Galloway Ranger 2016

www.forestry.gov.uk/gallowayforestpark

What’s Inside?The Forest at NightAncient Mountain WoodlandArchaeologyGalloway’s Guides to the GalaxyOur ApprenticesEvents & Activities & more!

www.forestry.gov.uk/gallowayforestparkThe Galloway Ranger2

Contents2 Welcome3 Echoes in Stone4 Reviving Our Native

Woodlands 6 Understanding Bat

Behaviour 7 Explore Town Woods8 The Galloway Forest

Guides to the Galaxy 9 Meteors 10/11 Forest Park map12 Our Apprentices 13 Fishing & Horse Riding14 Stay safe on the hills

Run. Bike. Win. Night Riders

15 Hire Kirroughtree 16 Wildlife Recording17 A Perfectly Wild

Autumn Day18 Dare to be scared? 19 Galloway Forest Park

2016 Events20 Forest Fun

Welcome It’s Great Outdoors!

Welcome to the 2016 Galloway Ranger,your guide to the great outdoors of theGalloway Forest Park. This year we’re

delving into the dark side of the UK’s largest forestpark. Let the Galloway Ranger be your guide to thenight time hours – the ideal time to search fornocturnal wildlife, to catch shooting stars and toembark on spot-lit, late-night outdoors adventures.

There is a wealth of adventures, experiences andencounters waiting for you within the GallowayForest Park. You could explore 300 square miles ofmixed woodland, enjoy beautiful landscapes, take in3 visitor centres, choose from 27 waymarkedwalking trails, plentiful fishing-friendly lochs andrivers, discover fascinating wildlife, historical sites,horse riding trails, art installations, two of the7stanes mountain biking centres and the UK’s firstDark Sky Park.

A lot has been happening over the past year. All three of the Galloway Forest Park Visitor Centreshave been awarded silver status in the GreenTourism Business Scheme. The award is given tobusinesses that promote sustainable tourism

through activities such as energy efficiency, wastemanagement and biodiversity.

The Galloway Forest Park has also been gainingrecognition in tourism awards. We were a finalist inthe prestigious Scottish Thistle Awards for BestOutdoor / Adventure Experience and in November2015 Keith Muir, head of tourism with ForestEnterprise Scotland in Galloway, scooped theTourism Champion of the Year award at theDumfries & Galloway Life Awards for his work onthe Galloway Forest Park.

We’ve packed this year’s edition of the GallowayRanger full of articles designed to help you getmore out of your visit to the forest park. Make yourwildlife spotting count by contributing to wildliferecording, read about the work our EnvironmentTeam is doing to restore ancient, mountainwoodland, find out about the events and activitieshappening in the Galloway Forest Park this year anduse our handy guide to plan your perfect autumnday out.

Make the most of Scotland’s majestic outdoors.Your adventures await in the Galloway Forest Park.

Galloway Forest Park Visitor CentresKirroughtree – 01671 402165Clatteringshaws – 01644 420285Glentrool – 01671 840302Forestry Commission ScotlandGalloway Forest Park Office, Newton Stewart,Wigtownshire DG8 6AJ Tel: 0300 067 6800PoliceNon-emergency – 101Emergency – 999 (For Mountain Rescue dial 999and ask for Police)Galloway Mountain RescueDetailed mountain weather forecast for Gallowayavailable online at www.gallowaymrt.org.ukNHS 24 – 08454 24 24 24VisitScotland Information CentresCastle Douglas – 01556 502611 (seasonal)Dumfries – 01387 253862 Gretna – 01461 337834

Kirkcudbright – 01557 330494Moffat – 01683 220620 (seasonal)Southwaite – 01697 473445Stranraer – 01776 702595Information Point(in partnership with VisitScotland)Gatehouse-of-Fleet – 01557 814212VetsNewton Stewart: Creebridge Veterinary Centre – 01671 402247 Whithorn: The Priory Veterinary Centre – 01988 500356Castle Douglas: Dunmuir Veterinary Group – 01556 502400Castle Douglas: Stewartry Veterinary Centre – 01556 502263Kirkcudbright: Galloway Vet Group – 01557 330632

Useful contact details

Photography: Ian Findlay (including front coverimage), Andrew Jarrott, Lucy Hadley, ThomasHeaton, Peter Forster, Mark Pollitt, Chris Watt,Joshua Akin, Gareth Ventress, Luci Kirkpatrick,Niall Benvie, Shutterstock

Design & production by: Findlay DesignEditorial by: Indigo Words

The Galloway Ranger 3www.forestry.gov.uk/gallowayforestpark

The Galloway Forest Park holds within it a richand diverse range of historic sites andbuildings, many providing valuable clues to

our past. Forestry Commission Scotland aim toprotect, conserve and present this cultural heritageby investigating and recording our most significantsites. Bencallen Cairn in the Galloway Forest Park isa recent example.

The Bencallen Cairn is a Neolithic chamberedtomb that can be found above the road at Bencallen(NX 338 943). The massive stones mark the remainsof a 5,000 year old burial monument.

Chambered tombs were ‘houses of thedead’, used by a local community overmany years to inter the bones oftheir dead. The cairn was firstrecorded by localarchaeologist LionelMasters in 1981and recently itwas surveyedusing a terrestriallaser scanner.

The survey report informs siteconservation management andallows detailed condition monitoring inthe years to come. By presenting the data in anaccessible and aesthetic manner we can also use thescience of survey to help visualise and explain thepast, and the recent work at the Bencallen Cairn is asuperb example of what can be achieved.

Surveying using a laser scanner builds a 3D digitalmodel (known as a ‘point cloud’) of a site byrecording the reflection ‘echo’ of many millions ofindividual laser beams.

The laser scan ‘point cloud’ data can be used toprovide traditional plans and elevations, as well asorthographic views, 3D animations and textured

views. You can see a fantastic 3D laser scananimation of the Bencallen Cairn burial chamber onthe archaeology section of our website(http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk).

Bencallen Cairn survives today as a stone-builtchamber capped with large boulders. The slabs thatmake up the sides of the chamber are known as‘orthostats’ and, of the four orthostats that formthe chamber at Bencallen, one has collapsedinwards. The chamber is capped directly onto theside slabs using a massive angular boulder known asa ‘capstone’, while a single low ‘septal’ stone

separates the chamber into two compartments. Sadly, little remains of the cairn body other

than a small mound of rubble that surroundsthe main chamber, infact, it was probablyremoved in the past tobuild the largesheepfold nearby.However, by combiningnew survey techniquessuch as laser scanningwith a creativeapproach

archaeologists can produce both detailed siterecords and spectacular visuals of historic sites.

We have also been busy surveying similarchambered tombs on Arran and in Argyll, part of aprogramme of archaeological measured survey onScotland’s national forest estate. These records arehelping us interpret the chambered tombs andunderstand more about the people who built them.They are also vital when it comes to conservingthese significant historic assets and protecting themfor the future. Learn more about the associated‘Views of Neolithic Arran’ project at the ScottishArchaeological Research Framework website.

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Echoes in Stone

By commissioning archaeological measuredsurveys on Scotland’s National Forest

Estate, Forestry Commission Scotland enablesconservation management, conditionmonitoring and archaeological recording at ourmost significant historic assets. We also workwith our stakeholders to use the Estate as aplace for research and the development of bestpractice. We are proud to support Scotland’sArchaeology Strategy (seewww.archaeologystrategy.scot) and werecently sponsored the theme of‘Communicating Archaeology’ at the EuropeanAssociation of Archaeologists Glasgow 2015.

Archaeological Measured Surveys Across Scotland

Above: Contemporary archaeologicalsurveyors in action.

