DAY 126
MONDAY 9 OCTOBER, 2017
GARLIESTON TO WIGTOWN
11 MILES 6 HOURS
MORRIS, BILL, PHIL AND JOHN
DISTANCE WALKED SO FAR 1628 MILES
Three days walking were planned for this trip, starting at Garlieston where we finished on Day 118. Unfortunately due to family illness we had to return home a day early. We set off at 6 a.m. for the drive to Wigtown where we left the car, bought some food and caught the local 415 bus to Garlieston.
It was a nice dry sunny morning when we set off walking on the minor sea front road northwards out of Garlieston. The tide was out and on leaving the town we made our way onto the beach and walked across Garlieston Bay. Entering the woods we picked up a path which we followed round Eggerness Point. At this point the path moved inland and we decided to stay close to the sea edge although there was no obvious track to follow. Near Port Whapple we again picked up a well walked, signposted path, which we followed through the woods close to the sea to Innerwell Port. Here the path ended and we edge fields, some with a fully grown maize crop, passed Orchardton Farm. This part proved quite challenging with several wide, deep burns and patches of nettle and bramble bushes to cross. On passing east of South Balfern the walking became much easier and we were able to follow several farm tracks onto a minor road at Crook of Baldoon. A core path signpost at Crook of Baldoon confirmed our map interpretation that there was no way of crossing the river by continuing ahead and we took the minor road inland passed Mains of Baldoon. On reaching the minor road to Baldoon Mains Farm we made our way up onto the disused railway line shown on the map which we were able to follow for half a mile before walking at the edge of some woods passed the farm where we rejoined the minor road and walked on to the bridge at Bladnoch. After crossing the river Bladnoch we walked a short distance on the road before entering a field and following the river along to the embankment where the now dismantled railway bridge used to be. We were able to walk on the disused railway line into Wigtown the end of the days walk.
Summary; Another enjoyable walk in nice weather. In general underfoot conditions were good. One or two uncomfortable parts at the edge of fields and through brambles. Basically flat walking most of the way.
Highs; The three mile woodland walk from Garlieston was a pleasant change to most of our recent walks.
Lows; None.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
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- GARLIESTON
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- GARLIESTON BAY
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- THE ROAD ALONG THE SEA FRONT AT GARLIESTON
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- THE SANDS AT GARLIESTON BAY
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- MAKING OUR WAY ACROSS GARLIESTON BAY
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- PATH IN WOODS TOWARDS EGGERNESS POINT
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- VIEW BACK TO GARLIESTON FROM NEAR EGGERNESS POINT
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- EGGERNESS POINT
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- FINDING OUR OWN WAY AFTER EGGERNESS POINT
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- WALLS OF THE FORT IN THE WOODS NEAR EGGERNESS
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- THE PATH THROUGH THE WOODS NEAR PORT MCGEAN
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- BAY NEAR JULTOCK POINT
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- HOW DID A TEA POT LID GET HERE?
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- PATH THROUGH THE WOODS WAS WELL SIGNPOSTED
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- THE BAY AT INNERWELL
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- SIGNPOST AT INNERWELL
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- MAKING OUR WAY AT EDGE OF MAIZE FIELD
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- QUITE ROUGH GOING NEAR ORCHARDTON FARM
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- LOOKING BACK FROM NEAR SOUTH BALFERN
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- ON FARM TRACK TOWARDS CROOK OF BALDOON
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- HAD OUR TEA BREAK READY TO GO AGAIN NEAR CROOK OF BALDOON
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- SIGNPOST AT CROOK OF BALDOON
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- THE DISUSED RAILWAY LINE NEAR BALDOON MAINS FARM
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- CROSSING THE BLADNOCH BRIDGE
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- LOOKING ALONG THE RIVER BLADNOCH TO WHERE THE RAILWAY USED TO CROSS
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- LOOKING BACK TO BLADNOCH BRIDGE
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- THE DISUSED RAILWAY LINE PATH INTO WIGTOWN
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- THE LAST PART OF THE RAILWAY PATH INTO WIGTOWN
CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE
DAY 126 ROUTE MAP
With thanks! Valuable information!