Monday, May 07, 2007

The Dundrennan and Colvend coasts of the Solway



The Colvend coast: evening light on the sands revealed by a spring low tide. Hestan Island is in the distance. This steep road leads down to the hamlet of Port o' Warren.



The Dundrennan and Colvend coasts of Galloway on the Solway Firth can offer some challenging paddling conditions. At the weekend we took advantage of a spring flood tide to carry us up the coast from Abbey Burn Foot to Sandyhills. The spring tide set up overfalls at several of the headlands particularly from Lot's wife (a guano covered stack) to Balcary Point and between the monument and Cow's Snout. Shallow seas, clapotis from the sheer cliffs and a force 5 wind all contributed to a bumpy ride and I managed few photos.




Abbey Burn Foot is in the middle of the Dundrennan Range, a weapons firing range. The beach is often closed to visitors but was open this weekend so Tony, Billy and I took advantage.



The launch was a bit rough over boulders.



The weatheronline database recorded a force 5 southerly at the Dundrennan Range weather station.



Sandstone caves below Barlocco Heugh.



Castlehill Point was not as rough as some of the others.



The Needle's Eye arch on the Colvend Coast.



A stunning, remote, sandy cove just before Sandyhills Bay with its bank holiday crowds. We arrived at Sandyhills at high water. If we had been delayed and had to fight against the ebb, it would have been even rougher with breaking seas in the shallow wind against tide conditions.

4 comments:

  1. Great shot the road leading down to the Colvend coast. The colours are so gentle against the force 5 winds you encountered off the coast. Fun!

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  2. Hello Michael, thank you, that photo was taken the night before our trip, before the weather broke!

    :o)

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  3. Nice pictures, the Colvend coast is awesome, i've started to dabble in kayaking in the area in the last few months and when the sea's rough i really like surfing the waves at Sandyhills in my boat. You never know one day I might meet you out on the waves :)

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  4. Hi James thanks for visiting. I love the whole of the Solway from Sandyhills to the Mull of Galloway. I got a front cover shot on Ocean Paddler this month from a trip round the Mull of Galloway back in February.

    Mostly I kayak and windsurf in the Fleet bay area. I will look out for you.

    :o)

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