Left: The Bencallen Cairn is distinguished byits impressive capstone over a rectangularchamber. The end orthostat has collapsedinwards and it is not certain that this was theoriginal façade and entrance to the chamber.


Within the mountain scenery of the ForestPark are scattered remnants of anotherimportant habitat – treeline woodland

and montane scrub, the remains of our nativemountain woodland.

Native woodland and montane scrub is incrediblyimportant and across Europe’s mountain areas thesehabitats support a rich diversity of wildlife. Sadly inScotland only fragments remain, clinging to crags,cliffs and boulder fields where inaccessibility hasprotected these precious areas from hungry sheepand deer. Despite its scarcity, botanical surveys andornithological research in the Galloway Forest Parkhas shown that these important remainingfragments of natural woodland and montane scrubare rich in wildflowers, with the upper treelineproviding habitat for 52 species of birds.

In the Galloway Forest Park we are committed toreversing the decline of our treeline woodland andmontane scrub. An exciting new replanting project

is now underway to establish treeline woodland athigh elevation – mainly replacing closely packedconifers with a more widely spaced and diverserange of native species.

It’s a long term project which will take manydecades to come to fruition, and the goal is toenhance the whole of the Galloway Forest Park interms of wildlife and landscape, but the scarcity ofnative species brings with it some challenges.

Botanical surveys have found that there are lessthan 300 wild individuals of Downy Willow (Salixlapponum), 300 Juniper (Juniperus communis) andno more than 60 Aspen (Populus tremula) survivingin the Galloway Forest Park. To secure the long termfuture of these the Forest Enterprise Environmentteam have been collecting the seed and cuttingsfrom small remaining local populations on theMerrick range and nurturing them in poly tunnels inpartnership with the Cree Valley CommunityWoodlands Trust, the Forestry Commission’s

Reviving Our Native WoodlandsFrom the ancient oak woods rising from the shores of Loch Trool to themountains and moorlands of the Merrick Kells and the iconic Silver Flowe;Galloway Forest Park contains some of Europe’s most important habitats.

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Delamere nursery and private tree nurseries. The first of the small plants are now strong

enough to be planted on the high exposed hill aboveLoch Trool, so work establishing a new 300 hectarenative woodland on the Bennan and Benyellary hasbegun and more than 2,900 Juniper, 9,500 DownyWillow and 40,000 Aspen were planted in 2015, allgrown from the remnant wild Merrick stock.

Downy Willow and Juniper are being planted onhigher shallow soils around exposed rock, thenatural home for these species in Galloway. At theBennan and the lower slopes of Benyellary there willalso be some low density planting on moorland. Notall of the area will be planted and the density willvary to follow the natural landform and habitat type.The wet flushes and areas of peat will remainunplanted to form a natural mosaic.

In addition to Aspen, Downy Birch (Butulapubescens) and Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) will beplanted in treeline woodland with other native

Find Out MoreThe best way to get an overview of theproject is to follow the Merrick Hillfootpath that starts at the Bruce’s Stonecar park and head up through the area ofnew planting. To safeguard the youngtrees, please ensure the gates remainclosed.

Examples of all three tree species alongwith many other montane flora can beseen in the montane demonstrationgarden built and maintained by the CreeValley Community Woodland Trust in theGlentrool Visitor Centre carpark (DG8 6SZ).

1. 40,000 young aspen trees arebeing carefully grown from theremnant Merrick wild stock

2. One of the remaining 300 wildJuniper trees, on KirriereochHill, in the Range of the AwfulHand

3. The young aspen trees growingon at Cheviot Trees nursery

4. Planting commences onBennan

5. Some of the 2,900 youngjuniper that are being grownfrom native stock

species of local origin such as Sessile Oak (Quercuspetraea), Hazel (Corylus avelluna), Wych Elm (Ulmusglabra), Bird Cherry (Prunus padus), Hawthorn(Crataegus monogyna) and Holly (Ilex aquifolium)on the lower slopes and richer soils, following theclearance of the conifer crops.

Willows such as Eared (Salix aurita) and Grey(Salix cinerea) have started to naturally regeneratealong the watercourses and have been diversifiedwith a small number of less common Creeping Willow(Salix repens) and Tea-leaved Willow (Salix phylicifolia).

Cultivation and planting work will be ongoingthroughout the next 3 – 5 years and to protect theseimportant populations of locally rare trees andshrubs, a deer fence is being constructed around theproject area. This will remain in place during theestablishment phase (approx. 15-25 years) and afterthis time the new woodland will be relativelyresistant to grazing animals and the tall deer fencewill be replaced with a shorter stock fence.

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Luci Kirkpatrick is completing herPhD research looking at theimpact of forestry practices on

bat and invertebrate populations.Titled ‘How do silvicultural practicesinfluence bat populations incommercial coniferous plantations’,her research examines how batsmake use of plantation forests, andshe has shared her early findings withthe Galloway Ranger.

If you have ever wandered aroundGalloway Forest Park at dusk, or beenat Glentrool Visitor Centre when thesun starts to go down, you may havenoticed small black shapes flittingabout as the sun sets. These are bats,most likely soprano pipistrelles, whichfeed on small flies such as the everpresent and highly irritating midge. In fact, some estimates suggest asingle bat eats as many as 3,000midges in a night!

One third of UK mammal speciesare bats, but little is known aboutwhether bats are able to useplantation forests, the type of forestrymost widespread across the UK. Thisis important because all bats useforests at some point during their lifecycle.

All our UK bat species suffered largedeclines in the 70s and 80s, most likelydue to habitat loss and agriculturalintensification. As plantationwoodland is the most commonremaining woodland type in the UK itis important, for both conservationand effective forest management, tounderstand how bats use theseforests.

In 2012, I started my PhD researchwith Forestry Commission Scotlandand University of Stirling looking atwhether bats are able to useplantations, and if they are, wherethey are found. As part of thisresearch I have worked in Gallowayfor the last three summers, trappingand assessing bats, recording theirecholocation calls and attaching tinyradio tags to individual females tofollow them around the plantation. Ihave collected a huge amount of data,a lot of which remains to be analysed,but there are a few key findings

already coming out. Firstly, far from being avoided by

bats (which has been suggested bysome other studies), there are lots ofbats using coniferous plantations.During my research in Galloway wecaught or recorded every one of thebat species known to live in SouthWest Scotland (9 of the 17 speciescurrently known to live in Britain). Inaddition the soprano pipistrelle, whichis one of our smallest bats, is actuallybreeding in plantations, making use ofany houses or warm buildings they cansqueeze into to have their young.

The common pipistrelle is alsocommon in plantations but for somereason it is very good at avoidingcapture so we don’t know whetherthey are males or females. Howeverwe do know that both species areforaging along the edges of standsand forest roads through theplantation, with common pipistrellespreferring the felled areas. The large

insect populations supported by areaswhere felling has taken place turn outto be perfect for all the hungry batswho need to feed their young.

Bat activity in the plantation peakstoward mid August as the juvenilesborn in June start to fly. During thistime female soprano pipistrelles wererecorded travelling up to 40km in anight between their roosts and theirfeeding patches in the plantation,using rivers as bat ‘highways’. This isquite some distance considering theaverage weight of these bats is only 5to 6 grams!

All of the information we aregathering as part of this PhD will beused for the benefit of batconservation and to help ForestryCommission Scotland to bettermanage the plantations for the bats aswell as for us. So if you are out andabout in the plantations in summerand autumn look up and try to catch aglimpse of a bat flying overhead.

