Wow, May already… time sure flies when you are having fun! It’s now 8-months since I retired… can’t quite believe it!
It was nice to meet up with my ex colleagues last Thursday in Brum… a nice meal & hearing all about the Affinity Trust news (lots of change… keep your chins up everyone!) and the challenges people are currently facing… some good, some not so good but all interesting and, am sure, to be overcome! One of the most exciting things for me was seeing Ozzie the Bull at New Street station “in the flesh” so to speak! Reminded me of when Pete & I spent a couple of days at the Commonwealth Games Athletics in 2022 😊
After a couple of quiet days at home during which I went to see Mum and watched a bit of the Pope’s funeral, on Sunday we headed off for a short stay on the Dumfries & Galloway coast at Monreith where we have been staying in a caravan that’s owned by a lady who lives in Leeds. We head back home tomorrow after 5-nights away but have had a fantastic break – it’s been nice to see Pete relax for a bit!
The AI overview from the internet says that “Monreith is a small seaside village in Scotland, known for its long sandy beach, rock pools, and caves… It’s also a popular spot for wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers. The area features a memorial to naturalist Gavin Maxwell, known for his book “Ring of Bright Water,” and overlooks a bronze statue of an otter commissioned in his honor. Additionally, the beach is safe for swimming and sea fishing”
Here’s some pics from our trip…
On Monday (28 April) we left the caravan by foot heading to Port William… somewhere we have been before but was nice to revisit. [Kev & Jane – assume your friends still live in Port William as we saw a very flash camper parked at that property you told us about before!?]
We have also revisited the Mull of Galloway where there is a very nice café plus plenty to see too! This place marks the most southernly point of Scotland and you can even see the Isle of Man across the water! Like most of the UK, we have had some great weather this week, despite it being a tad windy at times!
Top Right – Song Thrush; Middle Left – Rock Pipit;
Bottom Middle – A pair of Wheatear; Bottom Left – Razorbills & a nesting Shag on the cliff face; Top Left – A Shag sunbathing!
Top: Left = Sea Thrift; Right = Sea Campion; Bottom: Left = Alpine Squill
After a lazy morning enjoying the sunny weather at the caravan (& an emergency repair of the fridge after the door fell off! 🤣🤣🤣 – Well done DIY Pete… how strange that the man in the hardware shop in Port William was originally from Keighley!), we went for a stroll down to the beach… passing by the ruins of Kirkmaiden Church (mentioned above in relation to Gavin Maxwell) on the way…
According to the internet, Kirkmaiden church is one of the oldest churches in Scotland, and the resting place of many of the McCulloch and Maxwell family members, who owned the Monreith estate.
“Legend has it that when this parish was united with Glasserton, the pulpit and bell were removed from Kirkmaiden church and were to be transported by sea across Luce Bay to a church of the same name near the Mull of Galloway. A strange storm blew up and the boat foundered, sinking the pulpit and bell. The story goes that on the approaching death of any descendant of the McCullochs of Myrton, the wraith-bell rang from the depths of Luce Bay”.
There is also a French naval officer, Francois Thurot, buried here after his body was washed ashore after a battle fought at sea off the Isle of Man in 1760 between Britain and France.
This area is also linked with Saint Medana and “locals” tell how, thanks to her saintly powers, the “chincough” well, located on the beach here (which we didn’t see!), is supposed to have a magical healing powers on illnesses – especially whooping cough (formerly called “chincough”)!
I took the photo of the gravestone with the skull & crossbones on it as I don’t think I have seen this before… According to the internet (what would we do without it! 🤣), “… The skull and crossbones, a symbol of death and mortality, were commonly carved on gravestones, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, to serve as a “memento mori,” reminding viewers of the inevitability of death and the brevity of life. These symbols were not necessarily meant to be grim reminders of the deceased’s fate, but rather to encourage reflection on the afterlife and the importance of living a virtuous life” – so there you go!
The weather was so nice, there were a few people swimming (brrrr… water too cold for me but was probably a little warmer than, in my experience, the average outdoor Spanish swimming pool! 🤣🤣), and we spotted at least one person sunbathing in the nuddy! Who can blame them – if I lived here and it was hot enough, the beaches are so deserted (at least at this time of year), I would definitely be tempted!
And today,our last before returning home, we have been to Glenwhan Gardens… not realising until we got there that we had been here before too. Not to worry, think that must have been at a different time of year as I do not remember all the rhododendrons which were lovely…
So, another Scottish adventure is now over – it has helped us decide that if the right house was for sale in this area, we would definitely be interested… it is a very peaceful place 😊 That said, 12-weeks on the market and still no offers (or viewings) for our place so we will need to remain patient for now… let’s see what the next week brings! Happy May Day everyone 😘
All the gubbins… 
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