A Dumfries birl

[Posh Pete]

The Himalayan was due its 6k service last week. Holywood Service station offered me a loan bike (a 350 Hunter)so I combined this with a wee birl around the county over two days.

First, where to stay overnight? I settled on this place. A mile or so from the old A74. It had excellent reviews for cleanliness and price. It proved to be ideal for an overnight stop. Secluded from the road and with the bike out of sight, the chances of it being nicked (always a consideration) were infinitesimal.

 

[crumbles]

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[Posh Pete]

Day 1. First, a chinwag with Gordon and James and a couple of customers at Holywood. It's that kind of dealership and one of the reasons I bought the bike there in the first place. Then onto the mighty Huntr and points west.

First stop was Dundrennan Abbey. It's a well preserved Cistercian Abbey and the last stop for Mary Queen of Scots before she headed for England and her eventual fate at the hands of an incompetent axeman some 20 years later. Chatting to the warden, I was surprised to learn that the site continued to be occupied by monks until well after the Reformation, possibly as late as the early 1600s. She also confirmed that the place from which Mary took ship (or boat) was probably at the mouth of the Abbey burn where the monks had a jetty.

I headed there but the coast thereabouts is part of an MoD firing range and the red flags were flying so I had to beat a retreat.

 

[stever1]

It always surprises me when I pass that dealer just how busy it looks. It’s nice to see in these days of doom and gloom in the bike industry

 

[Posh Pete]

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https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Feature-g190777-d2066946-zft1-Broadlea_of_Robgill.html

 

[Posh Pete]

After Dundrennan a decision had to be made: head further west to Kirkudbright? Now for anyone who's not been there before, I'd heartily recommend it. Kb is a lovely town with a couple of interesting museums and is well known as an "artists' town" with strong associations with the "Glasgow boys". Me? Been there, done that. So I turned back and explored a wee byway I'd noticed on my way out. And I'm very glad I did ...

 

[Posh Pete]

First however, there was this "wicker man" in a field by the side of the road. I've vague memories of a music fest of that title in that area so I assume this was the location. I believe the movie of that name (now a bit of a cult movie) was filmed in DnG.

 

[bazman]

Lol, was out myself yesterday and visited the same places Nice day for it, also worth a visit to Cain Holy just of the A75 past Auchenlarie caravan site

 

[Posh Pete]

Lol, was out myself yesterday and visited the same places Nice day for it, also worth a visit to Cain Holy just of the A75 past Auchenlarie caravan site

There's no shortage of places of interest right enough. I've tended to go to the Galloway end previously but there's plenty in the Dumfries end too. What we don't want is to turn it into another Nc500!

 

[bazman]

There's no shortage of places of interest right enough. I've tended to go to the Galloway end previously but there's plenty in the Dumfries end too. What we don't want is to turn it into another Nc500!

Yeah, I'm a doonhamer born and bred, never get tired of the SW, although the roads are shocking in some of the backwater places !!

 

[Posh Pete]

After passing the Wicker man, I took a right turn off the main road following a brown marker for Orchardton Tower. The wifieat Dundrennan had mentioned it as being of interest if only because it was "a lovely, peaceful spot."

And so it was. Next time, I'll bring a picnic

The tower itself was unique. Being close to the border, there's plenty of such towers in DnG but none of them are round. Maybe the stone was plundered from a castle nearby, with a round tower? Certainly some of the contents looked like they'd been looted from Dundrennan...

 

[Mzokk]

First however, there was this "wicker man" in a field by the side of the road. I've vague memories of a music fest of that title in that area so I assume this was the location. I believe the movie of that name (now a bit of a cult movie) was filmed in DnG.View attachment 412589

Yip Edward Woodward and Britt Eklund......clothed and unclothed......Fascinating scary and weird all at the same time. Must see If I can watch it again!!

 

[Squonk]

Nice, will add those to the list of places to go. I was in Dumfries this week, finally got the aviation museum which is excellent, well worth a visit if you like that kind of thing.

 

[Posh Pete]

Nice, will add those to the list of places to go. I was in Dumfries this week, finally got the aviation museum which is excellent, well worth a visit if you like that kind of thing.

I do and I've visited it several years ago. I recall handling the compressor taken from a P38 supercharger. I was amazed at the lack of any vibration or resistance when it was turned. As it would have to be if course, given the rpm it would turn at.

The museum was closed during this visit though.

 

[team duvet]

Nothing to see on the South West borders and the Solway coast.....move along now, move along lol

TD

 

[Posh Pete]

Nothing to see on the South West borders and the Solway coast.....move along now, move along lol

TD

We'll keep it between ourselves eh?

After that wee detour, I headed along a side road out of Auchencairn. The road ran along the side of the bay with some lovely views. At the end, I came across the Balcary Bay hotel and had lunch. A classic country house hotel where you'd expect Hercule Poirot to be holding forth in the lounge! Beautiful views and a very decent (if a little expensive) smoked salmon sarnie.

I'll be back in the car with her nibs in the autumn.

 

[Posh Pete]

So back to the main road and then to Sweetheart Abbey. It's in even better condition than Dundrennan although currently draped in a great deal of scaffolding. From my pov, it's an interesting place to explain medieval religious doctrine so different from modern ideas.

It's also handy as a bridge to the next port of call since it was founded by Devorgilla. She was a native Galwegian heiress and married into the powerful immigrant Norman Balliol family. They had claims to the throne of Scotland which they later contested with the Bruces.

It was a political marriage but one which quickly became a love match. When Balliol snuffed it, she had his heart removed, embalmed and carried it around with her for many years. The monks at the abbey were employed to pray for his eternal soul.

As I've commented before here, if you've a special anniversary to celebrate and a missus who's romantically inclined, then this is the place to do it!

 

[bazman]

So back to the main road and then to Sweetheart Abbey. It's in even better condition than Dundrennan although currently draped in a great deal of scaffolding. From my pov, it's an interesting place to explain medieval religious doctrine so different from modern ideas.

It's also handy as a bridge to the next port of call since it was founded by Devorgilla. She was a native Galwegian heiress and married into the powerful immigrant Norman Balliol family. They had claims to the throne of Scotland which they later contested with the Bruces.

It was a political marriage but one which quickly became a love match. When Balliol snuffed it, she had his heart removed, embalmed and carried it around with her for many years. The monks at the abbey were employed to pray for his eternal soul.

As I've commented before here, if you've a special anniversary to celebrate and a missus who's romantically inclined, then this is the place to do it!
View attachment 413214View attachment 413215View attachment 413216

We were married there

 

[Posh Pete]

We were married there

Excellent choice! Was this the first dance at the hooley?

 

[Posh Pete]

The plan, after Sweetheart Abbey was to head for the birthplace of John Paul Jones. He's recognised as the founder of the US Navy and his birthplace, on the coast a dozen or so miles south of the Abbey, has been preserved as a museum. However , time was marching on and I knew my next destination would close at 4.30pm so JPJ will have to wait for another day.

So I headed for