By Luci Kirkpatrick

UnderstandingBat Behaviour

Please note: Bats are a protected species and should not be handled without a license

Open from 10am, Feb – end OctRainton, Gatehouse of Fleet DG7 2DR tel: 01557 815 222 e: [email protected] www.creamogalloway.co.uk

Try our brilliant GoBoing, pedal karts, flying fox,

adventure playground, nature trails, events and

activities, Mini Play Zone, PLUS our new Crazy

Golf Course! Then indulge in a delicious ice

cream, with 25 flavours to choose from!

Deliciouslygood fun!


Explore Town WoodsThe Galloway Forest Park is one part of the

National Forest Estate in ‘Galloway ForestDistrict’; an area that reaches from the Mull

of Galloway north to Ayr and Arran, and stretcheseast across to Loch Ken and Castle Douglas.Within this area are many smaller woodlands,often located close to towns and communities,such as Barrhill Woods in Kirkcudbright,Gallowhill, Stranraer and Balloch Woods atCreetown. These town woods have rich histories,they are critically important habitats and provideaccessible woodland recreation experiences closeto our towns and communities.

Cally Woods: A WalkThrough History

On the edge of picturesqueGatehouse of Fleet Cally Woodsoffers a tranquil escape. Take awalk amongst a woodland ofoak, birch, sycamore and beechwhere carpets of bulbswelcome the warmth of springwith spectacular displays ofsnowdrops, daffodils andbluebells.

Cally Woods were once the grounds and openparkland of Cally House, now the privately ownedCally Palace Hotel. Designed in the mid 18thcentury by landowner James Murray ofBroughton, the land was sold to the ForestryCommission in 1933 and much of the parkland wasthen planted with deciduous species.

In the 1860s Henry Moule, who was responsiblefor managing the estate, completed a number ofsketches which have created a valuable record ofthe original plantings. Forexample, a sketch of the InnerGala hill shows the beechtrees you see near the startof the blue walk replaced anearlier beech plantation.

If you follow the blue walk you’ll find plenty ofhistory to discover, including the scene of ahighway robbery in 1819, marked by a sign to theRobbers’ Gate. The track leading to Robbers’ Gatewas the main road into Gatehouse before thepresent road into the town was built to the East in1823. Continue by crossing the Bush Burn you’llsee it has been straightened to show off thewaterfall which could once be admired from abridge underneath the current Bush Bridge.

The blue walk crosses the forest track and youare soon confronted by the substantial CallyMotte, the site of a fort dating back to the twelfth

century. Recent geophysicalresearch suggests that the fortcould have been destroyed byfire, possibly at the time of theuprising against the NormanFeudal Lords in 1174.

Descending the hill from theMotte, the walk begins toreturn to the car park, passinga section of ancient stone wall.This is a reminder that in theearly eighteenth century Callywas divided into parks for the

fattening of Black cattle which were sent to thegrowing towns of England.

Before finishing your walk notice the smallstream you cross. This is a ‘mill lade’, a manmadewatercourse, which took water to the local cottonmills. These were built in Gatehouse in the late18th century and this stream still helps turn thewheels at the Mill on the Fleet today.

ROuNDHOuSELOCH DOON

WEb CAmS FORLIvE OSPREy vIEWINGTHE

Come and see our new resident ospreys at Loch Doonopposite the Roundhouse. Spotting scopes provided for

public use to view these magnificent birds. Fresh GroundCoffee, Tea, Hot and Cold Snacks, Selection of Cakes, Ices

and Confectionery. Remember it’s FREE fishing andcamping at Loch Doon!

Covered outside seating area. Customer Toilets. Free customerParking. Come to Loch Doon Dalmellington KA6 7QE

Just off the A713 with spectacular views over theloch ... the Northern access to the Galloway Forest Park

Open 7 days Apr til Oct 9am til 6pm (Osprey viewing Apr til Sep)if the weather’s great we’re open til 8pm

Winter Opening Saturday/Sunday 10.30am til 4.30pm Like us on facebook ... ‘visit loch doon’

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The Galloway ForestGuides to the Galaxy

There’s no better place to go stargazing livethan the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park.Look up into the velvety night sky and be

amazed by your close encounter with the universeas you feel the force of the sparkling arch of theMilky Way reaching to infinity and beyond.

Not sure what to look for? Don’t panic. Over thepast year Forestry Commission Scotland andGalloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere havebeen recruiting four Dark Sky Park Rangers to helpyou watch the skies. Each one equipped with theskills and knowledge to point you in the rightdirection as you contemplate the wonders of thesolar system, and of space, the final frontier.

By hiring your very own Dark Sky Park Rangeryou’re one small step away from having a richer,deeper appreciation of the starstuff stretchingabove us in the night sky.

Morag Paterson “As well as general walks and presentations on thenight sky I offer night time photography workshopsin partnership with my husband, Ted Leeming. Awide range of subjects can be offered includingtimelapse, star trails and focus stacking as well ascreative ideas for exploring night time photography.”Contact Morag: 01644 430 004 or 07917 102693www.leemingpaterson.com

Nick Robertson “For newbies I provide introductions to the Dark SkyPark. For astronomers I will organise logistics andtransport to the dark heart of the park. For hiking,

biking and adventure groups – events at your wildcamps. For hospitality, accommodation providersand groups – Nights with The Stars, entertainingpresentations and talks indoors or out.”Contact Nick: 01581 655005 or 07764 [email protected] www.4x4treksscotland.com

Elizabeth Tindal“With years of Ranger experience organisingactivities and events I offer a wide range of creativeenvironmental, space and star activities suitable forall ages and all seasons. From pond dipping tohome-made rockets, star gazing and moonwatching to camp fire evenings you will findsomething you like.”Contact Elizabeth: 01671 820814 or 07842 [email protected]

Matthew McFadzean “I was brought up with stories of the night sky anda love of nature and wild places. My passionsinclude fell walking, wild camping, nightnavigation, social pedagogy, star gazing andbuilding round houses. Give me a campfire in awoodland clearing, a canopy of stars and a groupof people to share it with and I am happy.”Contact Matthew: 01387 840340 or 07548 [email protected]

Visit www.forestry.gov.uk/gallowayforestpark orthe Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park facebook pagefor Dark Sky Park events.

Quadrantids: 1st – 5th JanUp to 40 meteors per hour at its peak on 3-4 Jan.

Lyrids: 16th – 25th AprUp to 20 meteors per hour at its peak on 22-23 Apr.

Eta Aquarids: 19th Apr – 28th MayUp to 60 meteors per hour at its peak on 6-7 May.

Delta Aquarids: 12th Jul – 23rd AugUp to 20 meteors per hour at its peak on 28-29 Jul.

Perseids: 17th Jul – 24th AugUp to 60 meteors per hour at its peak on 12-13 Aug.

Draconids: 6th – 10th OctUp to 10 meteors per hour at its peak on the evening of 7th Oct.

Orionids: 2nd Oct – 7th NovUp to 20 meteors per hour at its peak on 21-22 Oct.

Leonids: 6th – 30th NovemberUp to 15 meteors per hour at its peak on 17-18 Nov.

Geminids: 7th – 17th DecUp to 120 meteors per hour at its peak on 13-14 Dec.

2016 Meteor Showers

Nick Robertson,

[email protected]

www.4x4treksscotland.com

+44(0)1581655005

+44(0)7764152650

Craigenveoch Farm,

Glenluce, DG8 0LD

Dark Sky Park Ranger led experiences

Vehicle based exploration of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky

Park & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere with your own Dark

Sky Park Ranger. Introductions to the Dark Sky – Logistics

and transport for astronomers and astro-photographers

into the heart of the Park – Events at wild camps –

Entertaining presentations and talks indoors & out.

