Kirkcowan is a village within a larger district of the same name in Dumfries and Galloway, a few miles northwest of Wigtown. Its War Memorial is in the form of a Celtic cross on a tapered column atop a square plinth and lies in the churchyard.

The top panel is inscribed, “In memory of the gallant men of Kirkcowan who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1919.” The lower panel continues, “And of (11 names) who gave their lives in the World-War 1919-1945.”

Also in the churchyard was a war grave. Private D F Hamilton, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles,) 8/3/1918, aged 22:-

The Mull of Galloway is Scotland’s most southerly point.

The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse is situated at the very tip of the Rhinns of Galloway Peninsula.

Lighthouse from car park:-

From approach path:-

The Lighthouse is one of the Stevenson family lighthouses and was designed by Robert Stevenson grandfather of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson.

Information Board:-

Foghorn from lighthouse:-

It’s quite a steep way down to the foghorn via the path:-

On a good day you can see from the lighthouse not only Cumbria and Ireland but also the Isle of Man. It wasn’t a good day – as you can see from this photo of the nearby rocks:-

Logan Botanic Garden is in the Rhinns of Galloway Peninsula, Dumfries and Galloway. One of the reasons we were down that way was so that the good lady could visit.

The climate there is quite benign, warmed by the Gulf Stream, hence tree ferns:-

Just after the entrance there is an Australasian area which looks fairly weird in Scottish terms:-

More ferns:-

Further in we had some palm trees:-

And a pond with newts. I don’t recall ever seeing newts before:-

Tucked away in one corner of the garden was this tower, the remains of Castle Balzieland (see here):-

Yet another of those ancient monuments with which Dumfries and Galloway is so well endowed, the ruins of Chapel Finian lie on the shores of Luce Bay on the west side of the Machars Peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway. Named after St Finbar (there were several Saints of that name though and tripadvisor suggests this St Finbar may be one and the same as St Ninian) it was a Way Station – a welcome pit-stop – for monks travelling from Ireland to Whithorn in the early days of Christianity in Scotland.

Information Board:-

Central portion:-

From southwest:-

There’s another view of the chapel here with an aerial shot here.

Port William is a small port on the west shore of the Machars Peninsula, Dumfries and Galloway.

Harbour:-

Flagstaff with bird:-

War Memorial from distance:-

War Memorial close-up. A stone cross surmounting a hexagonal pillar on an octagonal plinth.

War Memorial Great War Plaque. Dedicated, “In memory of the men of Mochrum who gave their lives for King and Country 1914-1918.” Mochrum is the name of the parish which encompasses Port William:-

World War 2 Dedication, “In memory of the men of Mochrum who gave their lives for King and Country 1939-1945”:-

A stone obelisk on a mortared cairn, this is one of those memorials that lies at a road junction (here the A 746 and A 747 in the Machars peninsula, Dumfries and Galloway, near the road to St Ninian’s cave car park) and where there doesn’t seem to be much of a population about.

Inscribed, “Their name liveth for evermore,” and below, “In memory of the men from Glasserton Parish who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War, 1914-1918,” followed by 17 names. At bottom, “And in World War 1939-1945.” One name.

I couldn’t help recognising the scene in this photo from Saturday’s Guardian Review:-

It was illustrating an ensemble piece about various writers’ relationship with Europe.

The photo brought back memories of that wonderful trip we took down (and up) the River Douro from just that jetty in the picture and which I featured in this post:-

And this one:-

Curiously an item on Reporting Scotland on Thursday? night about the trip of Rangers to Porto for a Europa League* game also showed scenes of the same jetty. Synchronicity.

*So-called.

St Ninian’s Cave lies on the shores of Glenluce Bay, Dumfries and Galloway. It is traditionally held to be the place to where St Ninian retreated from Whithorn.

It is still a place of pilgrimage today. On our (long) walk down from the car park we overtook a party of schoolchildren (young teenagers) being escorted to the cave. On our way back they were grouped together – complete with guitars – at the site where the path meets the beach. I assume they were preparing to indulge in hymn singing.

St Ninian’s Cave from beach:-

Closer view of cave:-

Information board at cave entrance:-

Cave interior:-

There are carved crosses within the cave and other crosses on the hills and cliffs surrounding it:-

I liked the veining in the rock at this smaller cave nearby:-

Isle of Whithorn is not to be confused with Whithorn. It is about three miles further south and is one of the most southerly villages in Scotland. The locals refer to it simply as, “the Isle.” It is said to be the place at which St Ninian first made landfall in Scotland.

Harbour. This is where the Drummullin Burn enters the Solway Firth:-

A chapel dedicated to St Ninian was erected here in the 13th century. Its ruins lie very close to the sea.

The village has a War Memorial to the right of the road entering it. A Celtic Cross on a square plinth. Great War names here:-

Dedications, ‘In honour of the men from the village and district who fell in the Great War 1914-1918. “Lest We Forget.” 1939-1945,’ and World War 2 names:-

Edited to add: I meant to say above that the Isle was where part of the cult horror film The Wicker Man was filmed.

Whithorn Priory and Whithorn Parish Church are surrounded by a cemetery in which there are some Commonwealth War Graves.

Staff Serjt W B Arnott, Royal Army Medical Corps, 15/12/1915, aged 32:-

Private J Irvine MM, Labour Corps, 19/2/1920, aged 34:-

Private P Whalley, The King’s Liverpool Regt, 19/10/1918:-

Thomas Drape Clark killed in action near Arras, France, 23/4/1917, aged 36:-

John Norman Brown, 2nd Lieut, Border Regt, lost at sea in the Great War:-