Dalbeattie

Tuesday, 4^th September

What a wonderful time in Dalbeattie I’ve had.   Last Thursday Kylie and I parted company at Edinburgh airport, she to make her way back to London and I met up with some friends who live in the area.   They picked me up at the airport and we went for lunch before going back to their home where my cousin Jim and his wife Elaine came to pick me up.    The sun was shining and it was one of those summer days which this year have been only too rare in Scotland.   

I have never been in the Borders region of Scotland apart from travelling north to Arbroath by train many times, and I am amazed at the beautiful countryside here.   It really is a “mini Scotland” on its own.   The hills are typical of Scottish hills, rugged and covered with heather which is just beginning to turn them purple.   Some are bare rounded hills dotted with sheep and others are thickly forested.    Plantation forests cover a large area of Galloway and although pines of various types predominate, there are lots of other trees growing too which add variety – larch, silver birch and rowans to name a few.   The rowan trees this year are covered in red berries – does this indicate a harsh winter to come???   Jim has promised to let me know!

There are waterfalls everywhere, from long steep drops to smaller ones in the many bubbling, chuckling, brown burns.   We have been for quite a few walks through forests and one day they lent me a pair of gum boots, which were definitely needed.   The coast area is quite rocky and spectacular and one day we even saw the Isle of Man in the hazy distance.   One day we saw a Roe Deer - how lucky was that!

Dairy and sheep are the main areas of farming in south west Scotland and black faced sheep wander at will over the moors.    Most of the cows we have seen have been dairy (Friesian, Ayrshire & a smattering of Swedish Reds) and the area is well known for its rich dairy products.  Of course, among the beef breeds the “Beltie” (Belted Galloway) stands out.    When you see the green velvet of the fields here, it is no wonder!   Not even in our irrigation areas are the fields so vivid green and lush.  

Rain did make an appearance a few times over the five days I have been here, but mostly the weather has been dry and often sunny.    Yesterday was very warm – 22 degrees and sunny.   Jim and Elaine have put themselves out to show me as much of the stunning, awesome and breathtaking countryside as they possibly could and I can’t thank them enough.    Hopefully they will visit Victoria some time in the not too distant future and I can return the favour.

We went to the Lake District one day to meet up with their elder son and his family and the children’s outdoor activity centre on Lake Windermere was very impressive.   We drove through little towns and villages whose names I have read of – Rydal, Ambleside,  Derwentwater etc.    The fells are  stunning and the lakes so large.    It is an area much loved by tourists who come to admire its beauty – and everywhere was crowded.   Wandering around Bowness (especially with two small children) was quite hazardous, dodging cars to cross the narrow roads.  

History in south west Scotland is everywhere – and references to Robert Bruce, King of Scots can be found in many places.    One of the most beautiful areas Jim & Elaine took me to visit was Glen Trool, with its forests, moors and loch (and heather!).   It was here that Robert Bruce first defeated the English in the battle for Scottish Independence – back in the early 14^th century!!!   I leaned on the very stone he leant on, resting after the battle in Glen Trool.   

And a definite highlight of my trip here was the visit to Cream of Galloway.    This is an organic dairy farm which not only makes its own (very rich and creamy) icecream, but has also value-added other attractions.    We arrived there literally as the one tour of the day was about to start so I abandoned Jim & Elaine and raced to join the end of the small group.    We were shown over the farm, and went through their old dairy sheds, which will still be used in winter to shed the cows.   However their old six a side herringbone dairy ceased to operate only ten days ago and we went over to see the cows being milked in the new State of the Art computerised shed.   Wow!!!   What a huge investment has been made here, and they are full of impressive plans for the future – one being to milk only once a day but leave the calves with the cows until they are weaned.   The theory is that the calves will grow bigger and be healthier and in the case of the beef calves, bring a good price at market quicker.   I now have to make another trip back to Scotland to see if this does happen.

I couldn’t begin to detail all the amazing places I have seen here – picturesque small towns, heather moors, craggy hills, pastoral landscapes, and rivers and lochs at every turn.   But today I am leaving this utterly magnificent part of Scotland to travel south and that is my time “back home” over.    I have loved every minute of it and can’t wait to return!!    

Lake Windermere

Jim in his vegetable plot

Bowness

Jim's back garden

Galloway countryside

A waterfall in the forest

Walk in the forest

A mountain loch in Galloway

Heather!

Another Galloway loch!

Carrick Beach

Cows at Cream of Galloway

Galloway countryside

Galloway

In among the heather

Heather on the hills

History!

A Galloway burn

Yet another loch!