Facts of the Day:
Date: 03/July/2002 (morning and afternoon)
From: Dumfries
Via: Loch Ken
To: Galloway Forest Park
Miles: 54
Midges: 575 (Estimate)
Weather: Sunshine, clouds and showers
Mood: Calm

After a very good breakfast at the Brackenridge Guest House and some shopping in Dumfries I left for the Galloway Forest Park. If you wonder why I don't mention the Burns' House or the Robert Burns Centre, I had visited them on a previous visit already. On my way to the Galloway Forest Park I passed Loch Ken (picture on the right), although I didn't stop for very long. Through New Galloway I entered the Galloway Forest Park on the A712, the only road crossing the park. My first stop was at Clatteringshaws Loch, a reservoir surrounded by forests. On its shores are also two "attractions": First a model of an Iron Age roundhouse. This reconstruction was built based on excavations several years ago when the reservior was drained. The other one is Bruce's Stone. Bruce's Stone is a huge boulder where Robert the Bruce is supposed to have rested after defeating the English army here on Moss Raploch in 1307. I'm not sure if the dog thought it was Robert the Bruce's reincarnation, at least it behaved like it on its lookout. Here I also encountered the first midges, not too many, but enough. They live in the woods near the visitors centre, so don't stop moving there or you will be surrounded by midges. I then drove on and stopped again just past the bridge below the dam from the reservior. From here I took a long walk on one of the Forestry Commission tracks into the pine forests. Somewhere I read that green is supposed to calm you down, well, I certainly had enough green around here. I also found the very nice view on the right, although I don't know the name of the loch in the valley. After several hours of walking I returned to my car to drive on. My last stop in the Galloway Forest Park was at the Glen of The Bar, where you have a quite nice view from a viewing platform. To prove that I was there a "self portrait" on the left. And with that it was enough green, time to make my way to the Ayrshire coast and to Ayr.