Last weekend we explored a bit more of the local coastline and took a look at the section from Ross Bay up towards Kirkcudbright. We parked at Balmangan farm where there is a camp site and a network of walking trails. We followed one of the trails round the edge of Ross Bay then found a stile over a wall leading down to a small beach. From this point we worked our way northwards along the rocky shore line between the high and low tide marks.


The rocks along the coast are very steeply bedded and at right angles to the shore line so progress along the coast entails a lot of scrambling over the rocky ridges.

At one point we had to climb a small gully to get past one of the  ridges. The rocks were nice and dry and offered plenty of hand and foot holds just where we needed them.

A little further up the coast we came across an old shipwreck. The ship was probably wrecked on Frenchman’s Rock, an outcrop in the middle of Kirkcudbright bay, then washed ashore here.

The next headland was a pinnacle of rock dropping into the sea. Some interesting scrambling moves were required to get across the front of the pinnacle but the rock provided some very good hand and foot holds just where they were needed.

The descent down the far side of the pinnacle was also assisted by some nicely placed flakes of rock.

By this time, the tide was rising quite quickly so we took the next available opportunity to head up into Senwick woods and get onto the footpath that tracks along the top of the cliffs, leading eventually to Mill Hall and Nun Mill Bay.

On the return journey we stayed on the footpath and had a look at the remains of Senwick church and graveyard which is now being absorbed back into the woodlands.