Today was a bit of a mixed day, the weather was very hit and miss, so we decided to stay local and potter about. I'd had my eye on popping into Wigtown since I arrived, and there are a few birding spots in the area. So we decided to go to those first and then have lunch in Wigtown.
First stop was the new RSPB reserve at the Crook of Baldoon, and on the approach we found forty plus Whooper Swans in a field. The wind was biting cold though and there is little to no parking as yet at the reserve, especially in winter when there's mud everywhere, so we gave up and headed back again. It was a shame, but it means a return trip maybe one summer to see how they're progressing with the site.
From there we decided to drop in at the gift shop at Bladnoch Distillery, but they couldn't sell alcohol before ten o'clock so it was off to Wigtown Harbour to see the birds at their hide. Or at least that was the plan until we arrived and discovered the tide was up so high that the path was flooded. Off to the bookshops!
We spent the best part of two hours walking around the bookshops in town, apparently there are over two hundred and fifty thousand books in Wigtown. I was in heaven, and spent far too much money, and now I've realised I didn't even look for half the stuff I wanted to. Dammit. By the time we were done it was too early to have lunch and the tide still wasn't out, so we made the five minute journey back to Bladnoch and went for a distillery tour. It was brilliant, and I've done a few now, despite only having been legal to drink for just under two years, I used to trail round after Mum and Dad listening avidly to the guides. I could probably give a tour myself, with what I've picked up over the years. Anyway, after a wee Dram we headed back to Wigtown and got some delicious food at Blooming Lovely cafe.
We did pop back to the Harbor but decided that it was too cold for a walk and so headed off to find a cemetary on the coast that had some special headstones. We found it, and there was the headstone with Skull and Crossbones on it, which was apparently not uncommon at the time. So that was interesting, if not cold! We also popped round to a place called Knockbrex, near Bogue, and saw some amazing architecture on what looked like it should be an old monastery. I did some research when I got home though, and discovered that it was in fact a dairy farm, and part of Knockbrex Estate which was owned by James Brown, Chairman of Affleck and Brown. Frankly, I need to find half a million pounds, because I need to own that building. It's captured my heart and I want it, Dad says his pockets are sewn up, I don't blame him, it needs so much work to restore it, but it could be beautiful when its done, and a tourist attraction too.
Anyway, before I get carried away with dreaming about a derilict dairy farm, I should add that today was our last day here, and I probably wont be blogging for a while. I wish that I had more interesting things to blog about, but I rarely get time to go birding on the days I work, so I have to fit it in on the days I don't, which doesn't always work. Maybe mum and I will go up to WWT Barnes soon, while Dad is at work. We'll see what the weather holds.
Thirty Two days until the chaos is over folks, thirty seven to the New Year and Fifty till my next trip to Scotland, and probably my next blog! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year if I don't get to blog beforehand.
Coming Soon: A Highland Diary
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