Quite a wet and wild night with some rain through part of the morning and then a pretty grey and windy day. At least it was dry by the time we were ready to pack up and get on the road. A straightforward fifty mile drive practically due north and mostly hugging the rugged coastline – though I was having to concentrate on the rather windy road! We were soon in situ at Culzean Castle CCC, home for the next 3 weeks.

The wardens had very kindly reserved me a pitch with a view as I am staying for awhile – the only downside being the howling gale blowing in from the sea! The view from the front window.

Once set up we went for a walk through the woodland which runs along the edge of the site down through the Culzean Castle Country Park to the shore. Our first glimpse of Culzean Bay was through the trees over the top of the old Gas House (where coal was converted to supply gas to the castle and estate).

The tide is quite high but there was plenty of room on this Castle Bay for Poppydog to let off some steam.

Around the end of the bay we found a lane that would take us back up into the woodland and to site. A very pleasant albeit a tad blowy 4.5 mile circuit.

Two thoughts of the day:

Looking forward to seeing the Isle of Arran from the window when the clouds lift!

In my experience the CAMC sites are more spacious than the CCC sites – no possibility of tucking myself well out of the way here! Still it doesn’t feel too packed in and I fo have a view!

Not so much sunshine around today just little glimpses here and there but we cannot complain. Today we are visiting our last beach on The Rhinns, there are a few that we have missed as I just could not see a way of getting to them or access was blocked by some ‘coos’ but Sandhead here we come!

A wonderful long stretch of dune backed beach. Soft white sand and at low tide, literally miles of wet sand. There were a few people around at the village end of the beach.

Beyond the village perimeter our favourite kind of empty beach.

A couple of miles along the beach, we came upon a river dividing the beach of Sandhead from Luce Sands stretching back across to The Machars, much of this section was closed off for Military use.

A fitting end to our stay here on the Rhinns of Galloway – definitely a firm favourite region of our journey.

Two thoughts of the day:

The rest of Scotland has got quite a lot to live up to now!

Did I say? That poaching spoon I bought? Rubbish! The white oozed through the holes and the yolk was over cooked before the white all set and to cap it all you would have needed a chisel to get the white residue off! Suffice to say – I didn’t bother with the chisel they are in the bin!

Oh yes! Another corker of a day though please be assured I am not taking this sunshine for granted but hey! Well after spending a couple of hours sorting out my photos, a little jobette that I have neglected since mid March (well I have been busy!) we took a short drive and parked up at Low Clachanmore Woods. From there our destination was a good couple of miles walk along the lanes through open farmland – it is really quite lovely wandering along the lanes with no traffic and the only sound being birdsong, sheep and coos (nicely contained coos!).

There it is – Drumbreddan Bay, some lovely white sand, backed by stones in a sheltered cove.

I had taken a ball down for Poppydog but she was in luck and found an abandoned football – ideal I’ll just sit in the sun, block out her constant yapping and let her wear herself chasing the football about.

Though I did have to coax her back in from the sea as at one point I felt she had probably been in the water long enough, though she was blissfully quiet!

A lovely 5 mile stroll which we rounded off with a quick trip down to Port Logan to see it with the tide going out and in the sunshine – it certainly didn’t disappoint!

Two thoughts of the day:

Sometimes you just know when a photo is going to be breathtaking…

I have always hoped that maybe there was an artist in me and I just had to find the right medium – maybe it is this – capturing a moment?

Oh yes – it is sunny again – happy days! Today we are on our way to find the beach of Port of Spittal, somewhere just shy of Portpatrick, but first we have to sit in a cow-a-jam, so glad we weren’t caught in the middle of that little huddle!We ended up parking right down by the bay at the little hotel, Knockinaam Lodge (with their kind permission of course) and took a walk up to the cliff top footpath towards Portpatrick .

It was stunning up the top but unfortunately our walk was cut short as the footpath entered a field with – yep cows or should I say coos!! Ah well, guess we’ll have to go down and play on the beach instead!

And that we did, not the prettiest of beaches as it was stones and shingle rather than sandy but in a pretty little valley and we had it to ourselves.

I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon!

Two thoughts of the day:

There is so much sky here – maybe that is why the sea is so blue?

Coos Coos I think I might be becoming paranoid or obsessed?

A rather splendid day again, still a bit chilly but so so sunny. Today we went to have a look at Corsewall Lighthouse at the very top of the Rhinns of Galloway.

Looking out over the Mull of Kintyre and the Isle of Arran the Lighthouse is now an hotel. There was no clear footpath but we wandered around the headland, watching the Gannets dive bombing and a ferry on its way off to Ireland.

After a while we moved on our aim – Dounan Bay, near South Cairn, a bit further down the western coast. After a pleasant walk down the lanes through open farmland we were almost there and guess what?

Cows!! Now I was assured that these cows having been hand reared are just nosy not aggressive but I’m afraid the memory is too fresh – so back up the hill we went to try and find another way down. Today we were lucky and found a route down to Dally Bay a neighbouring little sandy cove.

A lovely spot, especially in this glorious sunshine and not surprisingly we didn’t see another soul – we’re happy!

Before heading back up to the car we scrambled over the grassy rocks in between the two bays for a look at Dounan Bay (our original destination).

Two thoughts of the day:

I’m sure I had at least two but I’m too tired to remember them now!