Threave Castle Walk

[kfrweaving]

Ok, first report i've posted!,

Went on the Threave walk this morning. Started off just after 8am from the outskirts of the town, however the walk took quite a long time due to me taking pics, also stopping to admire the scenery. Although it is winter and things can look bleak there still is a beauty to the countryside. Despite living nearby i haven't done the full walk for a long time. Didn't go to Threave Castle as, unlike other Historic Scotland properties, it is closed during the winter months and is on an island! Didn't fancy a swim
The walk was frosty, icy in parts but good under foot. Startled a flock of geese that were feeding in a field and seeing them take off and swoop around the sky was pretty impressive. Not quite on the scale of the starlings, but nevertheless very impressive ......and noisy! Fantastic to see. Imagine flying thousands of miles to feed at the side of the A75? Something must attract the birds!

Geese on the move

Saw lots of deer, taking photos of them was slightly harder. Because it was early morning and a Sunday there wasn't much noise coming from the motorway so they could hear me before i saw them! But managed to get a photo of one disappearing into the woods.

Geese on the move

Historic Scotland on holiday

What is great is that in warmer weather you have to go across on a boat to the castle (as it is on an island) Ring the bell and hopefully someone will come and take you over. Threave Castle is a ruin now, built originally by Archibald the Grim in the 14th century. Great name! Can't wait till the Spring when the castle will be open.

Historic Scotland on holiday

The Threave estate is a great place if you are into bird watching. Just beside Threave castle is the Osprey nests. Nothing to see today sadly. Spotted herons, various ducks, geese, swans and the deer. Sadly not Ospreys, wrong time of year. My camera isn't a great one, so the photo of the nest isn't exactly a close up.

Threave Castle

Just as the frost was melting

Old bridge along the way

The Galloway countryside is quite flat in areas, but mostly rolling hills, some of which can give great views. I am going to aim for a forest walk next around Dalbeattie which can give great views. But it was so nice walking early. I got the best part of the day as it started to get a bit dull by lunchtime. What i nice about this walk is that i didn't really think about the distance/time that i walked as i was thinking about what was around me. Tomorrow i am off to buy a pair of waterproof gloves as i wore fleece ones. During the walk you have to go through lots of gates that were frosty to open and so the fleece gloves got a bit wet! Hands were very cold on getting back home. It is an easy circular walk, but there are great views of drumlins, common around this area, which i have only recently found out to have been formed in the last ice age. The more walking i am doing the more i am learning. Ashamed to say that there is still so much i don't know about this region. Screel hill is on the list of ones to do. Will do a report on one of the coastal walks also as the views are spectacular - depending on the weather!

[kfrweaving]

Oh dear,
somehow got the photos doubled, will try not to do this next time