Day 137 Kirkcudbright to New Abbey

 

Date: Tuesday 30^th July 2013   Distance: 42.05 Miles

 

After a comfortable night, despite being woken by the children in the caravan underneath our window, we had a huge breakfast. This was a really homely stay. We visited the castle but there wasn’t that much to see inside for £4.50 each so we felt rather cheated.

 

The weather was cooler though sunny. Out of Kircudbright it was up and past MOD land with red flags flying then out towards the sea. We heard a few booms and bangs. This lasted for several miles till we reached the ruins of Dundrenan Abbey.

 

 

In between here and Auchencairn we were horrified to see the tents, chairs, cooking debris and plies of rubbish left by people at the Wickerman Festival started by an enterprising farmer. A dustcart was doing the rounds and a huge flock of seagulls flew up as we cycled past. It looks like it had been a success with reputedly great music and culminating in the burning of the straw effigy. We were told by someone later that the tents left behind go to charity.What a throw away nation we have become though!

 

 We were now on a major road but it wasn’t busy. The dark bends under the trees were dangerous as we drew near to Dalbeatie,where we had our lunch stop, twenty miles out at the Kings Arms. Here the huge plate of ham salad with various fruits has to be recommended, although with tinned peaches the other fruits were fresh.

 

The second half of the day was as hard as the first though we expected flatter and the sun had brought the tourists out in their cars. We passed a beautiful beach with a close by tearoom, Sandyhills with plenty of families spread out across a huge expanse of sand.  The sand dunes here are protected and signs say it is possible to see red squirrels and otters. A wind farm sits just off the shore later and a bombing platform for wartime practice. Old posts stick out from the sea for the salmon nets. The view across the water is of Cumbria. Because this is where the sea and river meet. The water is frequently tested but the electric sign informing the public of the water quality isn’t meeting the standards today.

 

We took a route 4 miles into the lanes to miss the traffic and passed a ruined tower jutting into the road. The house opposite was for sale. Despite the picturesque road both a lorry and a hedge cutter blocked it so we went back to the main road for another 4 miles until New Abbey where we had booked B and B. We stopped for tea (They sold many unusual varieties) at the white cottage cafe beside the red stoned Sweetheart Abbey HS. Founded  in 1273 by Devorgilla, wife of John Balliol, a Scottish King, it was so named by the monks because on his death she carried his embalmed heart with her always even to her Abbey grave.

 

Our B and B is one of 3 pubs but The Griffel Inn opposite is for sale and the other closed. New Abbey Arms had good beer and we ate well. Later we had another look at the abbey, beautiful in the evening light. While we were out the landlord put our bike in the garage which would have been difficult as the wheels were locked and he had to lift it. Luckily his back seemed ok in the morning.

A local told us about John Paul Jones, a local pirate or at least a seaman, who went to America and founded the Navy there. We’d passed his house museum near Arbigland Gardens where his father was head gardener.