Nick Robertson, +44(0)1581655005 +44(0)7764152650

[email protected] www.4x4treksscotland.com

Craigenveoch Farm, Glenluce, DG8 0LD

Explore the back country tracks & trailsof Galloway in YOUR or OUR 4x4

1, 2 and 6 day tours through remote Galloway Highlands

on estate, farm and forest tracks linked by scenic roads.

Options incl. shooting trip, Red Deer experience, farm

tour, Mull of Galloway Lighthouse. From £60 per person

including services of our guide in our well equipped 4x4.

Drumroamin FarmCamping & Caravan Site

1 South Balfern, Kirkinner, Newton Stewart

Tel: 01988 840613 or 0775 247 1456

www.drumroamin.co.uk

Friendly and privately owned site withopen, level and well drained field.

Fine views of Wigtown Bay andsurrounding hills. Modern heated

toilet/shower block.

Barend Holiday Village, Sandyhills, DG5 4NUTel: 01387 780663 www.barend.co.uk

Barend Holiday Village

Open all year3 day minimum, any day of entry

Escape to cosy, comfy log cabins with indoor heated pool & sauna, bar& restaurant; between Dalbeattie &Mabie Trails.

From £262for 4 people for 3 nights(Quote GR16 for 10% off)

AirdsFarmAirds Farm offers comfortable B&B & self-catering accommodation in a peaceful & sceniclocation overlooking Loch Ken and the Galloway hills.

Airds Farm, CrossmichaelCastle Douglas DG7 3BG

www.airds.com

t: 01556 670418e: [email protected]

FARMHOUSEFFARMHOUSE

Scottish IndustrialRailway Centre

Dunaskin, Waterside, Dalmellington, nr Ayr, KA6 7JFwww.scottishindustrialrailwaycentre.org.ukinfo@scottishindustrialrailwaycentre.org.ukTel 01292 269 260 and 01292 313 579

Current Prices:Adult £5; Child £3;Family (2 Adults + 3 Children) £13

Steam hauled passenger trips over a short length of track, uniqueworking example of a fireless steam locomotive (certain dates only),steam powered model railway, souvenir shop & tea room, based onworking museum of industrial railways at the former NCB /Dalmellington Iron Company site. Open 11am – 4pm every Sunday inJuly & August. Other dates advertised on our website & leaflets. FreeCar Park. The Scottish Industrial Railway Centre is operated byregistered charity Ayrshire Railway Preservation Group, SC 016127


As PublicAstronomerat the Royal

Observatory inGreenwich, Dr MarekKukula helps explainastronomy to thepublic and the mediaand is responsible forexhibitions, planetarium shows and events at theObservatory. Marek has visited the GallowayForest Dark Sky Park several times to give talks andtake part in Dark Sky events.

Look up on any clear night of the year and, ifyou’re patient, you may well be rewarded with thethrilling sight of a meteor flaring across the sky.These fiery visitors from outer space are oftenreferred to as ‘shooting stars’ or ‘falling stars’ butthis is misleading – they really have very little to dowith the stars at all. The Ancient Greeks got it right:our word ‘meteor’ comes from the Greek meteorosmeaning ‘high in the air’ and that is indeed wheremost meteors occur – they are fragments ofasteroids and specks of comet dust from the distantreaches of the Solar System, burning up around 100kilometres above our heads. The brightest ones canbe visible even in the light-polluted skies of ourcities but a truly dark sky allows our eyes to seemuch fainter examples, making Galloway ForestPark a prime meteor-spotting location.

For most of these objects their glowing descent isthe final chapter in a very long story – one thatstretches back 4.5 billion years to the beginning ofthe Solar System and the formation of the Sun andplanets. Asteroids and comets are the leftover debrisof this planet-building process and so the fragmentsthat collide with our atmosphere each night are adirect link to the earliest period in our planet’shistory. Around 40,000 tons of material strikes theEarth every year, mostly in the form of particles nolarger than a grain of sand. The vast majority burn upcompletely before they can reach the ground butsome of the larger ones do survive the journey and,when they land, they graduate from meteors tometeorites.

As the ethos of the Dark Sky Park makes clear, theheavens are as much a part of our naturalenvironment as the landscapes and living creaturesthat surround us here on Earth. In fact meteors andmeteorites have played an important role in shapingthe environment of our planet and creating theconditions that life needs to thrive. It’s fairly certainthat 66 million years ago the impact of a giantmeteorite 10 kilometres across triggered a planet-wide environmental disaster, hurling vast clouds ofdust into the atmosphere and blotting out the Sunfor months or even years. This natural catastrophespelled doom for 75 per cent of species on Earth,including the dinosaurs, and every plant and animalalive today is descended from the lucky 25 per cent

that made it through the months of darkness andcold that followed the impact.

But meteorites don’t always spell doom anddisaster. Scientists suspect that when the Earth firstformed, our planet would have been as dry as a bone.The life-giving water that is such a prominent featureof the Scottish environment today is in fact an aliensubstance, brought to Earth in the distant past by theimpact of water-rich comets and asteroids. Withoutthese visitors we would have no lochs, no rivers, norain – and no whisky!

Luckily, large impacts such as the one that killedthe dinosaurs only occur on timescales of millions ofyears. For the last few decades astronomers havebeen busily scanning the skies and we are prettyconfident that nothing really dangerous is likely tostrike the Earth, at least for a century or two. In the

Often photography is about being in the rightplace at the right time, and that’s exactly

what happened to award winning photographerThomas Heaton. He captured this stunning imageof a meteor over Clatteringshaws Loch in 2012during a visit to the Galloway Dark Sky Park.

Thomas described the experience of Galloway’sdark skies in his blog:

“We were absolutely amazed by what we couldsee. Not only with Charlotte’s (his girlfriend) newscope, but with just our eyes. It really wasastonishing, however nothing could prepare usfor what we were about to witness.

“The fireball was blue, red and green in colourwith dazzling sparks flying off it, so bright it lit up

the entire car park. Immediately I knew we werewitnessing something special. In awe, wewatched this extraordinary fireball cross the sky.”

Having previously set his camera up tophotograph the Milky Way, Thomas grabbed hiscamera, hit the shutter and 30 seconds later hadcaptured this iconic photography of a meteor thathad been sighted from Kent to Scandinavia. Thephoto was published in seven nationalnewspapers, including a half page in The SundayTimes.

Thomas added:“I will never forget this wonderful evening. If

you want dark skies, then you need to visit thislocation.”You can see more of Thomas’ work and read thestories behind his photographs atwww.thomasheaton.co.uk

meantime we can sit back and enjoy the lightshow astheir smaller cousins burn up harmlessly above ourheads.

At certain times of the year, when the Earth passesthrough the trail of dust left behind by a passingcomet, we can even get meteor showers, withdozens visible every hour. Particularly reliableshowers in winter are the Leonids, which peakaround November 18, and the Geminids, which peakon December 14 – although meteors should also beplentiful for several days on either side of thesedates. The biggest danger from these spectacularshowers is not extinction but frostbite, so rememberto wrap up warm and prepare to witness a truecosmic wonder – and a reminder that our naturalenvironment extends far beyond Earth itself.

Astrophotography

By Dr Marek Kukula, PublicAstronomer, Royal ObservatoryGreenwich

Meteors


Galloway Forest Park


VolunteeringOpportunities The Galloway Forest Park is on the

lookout for volunteers for a brandnew project!

Are you interested in spending a few

hours a week helping our visitors get toknow the wildlife in the GallowayForest Park? Perhaps you havepractical skills you’re happy to share, ormore specialised skills and knowledgeyou think would be of interest to theGalloway Forest Park and our visitors?

Over the past year we’ve had quite afew enquiries about volunteering

opportunities from people who arekeen to share their passion andenthusiasm for Galloway and theoutdoors. Volunteering can betremendously rewarding, so if it’ssomething you’re interested infinding out more about, pleasecontact the team on 0300 067 6800.

Our Apprentices The Forest Enterprise apprentice programme

is growing a new team of skilled foresters inGalloway Forest District to help manage and

maintain our precious woodlands for decades tocome. Four apprentices are half way through theirtwo year training programme in Galloway wherethey gain valuable experience of all aspects offorestry. Galloway Ranger asked two of theapprentices for an insight into their journey so far.

After an early start and a brief from oursupervisor, we gather together the tools that

we need for the day’s work. We then jump in ourvan and head out into the forest to our work site.

Today we’re out on one of Galloway’s manyfootpaths that weave around the beautiful LochTrool. Our job is to cut down Spruce trees that havegrown too big for the path and are now becoming anuisance to walkers.

The first thing we do when we get to the site isidentify all of the hazards we might encounter andwrite them down into a risk assessment to minimisethe chances of something going wrong while we areworking. After this we put out our signs to warn thepublic that we will be working along the trail today.

Next we divide into two teams of two. We work

at either end of the trail, one on the chainsaw andthe other keeping a lookout for walkers who may becoming down the path. As a chainsaw operator, it’smy job to safely fell trees across the path, removethe branches and then cut the trees into logs whichare then stacked and left to rot in the forest. Byleaving the logs to rot we create a valuable habitatfor a host of invertebrates and birds.

After a quick lunch, we get back to work fellingtrees along the final stretch of the trail.

Thoroughly exhausted and with the job done, allthat is left to do is make sure that we leave the sitesafe and tidy. We then head back to our workshopsto clean and maintain our tools so they are ready touse again tomorrow.

This is just one example of a normal day as aForestry Commission Apprentice. Over the course ofmy two years apprenticeship in Galloway I’ve beenlucky enough to train and work with a whole host ofhighly skilled people, undertaking a vast range ofjobs from maintaining mountain bike trails rightthrough to creating habitats for rare species such asthe red squirrel and nightjar.

Thanks to the apprenticeship I hope that at theend of my two years I will be skilled enough to takeon a permanent role as a Craftsperson with theForestry Commission across Scotland.

As a result of his apprenticeship Sam has now beenoffered a full time job in Yorkshire as a craftsperson.

Being one of four apprentices in Galloway ForestDistrict has been a brilliant experience, both

working with such a knowledgeable crowd of peopleand carrying out day to day tasks in this beautifullandscape.

The most enjoyable part of the job is the variety oftasks we undertake, such as strimming pathways,planting trees, fencing and helping with publicactivities. These tasks have really improved my skills,for example, being given the opportunity to attendcourses in spraying sites, using brushcutters andclearing saws and learning to safely operatechainsaws.

The most challenging part of the job has beentrying to learn the vast expanse of forest that coversGalloway, and a year on since starting myapprenticeship I am still regularly asked to go to siteswhich I have never heard of, nor can pronounce!

Our first month in Galloway was getting a broadoverview of each forestry department, and seeinghow closely such a large number of people have toco-ordinate their work amongst each other to ensuretargets are met.

We then spent 6 months working with ForestManagement, whose role is preparing and managingeach forest coupe for the first 5 years to get the treesestablished and well-spaced. Whilst in ForestManagement we worked on some of the most farflung sites in Galloway, which gave me a goodunderstanding of how difficult it is preparing theground and growing trees in some very diverseenvironments.

We then moved on to Recreation, the departmentwhich we are currently in. With 3 visitor centres andother visitor attractions all in one district we havebeen involved in the constant maintenance of themany walking and bike trails.

Once I have completed my apprenticeship I hopeto use the skills I have gained to continue work in theforestry sector out in the awesome Scottishcountryside.

Forestry ApprenticeshipsForestry Apprenticeships are open to peopleaged 16-60. They’re run across Scotland with20 successful candidates at the last intake. Thetwo year apprenticeship covers SVQ level 2/3Trees and Timber, including basic qualificationsin chainsaw and strimmer use. Futureapprentice opportunities will be advertised inthe vacancies section of the ForestryCommission Scotland website.

A Day in the Life of an Apprentice By Samuel Fletcher

One Year OnBy Matthew Lingard


Fishing Permits may be obtained from any of the following outlets:

Horse access points with space for horse boxes can be found throughout the Forest Park

1 Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre Tel 01644 420285

2 Geoff Shaw, Kirriereoch Tel 01671 840288

3 Glentrool Visitor CentreTel 01671 840302

(Open from 21st March)

4 Robert Ryman, Glenrazie Lodge Tel 01671 403560

5 Galloway Forest Park Office,Tel 01671 402420

Creebridge, Newton Stewart

6 Kirroughtree Visitor Centre Tel 01671 402165

7 The Breakpad, Tel 01671 401303

Kirroughtree Visitor Centre

8 D & W Countryways, 19-21 Albert St,Tel 01671 403224

Newton Stewart DG8 6EF

9 Straiton Stores, Straiton Tel 01655 770208

10 Ayr Road Garage, 7 Ayr Road,Tel 01292 550487

Dalmellington

11 Gamesport of Ayr, 60 Sandgate, Tel 01292 263822

Ayr KA7 1BX

12 McCowan & Son, 50-52 King Street, Tel 01556 502009

Castle Douglas

13 Galloway Angling Centre, Tel 01671 401333

1 Queen Street, Newton Stewart

14 Pets Aquarium, 124 Main Street, Tel 01292 477863

Prestwick KA9 1PB (not on map)

15 Glenafton Stores, Mossdale, Tel: 01644 450281

Castle Douglas, DG7 2NF

• Weekly permits to fish all lochs except LochDee & Loch Bradan: £35

• Annual permit to fish all waters except LochDee & Loch Bradan: For coarse fishing – £50,for trout and coarse fishing – £75

• Conditions for fishing are printed on permitsand can be supplied on request

• The use of live bait, prawns or shrimps is notpermitted

• To conserve salmon and sea trout we operate acatch and release policy

• Annual permits are only available fromGalloway Forest Park Office, Creebridge,Newton Stewart. Please provide a passportsized colour photo and two separate forms ofidentity – e.g. driving licence/passport plus arecent utility bill with your address on

OPEN SEASON• Trout and salmon: 15th March to 30th

September. Season ends early to conservespawning fish

• Pike, Perch, Tench, Rudd: Open all year• Stroan Loch: Easter to 28th October • Loch Bradan is stocked with Brown Trout.

