Wigtownshire Ramblers 4 June 2011
Grobdale of Girthon
The day was overcast but not cold on Saturday, when
eighteen members of the local ramblers’ association (Cath,
Frances, Richard, Andrea, Jim, Mary, Paul, Ken, Debbie, Douglas, Christine,
Susan, Irene, Duncan, Carl, Peter Reid, Lily and one other?) met at the entrance to the forest road near
Grobdale, Gatehouse of Fleet.
This week’s walk took the wide and well
made road uphill through mature trees until the view to t
he
west opened out to show the Big Water of Fleet valley with Rusko castle
standing proud in the centre. It was interesting to see
the hills of recent walks – Ben John, Kenlum, Cairnharrow – from this vantage
point.
As the high point of the road was
passed, the quarry that is providing rock to resurface forest roads around the
Big Water of Fleet viaduct, showed the ingenious technology of modern machinery
with crushed rocks piled separately in their different grades.
As
the Rig of Burnfoot was rounded, views to the north came in sight, showing all
three of the Cairnsmores – Fleet, Dee and Carsphairn – as well as a myriad of
other hills. The walk at last came to the end of its hard surface by the
demolished Little Water of Fleet viaduct. The embankment which led to the nine
arched rail viaduct is still in place and was explored by some members, whilst
others took a welcome rest.
Now an overgrown path along the
abandoned railway was taken. The skilfully built bridges and blasted cuttings
showed the enormous undertaking of the railway navvies. The railway was opened
in 1861 and eventually closed in 1965 with the Beeching cuts.
Before
long Loch Skerrow was reached, a lonely spot which had been a railway halt with
a passing loop, which enabled trains on the line between Big Water of Fleet
viaduct and Castle Douglas to pass each other.
Lunch
was enjoyed at the side of the loch and the remaining ruins of the halt were
explored. As with the Little Water of Fleet viaduct, army vandals blew up the buildings
as an exercise. Platforms remain, as does a pile of bricks where the water
tower had been positioned, as well as some walls of the railway houses. The
water intake from the river, for replenishing the steam trains before their
uphill journey to Creetown, had been found by a member to be almost intact,
with sieves in place to remove debris, but no lid. It was examined before
moving on.
The halt was used by fishermen and railway workers
and could only be reached from the Gatehouse road by a track, which has now all
but disappeared, alongside Grobdale Lane, skirting Laughengie Hill. This faint
track was now followed back to the cars.
The
mossy land is an SSSI with an abundance of ancient remains scattered over the
long and boggy route. There are hut circles, burnt mounds and an old farmstead
with field systems, sheiling huts and a corn kiln on the hill.
The
winding burn of Grobdale Lane separates the two parishes of Girthon and
Balmaghie. It narrows as the farm of Grobdale of Girthon nears and the ground
is difficult to cross away from the track - tussocks, dead grass, deep peat
hags, and drainage ditches create an obstacle course.
There
was very little wild life to be seen although a deer ran across the hill and
lizards quickly disappeared beneath tussocks by the path. The flowers were
generally tiny tormentils, speedwells and lousewort, with areas of late bluebells marking drier patches on the hillside and ladies smock and bog cotton in the wetter parts.
At
last the bye fields of the farm were reached with well tended dry fields a
welcome change from soft squelchy surfaces. The farm itself has been recently
beautifully renovated and has a colourful well stocked garden and tidy
outbuildings, quite a contrast to its desolate position.
The
lady of the house (Gwen) said she had wanted to join a walking group for ages
and we advised her to look at our website and told her she was very welcome join
us.
Lovely red Luing cattle and Blackface
sheep and lambs accompanied the walkers back to the road and the waiting cars.
It had been a long but quite easy and most interesting ramble.
Cath, Frances, Richard, Andrea, Jim,
Mary, Ken, Debbie, Susan, Irene, Duncan, Carl, and Lily drove into Gatehouse
and went for drinks and cakes at Gatehouse Mill tea room – the scone was lovely
despite obviously having been taken out of the freezer and heated – in the oven
so that was OK. We all crowded around a
wooden circular table meant for 7/8 with the help of 3 chairs and we had a
wonderful time eating, drinking, chatting and laughing.
