct over the River Luce.

Sandhead

Drummore

Soon I was walking along the more sedate B7084, this takes you past the MOD at Luce bay, I find it very frustrating that you can't walk along the beach.  I soon picked up the A716 which took me to Sandhead and my lunch stop, whilst I was sat having my lunch I noticed a couple and their child flying a kite, and I thought it was nice to see children out and about instead of stuck in the house watching tv.  I was soon on my way taking the Mull of Galloway trail along the beach to Ardwell, this is a new trail that has only being open for a year.  After Ardwell I picked up the A716 again and this took me to Drummore where I stopped for my Tea as the BNB I was stopping in was 3 miles from the nearest restaurant.  Once fed I made my way out of town via the back roads where I managed to get stuck at a Cow Crossing! this is another first for me on my walks. So as I stood waiting for the farmer to herd his cattle across the road a car pulled up beside me and you should of seen the look of indignation on the drivers face, relax I thought this is the countryside things move slower!!!  I arrived at the BNB in good shape and was given the room that overlooks the Mull of Galloway lighthouse which was spectacular!!!

Walk 142

Isle of Withorn to Glenluce 28miles

Isle of Withorn

Luce Bay

St Ninians Cave

Another glorious day with temperatures due to rise to 24 deg and sunny. I started out from the Isle of Whithorn taking the coast path all the way to St Ninians where there is a cave that was used by St Ninian the first missionary saint to arrive in Scotland who set up the first church in nearby Whithorn. Once I had taken the obligatory photos I headed in land to link up with the reasonably busy A747, this took me to Port William and then onto Auchenmalg, the route hugs the coast all the way to Auchenmalg which was nice, and as far as roads are concerned this was very easy on the eye. Just after Auchenmalg I took the even more quiet road to Milton and then onto Glenluce, this route is fantastic as it takes you uphill, which in turn gives you great view across Luce Bay. Unfortunately Luce Bay is owned by the MOD so all I could do was look at this stunning bay :(

Walk 141

Newton Stewart to Isle of Whithorn 24.5miles

It has been 2 months since my last week away and I was itching to get back on the road again. After a long journey from Glasgow via Stranraer I arrived in sunny Newton Stewart, what a difference a place looks when the sun is shining.

Cairnsmore From Newton Stewart

I walked along the busy A746 for a few miles before veering off to the left along the more sedate B7004, this was more like it, a road with very little traffic the river Nith on my left and forest on my right just bliss! The route took me through Wigtown and then onto Garleston, I got chatting to the shop keeper in Garleston and she informed me that I could walk along the coast path for most of the rest of my journey, the path was not marked on my map but I went for it anyway!! It turns out that the path along the coast has only just been opened and it had all the mod cons of a path with kissing gates, bridges and styles. However I did have to proceed with caution as a lot of the fields had cows and calf's, as long as I remembered to not get between the two then I would be safe!!

Dinnans Fort