Portrack Gardens 2.3 miles
Crichope Linn 2.8 miles
Today was a compare and contrast walk. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation at Portrack is open just one day per year, and today was the the day. There are photos in the gallery below.
The garden is adjacent to the railway and areas close to the railway retain a railway theme with an old engine mounted on tracks, pathways made of tracks and two small representations of the bridge carrying the railway over the Nith. There are large earthworks with walkways and several artificial lakes.
There is a strong science theme with a DNA garden containing several sculptures with helical shapes.
It proved to be a lovely day for wandering around the garden, listening to the pipes being played, looking at the sculpted land and the sculptures placed within the gardens.
Interestingly, I found my camera drawn to wildflowers and the river and set to musing about the artificiality of such gardens. I decided it would be an idea to visit somewhere a little wilder later in the afternoon. Crichope Linn was nearby and I hadn’t been there in many years, so it seemed a good choice.
My internal navigation system failed me at first. I turned off the A76 at Kirkpatrick but missed the Closeburn Mains road. The road started climbing and approached the trees. When I noticed a small sign for Loch Ettrick I realised it must be the road to Mitchellslacks. I didn’t have a map and couldn’t remember if the road was passable to cars if I carried on, so retraced my route back and found the right road.
There is a small parking place for Crichope Linn, just enough for a couple of cars, and it was empty. There is a Covenanter’s trail sign for Crichope Linn, and a Scottish Rights of Way Society sign for Public footpath to Beattock (14 miles via Kinnelhead, or Long Cairn). That would be some walk.
So I set off along the overgrown path, clambering over long fallen trees and edging along narrow bits with sheer drops beside me. There were fewer colours here than in the Portrack gardens, but many more insects and butterflies, and no other people. Even the dead leaves beneath my feet gave the place a feeling of being more real. The waterfall was not as impressive as the last time I was here, during a deluge, but the rocks were drier, and safer.
I presume the Covenanter’s Trail signpost is there because the Covenanter’s used to hide out in the gorge. It must have been uncomfortably wet.
Once I reached the footbridge at about a mile, I had the choice of going back the same way, or heading back on farm tracks and the road which was almost twice as far. I chose the road and although it was further it was quicker.
Which did I prefer? Hard to say, but probably the gardens.
Crichope Linn Photos:
Portrack Gardens Photos:
