Another stunning day. We need a few bits and bobs from the shops and the nearest is a co-op in Wigtown, so off we went. A funny place really, even though an A road passes through the centre any Sat Nav will send you around the B roads to bypass it! Even the sea has moved on! What was originally the coastline is now deep marshland or farmland with the restored ‘harbour’ looking rather forlorn and totally under utilised!

We started our walk with a visit to the Martyr Stake, the site where two women were ties to a stake and left to drown in 1685with the incoming tide for being ‘Covenanters’ (have looked that up but still don’t quite get it so I will not try to explain!).

From here we tried to follow the River Circuit but that ended in a dead end. However we did atleast get to see the sea!

Instead we wandered back into town. We found it to be a gracious, sedate small town with a very wide Main Street, seemingly lined with terraced houses, though every third house appears to have been converted into a shop – mostly book shops!

It is in fact the Scottish National Book Town! Who knew that? According to the lovely owner, Ruth, of Well-Read Books of Wigtown (visit if you can and you will be made most welcome) this honour was bestowed upon the town just 20 years and that, along with subsequent book festivals held annually in September have helped the town recover from an economic downturn to the gentile place it is today. What a lovely story and very friendly place – well worth the visit and an enjoyable 5 mile walk.

Two thoughts of the day:

I love how quiet and peaceful it is everywhere even on a sunny Easter Weekend.

How nice to be able to take a stroll around the bay of an evening just because!