Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.: galloway

First of all, apologies for having these photos in reverse order. Basically I took the first photo last and the last photo first if that make any sense!

I can't really remember exactly how I discovered Kippford but I think it was because someone recommended going to Sandyhills Bay which is just down the coast and then it all sprung from that. I think I took in Southerness, Rockcliffe, Kippford as well as Sandyhills that day and have been coming back once a year ever since.I think once a year might be a bit of an understatement but my recent trip there was definitely my first this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Everywhere seems to be a lot busier compared to previous years, I've notice that a lot in The Lakes and Yorkshire Dales as well. Maybe it is due to the fact that no-one wants to travel abroad due to the possibility of facing quarantine on return.

My first stop as always was Carsthorne which was very quiet so I got parked up without any bother. The Solway Firth tide was out which resulted in there being thousands of Oystercatchers on the beach and boy were they making a racket. My photo only shows a fraction of the number. Looking inland, I was treated to a spectacular, ever-changing view of the clouds breaking over Criffel which is the highest hill in the area.

I had a walk along the beach and took photos of the old pier and jetty which were both used for the transportation of Scots to Canada and America during the Highland Clearances of the 1850s before moving on to Southerness with its iconic lighthouse. The lighthouse was built by Robert Stephenson and was first lit around 1800 before finally being decommissioned in 1936. The rock formations around the lighthouse make for some great photos.

I didn't bother going into Rockcliffe as it is a busy little place which makes it hard to park but carried on to its neighbour Kippford instead. There was not a single parking place to be had there, either in the car park or along the main road. I had more or less given up any hope of stopping but as a last resort I thought I'd try going in to Rockcliffe and fortunately someone was leaving the car park as I pulled in.

The stroll round the bay and through the woods to Kippford is only a couple of miles and is scenic as well so walking it was no imposition. My photos were all taken of the cockleshell beach area of the village and all look out over the Saur peninsula to The Solway Firth.

This is another of my 'feel good' places where I can just sit for ages and peacefully take in the view. Feeling revitalised, I set off back up the hill and through the woods to Rockcliffe where I sat overlooking the bay for a short while before retreating back to Cumbria.

Rockcliffe

Sea Thrift, Kippford

Saur Peninsula, Kippford

Kippford

Cockleshell Beach, Kippford

Southerness

Southerness Lighthouse

Caresthorn

Seabreaker

Solway Firth, Carsethorn

Old Jetty, Carsethorn

Oystercatchers

Weathered Shed, Caresthorn

Weather Clearing on Criffel

I fell in love with Kippford (also known as The Solway Riviera) years ago, mainly due to its cockle shell beaches and rock pools and I think Sal was the same. She came with me for the first time last year and she couldn't wait to return this year. It also has the feel of a place yet to be discovered by the masses so when planning our summer mini-break, it was the first place on our "to go to" list.

I think she also fell in love with the tiny village of New Abbey, home to the romantically named Sweetheart Abbey which is just a few miles out of Dumfries. The abbey, located on the banks of the River Pow, was founded by Dervorguilla of Galloway, daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway, in memory of her husband, Baron John De Vaux. After his death, she kept his embalmed heart, contained in a casket of ivory and silver, with her for the rest of her life, and it was buried alongside her when she died. In line with this devotion to her late husband, she named the abbey Dulce Cor (Latin for Sweet Heart).

I can't really remember exactly how I discovered Kippford but I think it was because someone recommended going to Sandyhills Bay which is just down the coast and then it all sprung from that. I think I took in Southerness, Rockcliffe, Kippford as well as Sandyhills that day and have been coming back once a year ever since.

What a great day we had; the weather was lovely albeit very hot and the tide was out just far enough for us to get some really nice photos. Walking, chatting and taking photos...what's not to like eh? The only thing that Kippford lacks is a good coffee shop but that wasn't much of an imposition because it allowed us both to have a delicious locally made ice cream instead! Anyway we had taken our coffee break earlier in the day at the delightful cafe overlooking Sweetheart Abbey.

It's always nice to discover and fall in love with places but even nicer when people very close to you do exactly the same thing. See you next year Kippford.