Galloway Wilderness
10th August 2018
Galloway Wilderness - 10th August
I had not visited this quiet corner of Scotland for almost 30 years. However I had a strong memory of the landscape. It was a wild and very empty place made up of rocky hills, deep forests, whilst being a landscape filled (seemingly) with more Red Deer than people and (more dubiously) was the homeworld for over a trillion voracious Midgies.
Despite, and probably more because of these facts, I planned a weeks break to rediscover where memory and reality collided.
First impressions were gained on my drive through the region. In a world dominated by the car I soon realised how few cars I was encountering after passing Dumfries. In addition, all the roads were in good condition and despite the rural nature, far better than my home county of Cumbria. The big difference was there was no other drivers!
Although I recognise the impact car use has on the environment it has, however, given me life changing access to wild and wonderful places. I only have to consider if I was born at the turn of the century (coming from a working class family) there would have been no possibility I could own a car. It would have been such an unreachable aspiration as to never even enter my consciousness. I would have accepted, unquestioning, that I would live local and travel would be limited. Galloway would have been a mythical place and at best, experienced from the pages of a book.
However, the advantage of having a car, especially in this quiet area meant investigating the area a painless and joyful experience. I hate the car and I hate the pollution us drivers create. However, I also cannot deny the huge advantages the automobile allows for those who live in such wild and rural locations. I was, therefore, able to drive freely and seek the best starting points to the hills.
It is probably due to this quietness that their is a considerable variety of wildlife in the region. The flora and fauna was wonderfully mixed and could be found in equal amounts from sea edge to mountain summit. This may be, in part, due to the fact that Galloway does not suffer from over grazing or concentrated tourism.
However, the landscape is like a fortress. There is the obvious walls of forests that cover the low slopes. This means it is a challenge to find weakness in the thick plantations, where access to the high ground can be found. However, there are numerous red deer and Buzzards providing sufficient distraction from the assault of flies and midgies.
Then the streams, though low at the moment due to an unusually dry summer, are adorned with flying Dippers and skittish Grey Wagtails, all making it known my presence was unwelcome. Meanwhile, their territories are reinforced by the dense swathes of purple and red Foxgloves and Rosebay Willowherb. Climbing higher, the mid hillsides are filled to the brim with grasses of all kinds, many forming ankle breaking tussocks. Then, where the grasses recede, the thick, almost woody, blanket of heather ascends. Finally (and often dispiritingly) a thick over coat of green bracken adds a subtley capricious out defence, but balancing precariously on fronds the Siskin and Stonechat sing. Their calls drawing you into the brackets dark, green, wet and tick filled ‘gorges'.
Further you journey into the hills you eventually clamber over hard granite slabs or are forced to circumnavigate the many small lochans. Then, after what feels like to much effort and energy spent for the distance traveled you reach the pristine summits and ridges. The whole time you have not heard or seen another soul.
All around are wide plains of moorland enclosed by the walls of rocky hills. As you look over this rugged and broad plain there is a very strong sense that you are far from anyone or anything. This is a wild, self willed landscape and one to be respected as any return to the safety of civilisation (in an emergency or poor planning) would be hard and lengthy.
........................
Coincidentally I just heard on the political BBC radio programme, ‘Any Questions’, that Scotland has a population of 5.5 million (compared to England’s 55million). This fact amazed me and and made me reflect on my recent experience in Galloway.
I therefore learnt that Cumbria, my home county and the least populated county in England, has 45 million visitors per year! Therefore the whole population of Scotland would have to visit the lakes nine times a year to equate.
Furthermore, when you consider the fact that Dumfries and Galloway has a population of approximately 148,000 and that greatest amount of this number are living in the largest town (Dumfries) with a population of 31,600 (The two other main towns are Stranraer (10,800 pop.) and Annan (8,300 pop.) it is easy to understand how this area feels remote.
I had not visited this quiet corner of Scotland for almost 30 years. However I had a strong memory of the landscape. It was a wild and very empty place made up of rocky hills, deep forests, whilst being a landscape filled (seemingly) with more Red Deer than people and (more dubiously) was the homeworld for over a trillion voracious Midgies.
Despite, and probably more because of these facts, I planned a weeks break to rediscover where memory and reality collided.
First impressions were gained on my drive through the region. In a world dominated by the car I soon realised how few cars I was encountering after passing Dumfries. In addition, all the roads were in good condition and despite the rural nature, far better than my home county of Cumbria. The big difference was there was no other drivers!
Although I recognise the impact car use has on the environment it has, however, given me life changing access to wild and wonderful places. I only have to consider if I was born at the turn of the century (coming from a working class family) there would have been no possibility I could own a car. It would have been such an unreachable aspiration as to never even enter my consciousness. I would have accepted, unquestioning, that I would live local and travel would be limited. Galloway would have been a mythical place and at best, experienced from the pages of a book.
However, the advantage of having a car, especially in this quiet area meant investigating the area a painless and joyful experience. I hate the car and I hate the pollution us drivers create. However, I also cannot deny the huge advantages the automobile allows for those who live in such wild and rural locations. I was, therefore, able to drive freely and seek the best starting points to the hills.
It is probably due to this quietness that their is a considerable variety of wildlife in the region. The flora and fauna was wonderfully mixed and could be found in equal amounts from sea edge to mountain summit. This may be, in part, due to the fact that Galloway does not suffer from over grazing or concentrated tourism.
However, the landscape is like a fortress. There is the obvious walls of forests that cover the low slopes. This means it is a challenge to find weakness in the thick plantations, where access to the high ground can be found. However, there are numerous red deer and Buzzards providing sufficient distraction from the assault of flies and midgies.
Then the streams, though low at the moment due to an unusually dry summer, are adorned with flying Dippers and skittish Grey Wagtails, all making it known my presence was unwelcome. Meanwhile, their territories are reinforced by the dense swathes of purple and red Foxgloves and Rosebay Willowherb. Climbing higher, the mid hillsides are filled to the brim with grasses of all kinds, many forming ankle breaking tussocks. Then, where the grasses recede, the thick, almost woody, blanket of heather ascends. Finally (and often dispiritingly) a thick over coat of green bracken adds a subtley capricious out defence, but balancing precariously on fronds the Siskin and Stonechat sing. Their calls drawing you into the brackets dark, green, wet and tick filled ‘gorges'.
Further you journey into the hills you eventually clamber over hard granite slabs or are forced to circumnavigate the many small lochans. Then, after what feels like to much effort and energy spent for the distance traveled you reach the pristine summits and ridges. The whole time you have not heard or seen another soul.
All around are wide plains of moorland enclosed by the walls of rocky hills. As you look over this rugged and broad plain there is a very strong sense that you are far from anyone or anything. This is a wild, self willed landscape and one to be respected as any return to the safety of civilisation (in an emergency or poor planning) would be hard and lengthy.
........................
Coincidentally I just heard on the political BBC radio programme, ‘Any Questions’, that Scotland has a population of 5.5 million (compared to England’s 55million). This fact amazed me and and made me reflect on my recent experience in Galloway.
I therefore learnt that Cumbria, my home county and the least populated county in England, has 45 million visitors per year! Therefore the whole population of Scotland would have to visit the lakes nine times a year to equate.
Furthermore, when you consider the fact that Dumfries and Galloway has a population of approximately 148,000 and that greatest amount of this number are living in the largest town (Dumfries) with a population of 31,600 (The two other main towns are Stranraer (10,800 pop.) and Annan (8,300 pop.) it is easy to understand how this area feels remote.