328 September 2022 - Gryffe Advertizer

The Walk... ‘The raigie’
duncarnock fort walk
by Rona Simpson
Photo: © Mark Klimek / Glanderston Dam. Map attribution: ©Gillian’s Walks
Difficulty: Mostly considered easy
Starting Point: Neilston Train Station
Distance: 5 miles
Archaeological Interest - An Iron Age Fort is thought to have been
constructed on top of the Craigie. Archaeologists believe it was probably
occupied in later prehistory between 1200 BC and AD 400 and may have
been reused between AD 400 and AD 700. Evidence of single earth and
stone ramparts were found and it is thought that much more evidence
will be preserved below ground. In 1958 prehistoric pottery was found
along with a fragment of worked shale. There are also remains of a rig
and furrow cultivation system which suggests the area was reused in early
medieval times. (Historic Scotland)
Geology Spot - The strange shaped Craigie is thought to be a volcanic
plug which is when an object or hill is created when magma cools and
hardens on a vent within an active volcano.
The Route - From the Train Station walk towards High Street. Once on
high street take the second street on the left (Kirkton Road). Wander along
this quiet lane for about 1.5km. Continue post Loanfoot Farm and reach
the Springhill Road junction. Cross the road and go through a gate into a
field. Head to the gate at the bottom of the field where areas of woodland
meet. Go over or through the gate and head east towards a fisherman’s
hut adjacent to Glanderston Dam. The Craigie will be ahead. Walk along
the edge of the dam. Before you reach the road pass through a gate on
the right which takes you to the embankment beside the dam. Continue
along until you reach a footbridge over Aurs Burn. At the other side follow
a path alongside a row of trees. They should be on your right hand side.
At the end of the row cross a wooden stile and turn left and follow a path
around the base of the Craigie. Follow the path up and take a right at a
fork to ascend steeply to a the summit.
You are now on top of what was once an iron age fort. Take a moment to
think about all that happened here thousands of years ago and admire
the views over Glasgow and towards the Campsies in the distance.
Descend the same way as you climbed until you get to the gate at the
grassy embankment. Go through the gate and turn right onto a road then
turn left to reach Glanderston Road. Walk along this road for about 450m
until it meets Springhill Road. Go right along Springhill Road for 700m or
so just passing the bridge over the railway line. Take as small road parallel
to the railway which meets with Springhill Road again and continue for just
over a kilometre
until you meet
a roundabout.
Turn right onto
Kirktonfield
Road and at the
end of the road
turn left onto
Main Street.
You should be
able from here
to make your
way back to the
Train Station at
the start of this walk.*
[*Not able to get out this month, so this route was abridged and adapted
from the excellent Gillians Walks www.gillianswalks.com]
Kilarchn & District Beeeeper Asocitin
Bees like the temperature in their hive to be a constant 35
degree Celsius and as long as they have access to water they
can cool the hive down. On warm summer days bees would be
out collecting pollen and nectar, but in extreme heat they turn
their focus to gathering water and are well able to adapt. If the
hive gets overheated, the bees will collect droplets of water and
pass them on to bees in the hive. The moisture will then be spread over empty cells while
the bees fan their wings hard and as it evaporates it cools the hive, almost like their own air
conditioning.
Winter preparations are also under way with bees receiving Fondant or sugar syrup to
replace the honey stores we’ve taken from them, to enable them to survive colder months
as a colony. Autumn feeding gives colonies what they need to produce the bees that will
survive during the 6-7 months from Autumn through winter and into early spring.
If you are interested in beekeeping , contact our secretary via helenajbee@gmail.com. We
have a Facebook page which is reserved for members and beekeeping friends, however,
you can follow us on Twitter @KilbarchanBees and Instagram via kilbarchanbeekeepers
Next Deadline...
#329 October 2022: 14th September
Haret Time in Kilarchan
We have been busy keeping the
areas in the village that we look
after well watered and weeded.
The summer blooms are now beginning
to fade making way to the promise of
dazzling autumn colours as the nights start to draw in.
The fruit and vegetables have been harvested in the
Gateway Community Garden
with amazing crops of
blackcurrants, raspberries,
carrots, peas to name just a
few.
September in the garden
means Tattie Harvest time
and planting up our winter
vegetables.
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