The other trout lochs are wild Brown Trout • Fishing is only allowed between 8am and

1 hour before sunset, except on Palnure Burnwhere fishing may continue after dusk

• The use of barbless hooks for all coarse fish isencouraged

• Please remove all litter including line and bait• For Brown Trout a minimum landing size of

9 inches (23cm) is encouraged• A bag limit of 1 fish is encouraged• If you see pollution please contact SEPA

Pollution Report Line: 0800 80 70 60

Horse riding is covered by the ScottishOutdoor Access Code and you are welcome

to use the forest roads. With access rights comeresponsibilities – please consider other forestusers who may be exercising their access rightsincluding walkers and cyclists by taking thefollowing precautions:

LOCHSLOCH BRADAN 3 3 £8 £4LOCH DEE 3 3 3 £20 £20BLACK LOCH (Fly preferred) 3 3 £8 £4LOCH OF THE LOWES (Fly preferred) 3 £8 £4LILLIES LOCH (Fly preferred) 3 £8 £4SPECTACLE 3 3 3 3 3 £6 £3GARWACHIE 3 3 3 3 £6 £3LOCH ELDRIG 3 3 3 £6 £3STROAN LOCH 3 3 3 £6 £3LINFERN LOCH 3 £6 £3

RIVERSPALNURE BURN (West bank 3 3 3 £8 £4only above Craignine fields)WATER OF MINNOCH 3 3 £8 £4(Above Kirriereoch bridge to end June – max 6 rods per day. Permits only from outlets 2 and 5)WATER OF MINNOCH 3 3 £10 £5(Above Kirriereoch bridge July to October – max 6 rods per day. Permits only from outlets 2 and 5)

Junior Rate

Daily Permit

Charge

Fly only

Easy access

Sea Trout

Salmon

Tench, RuddRoach

PerchPike

Brown Trout

Stocked

1 Avoid damaging the ground by riding on firm orhard surfaces, such as wide paths and tracks andwell-drained ground.

2 Remember that horse riding on narrow routesmay cause problems for other people, such aswalkers and cyclists – take extra care and giveway to walkers where possible or use analternative route.

3 If you are riding off-path, particularly in winter,take care to avoid going onto wet, boggy orsoft ground, and avoid churning up the surface.

4 Take care not to alarm farm animals andwildlife, particularly if you go round a fieldmargin. Do not go into fields where there aregrazing horses or animals that might be adanger.

No natural minnow fishing on any Forestry waters. More details,fishing availability, and online booking can be found on the FishGalloway website at www.fishpal.com/Scotland/Galloway


Run. Bike. Win.

Night RidersDark winter evenings needn’t stop you hitting

the trails, indeed mountain bike night ridingis becoming increasingly popular in the

Galloway Forest Park and it’s a fantastic way todevelop your biking skills. Strap on some goodquality lights, meet up with a group of bikingfriends, hit the trails and you’ll be in for a treat.

Riding in the dark heightens your senses andnarrows your field of vision to only what your lightscan illuminate. This creates a more intense bikingexperience, with bends and jumps in particularchallenging your confidence and testing your skills.

If you’re new to night riding check in at theBreakpad at Kirroughtree for advice on the lightingkit you’ll need and to find out about group nightriding sessions in Galloway Forest Park.

Night Riding Tips • Get properly kitted out with mountain bike lights

– most riders have a bar mounted light and ahelmet mounted light.

• Fully charge your lights - you don’t want to losepower halfway down a trail!

• Focus. Even if it’s a trail you know well, it will feelcompletely different in the dark.

• Take part in a group excursion or go with a groupof friends, night riding solo isn’t recommendedfor safety reasons

Pete

r For

ster

Come and visit us in Gatehouseof Fleet or Clatteringshaws!

Galloway Lodge Coffee & Gift ShopOpen every day, serving local food & drinks, with full breakfast and

lunch menu available. Gatehouse of Fleet, DG7 2HP, t: 01557 814001

Galloway Lodge at Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre

Open Mid Mar – Nov, serving light lunches and warm drinks!On the Queens Way, nr New Galloway, DG8 3SQ, t: 01644 420221

www.gallowaylodge.co.uk

There is a wide variety of walking and cyclingavailable in the Galloway Hills. Here are a fewsafety pointers to keep in mind.

Plan Ahead – Choose a route that isappropriate for the group’s fitness level andexperience.

Weather – The weather in the Galloway Hillscan change rapidly, always check a detailedforecast before setting out.

Clothing and Footwear – Conditions at the summits can be very different from those atthe base, so warm, windproof, waterproofclothing is essential.

Equipment – A map and compass are essential,and it’s vital that you know how to use them.

Food and Drink – Take plenty of supplies forthe group, and extra emergency rations.

Route Notification – Leave a note of yourproposed route with your host and anestimate of the time you expect to return, and use the Galloway Mountain Rescue onlineroute notification service.

On Your Walk – If you get lost don’t panic. Ifconditions allow try to seek a landmark whichyou can identify on the map. If not, and youhave shelter and warm clothing, then stay inyour position until help arrives.

For more information, take a look at theGalloway Mountain Rescue website,www.gallowaymrt.org.uk

Stay safe on the hills

The Kirroughtree Hillbilly Duathlon returns forits third year on the 14th – 15th May 2016,providing adventure and challenge for

competitors of all ages. This popular event makesthe most of the flowing trails around the GallowayForest Park; the run follows the walking paths andforest roads before competitors make a swifttransition to the 7stanes mountain bike routes.

Organised by Galloway Hillbillies, a group of localmountain bikers, the event is supported by theGalloway Forest Park and many local businesses, andit starts and finishes at Kirroughtree Visitor Centre.

The Galloway Hillbillies are keen to encouragemore people to try off road duathlon and will beoffering guided runs and rides of the race routes inthe weeks leading up to the event to helpcompetitors to prepare.

Competitors can enter individually and do boththe run and the bike sections or compete as a teamof one runner and one biker. All routes will besigned, supported by marshals with radio coverageand mobile first aid.

For details and entry forms for the KirroughtreeHillbilly Duathlon and for more information on futureGalloway Hillbillies events, visitwww.gallowayhillbillies.org or the ‘KirroughtreeHillbilly Duathlon’ facebook page.

Alternatively, pop into event partners theBreakpad at Kirroughtree who will be happy to assistwith any queries.


churchillcateringwww.churchillcatering.co.uk

Taste the differenceat Kirroughtree andGlentrool Visitor CentresChurchill Catering Ltd manage both locations and are now into our secondyear where we are continuing to develop the food and beverage offer andrange of services.

New for 2016 at Kirroughtree…With a full Costa Coffee hot and iced drinks menuAt Kirroughtree• We open every day at Kirroughtree with limited opening hours during the winterAt Glentrool• We are open weekends during the winter and every day from March 2016• During 2015, we have introduced a range of homemade cakes, toasties and panini and use Café Direct which is partly owned by Oxfam

We are delighted to cater for any event or function

• Free Wi- • Hot and Cold Food • Children’s Choices • Fresh Produce • Fair Trade

thebreakpad@ 7STANES Kirroughtree

Kirroughtree Visitor Centre, Palnure, Newton Stewart, Dumfries & Galloway, DG8 7BE e: [email protected] www.thebreakpad.com

Come and have some fun at the largest bike hire fleet in Dumfries and Galloway.

Based on-site at the visitor centre atKirroughtree 7stanes, we are a fully equippedbicycle shop, workshop and hire centre.

We offer a full range of quality bikes for everyone,including mountain bikes, kids bikes, fullsuspension bikes and electric pedal assist bikes.

We stock a wide range of clothing and bikeaccessories, as well as a workshop staffed byCytech qualified mechanics. Bikes from: TREK,Marin, Santa Cruz, Orange and Haibike. All hirebikes come with a helmet, and prices start from£10 per person.

Hire Price ListAdult Half Day Full Day

Standard £17 £22(TREK 3700 disc brake, Orange Clockwork)

Full Suspension £25 £35(TREK Fuel EX)

Electric £25 £35(Hardseven Haibike)

Demo - £50(Orange Five, Santa Cruz 5010 and Heckler)

U16s £12 £15(Trek 3700, TREK MT60 or FROG 55 & trailers)

Half Day: 10.45am-1.45pm or 2-5pmFull Day: 10.45am-4.45pmMulti and extended day prices also available

Early Bird Special £10 per person*8.30-10.30am *Booking essential.

