A Walk at Carlaeverlock Nature Reserve and Ward Law Hill Fort

Normally I don't put my Thursday walk on my Blog but today my walk with Mike took us to Caerlaverock Nature Reserve and Ward Law Hill Fort so worth recording on this and also on my Facebook page. The light was not great for photography but it stayed dry and it was a most enjoyable 6 mile walk. This is Ward Law hill and the sight of an ancient Hill Fort and also a Roman Camp. The hill is 96M above sea level. 

The track back down from Ward Law

This is the route along the shore, but quite a bit away from the sea.

The Solway with Criffel in the back ground and the Nith estuary

There were loads of Geese about and many flying over us during our walk.

Plenty of Bullrushes as well.

 They say there isn't a month without Gorse flowering in Scotland and this bush was spectacular for its coconut smelling flowers.

Our route took us past the old Caerlaverock Castle and also the newer one. This is the site of the old one which would originally be next to the sea and was built in 1220 and abandoned in 1270 when the new castle was built.

This is the moat of the new castle which was abandoned after a siege in 1640 and left in ruins.

Caerlaverock Castle with its unique triangular plan.

Part of the moat still with water in it. 

Caerlaverock Nature Reserve and a Roman Hill Fort

On looking back at my blogs for Caerlaverock Nature Reserve I discovered we had never been there in the summer so we headed there today for what was initially a 5.5 mile walk but we added an extra 1.5 miles to visit the top of Ward Law hill where there is the remains of a Roman Camp. This photograph of the three of us is taken at the old Caerlaverock Castle which only lasted for 57 years before the buildings started to collapse due to the wet foundations so they moved 200 metres to the north and built the new Castle in around 1277. 

The start of our walk and the view of Criffell in the distance with a dead tree in the field. In the winter these fields are full of Geese from the Arctic as over 60,000 of them winter here. 

A lot of the early part of the walk is on these boardwalks as the ground is so marshy. This is the only Caterpillar we saw but I am sure there will be many more.

The marshy ground provides loads of reed beds and bullrushes which are ideal for birds

This is a couple views of Criffell and the Nith Estuary from the top of Ward Law Hill and the site of the Roman Fort. There is nothing of the fort to see but the views from the top are spectacular

There is an excellent seat at the top of the hill and we sat there and enjoyed the superb view for quite a while. 

This is where the seat was in the wood at the top of the hill 

And to finish my blog a couple of photos of the new Caerlaverock Castle. We enjoyed a light lunch back at the Nature Reserve cafe and were home for 3.30pm