Meon Shore

A long the coast from  Lee on the Solent  towards Southampton is Meon Shore in land is the Titchfield Haven Nature reserve. (see my previous blog). At high tide it is an area for sea fishing and dingy racing at low tide paddling, dog walking and bait digging. The pink buoy is used as a turning point for dingy racing on rare very low tides it is out of the water it is most odd to walk around it on these tides. Wind surfing and Kite surfing is also popular. The other picture are  people enjoying the shoreline.

Support the Lifeboats

Bird watching at Titchfield Haven.

A walk around Titchfield Haven Nature reserve today Wildlife in abundance. Bird highlights today ,30+ Avocets {+ 2 chicks}.Lots of fluffy black headed gull chicks,Lapwing with chick, Greenshank, Greater Yellow Legs ………and a water vole

Returning Home to Hampshire

Having enjoyed the week staying at a cottage in Brighouse Bay near Kirkcudbright we have returned home but will be returning to Scotland to follow the East coast on another camper van trip later this year

The lighthouse pictured today is at Southerness  a small tower which appears no longer in use. {update retired 1936 and second oldest lighthouse in Scotland}

looking for a cottage in the area look at http://www.brighousebayholidaycottages.com/

Take a moment

Just of the A75 near Gatehouse of Fleet Cairnholy is a special spot mixing man’s history and the environment a place to relax and reflect. No crowds like Stonehenge. 

A cow shed to die for. Corseyard Farm

Some ten years ago I was intrigued by a building complex near the little village of Carrick on the Solway .The buildings looked like an Abbey and were abandoned. . Checking on the OS map nothing was marked apart from a farm. A couple of years ago I still found the buildings of interest but they were in greater state of neglect. This year with holes in the roof I stopped to take some photos and read a planning application on the gate they are to be turned into holiday homes.(so it looks as if the building will have a new life).In the age of the internet I was able to answer what these buildings were. Corseyard Farm built around 1911 as a Model Farm consisting of a large milking parlour stables cart sheds and barn with a water tower. The style is predominantly Gothic revival including prominent buttresses. .In was built for a wealthy merchant James Brown.

From Forest to Sea

Weather has settled and spent the day (yesterday 13/05/15) around The Galloway Forest then down to the Solway Coast.

Good wild life day, {Hares, Roe Buck, Red Deer, semi wild goats, Cuckoo’s (vocals only), Baby flat fish in the pools at Rockcliff, Red Kites, Sedge warbler, and Bats around cottage}.

Photo’s posted show ;- A Wickerman, The Wickerman film of 1973 staring Edward Woodwood was filmed in Dumfries and Galloway a festival is now held locally each year. Fishing boats at Kirkcudbright and fish net’s on the Solway and a nice parking spot.

beach parking spot

The wreck of Schooner Monreith

Near Kirkcudbright on the Dumfries and Galloway coast at Dhoon beach is the remains of the schooner Monreith built in 1876. Trying to take shelter on 12th November 1900 during a storm the schooner was wrecked. She was carrying a cargo of stone but none of the crew were lost.

Support the Lifeboats

Lighthouse keepers no more

The wind on the Mull of Galloway was blowing a gale as I walked around the headland. At Scotland’s most Southerly point stands a Lighthouse built in 1830 by Robert Stevenson. Under the lighthouse is a large fog horn which was powered by compressed air. The lighthouse was remotely monitored from afar in 1988 when the last lighthouse keeper closed the door on this dying occupation. Sea views, coast watching, bird colonies on the cliffs and a lighthouse just about everything to make a full day out.

Best views today close to the shore Gannets folding their wings back and dropping into the sea like giant darts to catch fish.

Tea at the lighthouse

Corsewall Lighthouse is situated on the northern tip of the Rhinns of Galloway. It is off the beaten track and is less visited than the lighthouse on the Mull Galloway.

In 1814 a Mr Kirkman Finley applied to the Board of Trade for a light on Corsill Point. The Northern Lighthouse Board Engineer investigated the possibility, and in 1815 decided that a light at the entrance of Lochryan in Galloway and also one on Point of Ayre is the Isle of Man, would be the most advantages. By 1817 the light was operational

Corsewall Lighthouse was automated in 1994 and is now remotely monitored from the Northern Lighthouse Board’s offices in Edinburgh. The old Light keepers accommodation was sold off and operates as the Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel. We used the “open to non resident” as the excuse not only to visit the lighthouse but to have a cup of tea.

Another Place another blog not possible

I was planning on posting a daily blog from our holiday cottage while in Dumfries and Galloway but this has not been possible due to the poor internet link so it will have to wait. Modern Scotland for you