Book online at www.thebreakpad.comor call us to reserve your bikes:

t: 01671 401303

Hire KirroughtreeKirroughtree is an ideal location

to hold events and festivals. Ifyou’re an event organiser or a

group leader, think about having yournext big adventure here.

From adventure sports to skillsdevelopment, educational activitiesand entertainment events – thefacilities and location of Kirroughtreemake it an attractive choice.• Event fields close to visitor centre -

ideal for marquees, setting up abase or transition tent and runningorganised activities or skill sessions.

• Lots of onsite parking for organisersand participants.

• Kirroughtree woods are perfect forbiking events, cross country runningand orienteering.

• On site catering available fromChurchill Catering Ltd in the VisitorCentre.

• Excellent washroom facilitiesavailable.

To discuss hosting your next event atKirroughtree contact the Recreationteam on 0300 067 6800.


The Galloway Ranger spoke to Mark Pollittat Dumfries & Galloway EnvironmentalResources Centre to find out more about

wildlife recording.

What is the Dumfries & Galloway EnvironmentalResources Centre?

“We act as a focal point for information aboutwildlife and habitats, helping to gather, manageand share information about the wildlifethroughout the region. So if you see someinteresting plants or animals when you are outand about, make a note and tell DGERC about it!”

Why is wildlife recording important?“To make decisions about how to protect and

enhance certain habitats for wildlife, we first needto know what lives there. This information comesfrom wildlife recording – people noting downinformation about when and where differentspecies are found and sharing that information. It helps us to understand when new speciesarrive, whether species are spreading into newareas or declining, and lets us identify places usedby rare or protected species.”

Where does this information come from?“Sometimes the information will come from a

professional ecologist doing a survey of a particularspecies or habitat, but equally members of thepublic can help by reporting wildlife they see whilstout enjoying a walk in the forest. Such informationis invaluable in helping to get a better understandingof where different species are found, particularlythose which are elusive, secretive or difficult tosurvey, like adders or common lizards for example.These biological records provide the basicinformation for all meaningful actions to protectand enhance our wildlife, both at a local andnational level. It’s an example of what we now referto as ‘Citizen Science’.”

What wildlife are people most likely to see in theGalloway Forest Park?

“The Park is home to lots of interesting andspecial plants and animals and you’re likely to comeacross wildlife wherever you go – red squirrels ordeer in the forest, butterflies in the hedgerows andgrasslands, fungi in the woodland or perhaps even alucky sighting of an otter or water vole on a streamor river.”

Wildlife Recording We know that a highlight for many of our visitors is spotting theamazing wildlife we have in the Galloway Forest Park, but did you knowyour wildlife spots could be providing valuable data to contribute topractical conservation activities?


How should members of the public send you theirwildlife spots?

“To make best use of your sightings we need tobe able to put a dot on the map which tells us thespecies you saw, where you saw it and when yousaw it. Photos can help us to confirm theidentification for you. You can pick up a simplewildlife records form at any of the Galloway ForestPark visitor centres or report your sightings onlineat www.dgerc.org.uk”

Wildlife Recording Events: Discovering Moths

To help put more wildlife dots on the map DGERCare running two ‘Discovering Moths’ mornings atClatteringshaws Loch. The purpose of these events isto find out which species live in the area. Special lighttraps will be placed around the loch on the previousnight and the traps will be examined the followingday to discover which species have been caught.

Come along and learn about how wonderfulmoths are. You will also be able to help release themoths back into the wild! These free of chargeevents will start at 10.00am at ClatteringshawsVisitor Centre on Wednesday 15th June andSaturday 30th July.

Create your perfect day by mixing and matching some of the GallowayForest Park’s Autumn Highlights using this self-guided itinerary.

8am Kirroughtree Wildlife Hide Head for the wildlife hide along the popular wildwatch trail. An early startmeans you’ll have a great chance of seeing many of the woodland animalsthat visit the feeders. Red squirrels, greater spotted woodpeckers,nuthatches and jays are seen regularly here, and autumn and winter areparticularly good times to see them. Take a walk along the trail for achildren’s play park and keep an eye out for damselflies and dragonflieszooming about near the wee pond.

10am-12noon Wild Goat Park The goats are fed at 10am each day, so the two hours following that arethe best time to see them. These are British Primitive Goats, the typethat would have been kept by our ancestors for their milk, meat andskins. There are around 50 in the Wild Goat Park and several hundredmore live in the surrounding hills.

10am-12noon Red Deer RangeOn selected dates throughout the year you can take part inMeet the Deer events at 10am where you’ll have a chance tohand feed the UK’s largest land mammal, and the annualRoaring Stags event and Rutting Week in early October is aparticular highlight. At any time of day you’ll be able to watchthese beautiful animals from the hide.

12noon-2pm Clatteringshaws Head up to Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre and marvel at the fantastic viewacross the loch while enjoying a delicious lunch. A short walk from thevisitor centre to Bruce’s Stone is a nice way to get a bit of fresh air. Lookout for the Rosnes Benches as you go, they’ll let you experience theGalloway Forest Park from a whole new perspective!

2pm-4pm Red Kite Feeding Station Take an afternoon visit to Bellymack Hill Farm’s Red Kite Station atLaurieston. The kites are fed at 2pm every day and the feedingspectacle continues for quite some time as the birds swoop in to grabmorsels of meat. This is a great opportunity to see an impressivegathering of these magnificent birds.

4pm-8pm Explore and Dine Find a magical place to explore in the Galloway Forest Park and go onan early evening stroll. The walks around Glentrool Visitor Centre and,close by, Penninghame Pond are particularly stunning in autumn, withclusters of beautiful autumn fungi lining the forest floor. Afterwards,head to a nearby village or town for an evening meal filled with localflavours.

8pm-Late Stargaze After dinner head out to one of the manyrecommended sites in the GallowayForest Park and view the night sky. You’llexperience some of the darkest skies inEurope as the heavens put on aspectacular show of constellations,planets and thousands of stars.

A Perfectly Wild Autumn Day

Look Out For o Red Squirrelo Addero Common Toado Ottero Scotch Argus butterflyo Badgero Pine Marteno Cuckooo Common Lizardo Black Grouse


A naturally inspiringplace to visit

We have a fantastic display of gems, crystals, minerals and fossils - a collection ofunique and breathtaking creations from all over the world. Enter the Professor’sstudy and cafe to relax or research, savour our homebaking in the tearoom beforewatching the audio visual presentation “The Fire in the Stones”. Then experiencethe amazing Crystal Cave. Finally, to complete your day, visit our unique gift shop.

10% DISCOUNT

ON ADMISSIONS

FOR 2016

BRING THIS ADVERT!

The Gem Rock Museum, Chain Road, Creetown, Dumfries and Galloway, DG8 7HJ, Scotland Tel: 01671 820 357

Open: Apr to Sep every day 9.30am – 5.30pm, Oct every day 10am – 4pm,Nov to Mar 5 days Wed to Sun 10am – 4pm

For more information visit www.gemrock.net

AFTER A DAY IN THE FOREST VISIT OUR FANTASTIC TEAROOM. SAVOUR THE FLAVOURS OF OUR RENOWNED BAKING, QUALITY TEAS AND COFFEES.

GEM & CRYSTAL DISPLAYS • GEM CUTTING WORKSHOP • PROFESSOR’S STUDY THE AMAZING CRYSTAL CAVE • AUDIO VISUALS • GIFT SHOP

an experience you’ll treasure forever!

