Walk No 28

Castles, wildfowl and a hill fort

This time our route rambles through the historic countryside surrounding the Nith Estuary.  

It starts from Castle Corner car park, at Grid Ref: NY 019 652, on the road between Glencaple to Caerlaverock Castle.  There is usually plenty of room to park a car here at this wide bend. There is a recently formed all weather path from here heading east along the edge of the forest.  That hard pad now gives extremely easy access through the Castle Wood.  Woodpeckers drum incessantly in this rather special wood in early spring.  Through the winter months the surrounding area is home to thousands of beautiful barnacle geese and majestic whooper swans. Keep an eye out for roe deer as you move quietly through the forest. Eventually a rather futuristic looking wildlife hide is reached. The hide has notices explaining about the rare Natterjack Toad. The weird rupping calls of these rare reptiles fill the night air here in early summer.  This walk holds plenty of interest at all times of the year and from this hide owls and other raptors can be seen hunting on the Merse (salt marsh).
From the hide the path follows the edge of the forest northwards with wide views over the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. The flocks of barnacle geese overwinter here along with other wonderful wildfowl. Eventually we pass some houses and a farm track is reached. Following that track through the trees soon brings us to the foundations of the first Caerlaverock Castle built here in 1220. 
Walking on just a little further gives us a good view of the magnificent towers of the later triangular castle. This sandstone fortress was built in 1270 and thirty years later it suffered a siege by Edward Longshanks the hated Hammer of the Scots. It was the ancient seat of the once powerful Maxwell clan. If you wish to visit the castle and grounds buy a ticket from the shop. 
Our route follows on up to the tarmac of the B725. We go straight across the road there and follow past Wardlaw Mains on our left. The view ahead is dominated by a tree topped hill and a track, then a rough path, takes us to its airy summit. The views from here are extensive and it is easy to see how the Maxwells picked this elevated spot as a look out post and clan gathering place. 
Caerlaverock means the castle of the larks. That still holds true today when skylarks, with their trilling calls, can still be seen climbing high above the castles and the reserve. Nothing now remains but for us to backtrack down the hill to the B725.   We then turn right and carefully follow the tarred road back down the hill to Castle Corner car park.
Map:  OS Explorer 314
Distance = 3 Miles approx
Ascent    = 300 Feet approx
Dave McFadzean