Galloway Forest Park

The Galloway Forest

The largest park in the U,K. It is designated a “Dark Sky Park.

One can see from the picture above how Kings of Scotland used the Galloway Forest to defeat their enemies, everybody from the Romans to King Edward.

We drove through the park from Drumlanrig Castle to the Isle of Whithorn, a distance of 98 km. Coming from Canada were not prepared for a 2 hour drive, plus a couple of stops for “photo ops”.

The only downside was my daughter’s comments on my driving.

Glen Luce Abbey

The Chapter House

Glen Luce Abbey

The Chapter House

Glen Luce Abbey

For 400 years Glen Luce was the home to Cistercian monks

We spent a pleasant hour visiting Glen Luce Abbey. One can easily see how, for 400 years Cistercian monks enjoyed peace and solitude in this secluded valley setting.

Marvel at the chapter house built around 1500 – still roofed and complete – with its fine features and acoustics. The south transept is a well-preserved fragment of 13th-century Cistercian architecture.

Farms

Indulge me, farming is our family’s roots

On occasion, we stopped to take photos of livestock as we drove through Galloway. Sometimes it was because we liked the view and other times we had family reasons.

Balker Farm which Dad managed before we emigrated to Canada is on the Stair Estates near Castle Kennedy.

Stannock, of course was my Grandfather’s farm outside of the Isle of Whithorn.

Stair Estates

Balker Farm

Castle Kennedy

Stair Estates

Balker Farm

Castle Kennedy

Stair Estates

Balker Farm

Castle Kennedy

Stair Estates

Castle Kennedy

Stair Estates

Castle Kennedy

Stannock Farm

Isle of Whithorn

Stannock Farm

Isle of Whithorn

Stannock Farm

Isle of Whithorn

Stannock Farm

Isle of Whithorn

‘The Isle’

Isle of Whothorn

A long time ago we left the Isle of Whithorn to our new home in Canada. The photos you see here are from two visits to ‘the Isle’. The biggest change we saw in 2919 was the conversion of the church interior to a dual purpose space – the village museum now shares the space with the church congregation.

Myrtle Cottage, with its burgundy window frames was my Grandmother’s home.

The ruin taken at sunset is St. Ninian’s Chapel. St. Ninian (360 - 432 AD) brought Christianity to the south of Scotland. This beautiful village, situated on Wigton Bay is in the southwest corner of Scotland.

‘The Isle’

Stannock

Myrtle Cottage

Isle of Whithorn

The Isle Church

Isle of Whithorn

The Isle Church

Isle of Whithorn

The Isle Church c 2005

Isle of Whithorn

The Isle Church, c2019

Isle of Whithorn

The Isle Church, c2019

Isle of Whithorn

The Isle Church, c2019

Isle of Whithorn

The harbour

Isle of Whithorn

The Quay

Isle of Whithorn

The Steam Packet Inn

Isle of Whithorn

St. Ninian’s Chapel

Drumlanrig Castle

Galloway views

Drumlanrig Castle

Galloway House

Torhouse Stones

“19 dumpy granite boulders in a 20m-wide circle”

Crailloch Farm

Newton Stewart

Port Patrick

Statue of a fisherman

1999 bronze

Andrew Brown

Port William, Scotland

2019 Skiffie World Championships

Stranraer

Whithorn

St. Ninian’s Priory

Whithorn

St. Ninian’s Priory

Whithorn

St. Ninian’s Priory

Whithorn

St. Ninian’s Priory

Whithorn

The Monreith Cross

9th - 11th century

The Museum, Whithorn Priory

Latinus Stone

5th Century memorial

The Museum, Whithorn Priory

Near the Iron Age Roundhouse

Whithorn

Iron Age Roundhouse

Bruce Street

Whithorn

Iron Age Roundhouse

Bruce Street

Whithorn

Iron Age Roundhouse

Bruce Street

Whithorn

Iron Age Roundhouse

Bruce Street

Whithorn

Other Places

Torhouse Stones, Whithorn Priory, the Iron Age Roundhouse, Newton Stewart, Drumlanrig Castle

We visited places like the “Pink Palace”, Drumlanrig Castle with its renowned art collection and beautiful gardens.

In Whithorn we toured the Iron Age Round House, Torhouse Stones and St. Ninian’s Priory and Museum.

In Port William I had my photo taken with the ‘Statue of a Fisherman’. We saw the World Skiffie Championships (a boat race) in Stranraer, had ice-cream in Port Patrick and a bunch more – have a look at the photos and see for your self.

Scotland

Galloway

‘You are from here’ said the woman.

‘No’ said my sister, ‘I’m from Canada,’

‘That may be’ said the woman. ‘But you are really from here. You have just been away for a while.’

– Alistair MacLeod –

– No Great Mischief - 1999 –

Statue of a fisherman