If you go down to the woods overHalloween you’re sure of the

fright of your life!The Galloway Forest Park team

are on a mission to makeKirroughtree’s Friday Fright Nightthe scariest Halloween event inScotland. Last year’s event was asell out and planning for the 2016Halloween spectacle of terrorstarted almost immediately.

Ranger Lucy Hadley said: “Kirroughtree is a perfect location

for taking people on a spooky walkthrough the dark side of the forest.The low lying mist we often get here

and the deep, dark skies adds to theatmosphere and helps to dial up thedrama of the event.

“The Friday Fright Night is thepinnacle of psychological terror butwe also have a slightly less scarywalk which is suitable for familieswith very brave children thefollowing night. We don’trecommend either of these eventsfor people with heart conditions orfor anyone who is easily scared.”

See opposite for dates. To bookyour tickets contact 0300 0676800

Dare to be scared? Visit LoganBotanic GardenScotland’s most exotic GardenNew Logan Conservatory | Potting Shed Bistro Gift Shop | Plant Sales | Guided Walks and Events

| 15 March to 31 October | Sundays in FebruaryAdmission: Adult £6.50 | Concession £5.50 | Children under 16 go freeIncludes small voluntary donation to the Garden. For entry prices without donation please see website.

Port Logan, Stranraer, DG9 9NDTel 01776 860231 | www.rbge.org.uk/logan

Part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, a charity registered in Scotland (no SC007983)

Horror Trail Family event (suitable for 7 – 13 year olds)Sat 29 Oct 6.30pm – 8.30pm Indoor crafts, adult and children fancydress competition, lantern competition,scary walk and storytelling. £4 adult, £3per child/concession, £12 family ticket (2 adults and 2 children). Price includesparking charge.

Woodland WinterWonderland Fri 9 & Sat 10 Dec 4-8pm A magical new evening event whereyou’ll follow a beautifully lit trailthrough the woods, enjoy carol singers,tuck into mulled wine and mince piesand visit Santa. This sparkling winterevent is full of festive atmosphere togently ease you into the Christmasspirit. Full details and ticket prices tbc.Booking essential. Check website andlocal press for details.

Santa’s Grotto Sun 11 Dec 10-3.30pmVisit Santa in his winter grotto atKirroughtree Visitor Centre, soak up thefestive atmosphere, take part in craftsand follow a woodland treasure trail.£3 per child. Car parking charges apply.

Marvellous Moths atClatteringshawsWed 15 June at 10amSat 30 July at 10am Find out about the wonderful world ofmoths! See which local species havelanded in our light traps and helpDGERC staff to record our finds. Allmoths will then be released carefullyback in to their natural habitat. Freeevent (car parking charges apply).

Dark Sky Events atClatteringshawsClatteringshaws will be holdingvarious dates for night-timephotography classes and also dark skytours, please keep an eye on ourFacebook pages for details.

RSPB Scotland atClatteringshaws Go wild at Clatteringshaws withregular visits from RSPB Scotlandstaff. They’ll help you discover whatlurks in the nearby loch or forest, withbug hunts and creatures on displayand they’ll tell you all aboutGalloway’s Red Kites. There are no setdates. To find out more check onlineat www.gallowaykitetrail.com or onfacebook page Galloway Kite Trailpage or twitter @RSPBDandG.

Meet the Deer At various dates throughout the yearyou can meet and hand feed the deerin the Red Deer Range. The RoaringStags and Rutting Week take place inOctober. Check website for details.

Easter at KirroughtreeSun 27 March 2-3pm Annual Easter fun and games atKirroughtree Visitor Centre. Will youspot the Easter bunny out and aboutin the Galloway Forest Park during theEaster weekend? Free event (carparking charges apply).

Owl Magic at KirroughtreeSun 3 April 10am–4pm Educational owl display team. Freeevent (car parking charges apply).

Treemendous Thursday Various dates and locations (see below) 2-3pm Family fun in the forest suitable for 5 – 11 years. Children must beaccompanied by an adult. Sturdyfootwear strongly advised. Free event(car parking charges apply).

14 Jul – Orienteering at Kirroughtree21 Jul – Den Building at Kirroughtree28 Jul – River Dipping at Otterpool(Raiders Road Forest Drive)4 Aug – Sun Spotting at Glentrool11 Aug – Den Building at Kirroughtree18 Aug – Wildlife Walk at Kirroughtree25 Aug – Sun Spotting at Glentrool1 Sep – Den Building at Kirroughtree

Friday Fright Night Fri 28 Oct 6.45pm – 9.45pm(strictly 14 years and older)£10 per person. Ticket includes theWalk of Terror, soup and rollafterwards to help you recover andcar parking. Booking is essential dueto limited tickets.

The Wee Spook Sat 29 Oct 2pm – 4pm Family event (suitable for 3 – 6 year olds). Indoor crafts, games, children’s fancydress competition, storytelling. Short‘Silly Skeleton’ trail. £2 per child. Nobooking required.

Galloway Forest Park 2016 Events


River Cree

Galloway Arms

freeparking

Superstore

DashwoodSquare

B7079

A714

To A75

Vict

oria

St

Albe

rt S

t

Church Ln

Church St

NewtonStewart

We arehere

Brand new town centre location!

• Parts • Accessories • Clothing • Bicycles for all ages

Bike Hire

The service you’ll receive in our family run bike shopis second to none, we stock an extensive range of

Our fully stocked workshop and excellent mechanic will help keepyou rolling and we’re happy to offer route planning and advice.

Our extensive hire fleet has bikes

for all ages and styles of cycling.

Kids bikes, mountain, hybrid and

electric bikes.

Rates Half Fullday day

Tag-a-long/seat £4 £6

Under 16’s £7 £12

Adults £10 £18

Electric £15 £25

Family £30 £54

(2 x kids, 2 x adults)

Kirkcowan Cycles

t: 01671 401529The Old Red Cross Hall, Victoria Lane, Newton Stewart DG8 [email protected] www.kirkcowancycles.co.uk

Open Mon-Sat 9am to 5pm all year

There’s a lot going on in the Galloway Forest Park this year, here are some of thehighlights! You’ll also find a treasure trove of event and activity information on ourwebsite www.forestry.gov.uk/gallowayforestpark

Newfor

2016!

Newfor

2016!

Halloween atKirroughtree

Christmas atKirroughtree


If you are aged 10 or under then enter our colouringcompetition for your chance to win a £10 book token.Drop your entry off at any of the visitor centres in theGalloway Forest Park. Closing date: 30th Nov 2016.

Name:

Age:

Address:

Postcode:

Our chosen winner last year was:Our chosen winner last year was:Holly, age 6 from Crewe

Runner up: Mia, age 6 from Dumfries

Moths come in an amazing variety ofcolours and sizes. Design a moth that you’dlike to spot in the Galloway Forest Park!

Colouring competition

For only £3 per month you can enjoy unlimited parkingin the Galloway Forest Park when you buy our annual

parking permit. Valid for 12 months from the date ofpurchase your annual parking permit gives you a perfectexcuse to enjoy the great outdoors all year round.

Parking permits cost £36 and can be purchased fromany Visitor Centre in the Galloway Forest Park. Best of allany parking fees you’ve already paid on the day ofpurchase will be deducted from the cost of your permit!

It’s great outdoors, so give yourself and your familythe gift of unlimited dog walks, unlimited family daysout, unlimited exploring and unlimited enjoyment in theGalloway Forest Park this year.

A Year of Great Days Out

HC: Nicola, age 10 from North Lincolnshire

HC: Thomas, age 7 from Stranraer

HC: Elisha, age 5 from Stranraer

*HC: Highly commended

Galloway Ranger 2016

Documents

Transcript of Galloway Ranger 2016