1.
Scotland
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Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It shares a border with England to the south, and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to the east. In addition to the mainland, the country is made up of more than 790 islands, including the Northern Isles, the Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the Early Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1707. By inheritance in 1603, James VI, King of Scots, became King of England and King of Ireland, Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain. The union also created a new Parliament of Great Britain, which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England. Within Scotland, the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles, titles, the legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland, Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law. Glasgow, Scotlands largest city, was one of the worlds leading industrial cities. Other major urban areas are Aberdeen and Dundee, Scottish waters consist of a large sector of the North Atlantic and the North Sea, containing the largest oil reserves in the European Union. This has given Aberdeen, the third-largest city in Scotland, the title of Europes oil capital, following a referendum in 1997, a Scottish Parliament was re-established, in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members, having authority over many areas of domestic policy. Scotland is represented in the UK Parliament by 59 MPs and in the European Parliament by 6 MEPs, Scotland is also a member nation of the British–Irish Council, and the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly. Scotland comes from Scoti, the Latin name for the Gaels, the Late Latin word Scotia was initially used to refer to Ireland. By the 11th century at the latest, Scotia was being used to refer to Scotland north of the River Forth, alongside Albania or Albany, the use of the words Scots and Scotland to encompass all of what is now Scotland became common in the Late Middle Ages. Repeated glaciations, which covered the land mass of modern Scotland. It is believed the first post-glacial groups of hunter-gatherers arrived in Scotland around 12,800 years ago, the groups of settlers began building the first known permanent houses on Scottish soil around 9,500 years ago, and the first villages around 6,000 years ago. The well-preserved village of Skara Brae on the mainland of Orkney dates from this period and it contains the remains of an early Bronze Age ruler laid out on white quartz pebbles and birch bark. It was also discovered for the first time that early Bronze Age people placed flowers in their graves, in the winter of 1850, a severe storm hit Scotland, causing widespread damage and over 200 deaths. In the Bay of Skaill, the storm stripped the earth from a large irregular knoll, when the storm cleared, local villagers found the outline of a village, consisting of a number of small houses without roofs. William Watt of Skaill, the laird, began an amateur excavation of the site, but after uncovering four houses
2.
Ayr
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Ayr is a large town and former Royal Burgh situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is the centre of the South Ayrshire Council area. Ayr is currently the most populated settlement in Ayrshire and is the 12th most populous settlement in Scotland, the town adjoins the smaller town of Prestwick to the north, forming a single continuous urban area with the town. Ayr was established as a Royal Burgh in 1205, serving as Ayrshires central marketplace and harbour throughout the Medieval Period, on the southern bank of the River Ayr sits the ramparts of a Citadel constructed by Oliver Cromwell during the mid-17th Century. Towards the south of the town is the birthplace of Scottish poet Robert Burns in the suburb of Alloway, with the expansion of the railway during the 19th Century Ayr soon developed into a seaside resort. Politically, Ayr is considerably more Conservative-voting than the remainder of Scotland, the town is now marginally contested between the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party. In the UK Parliament Ayr is situated within the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency which is represented by SNP MP Corri Wilson. Ayr is one of the largest retail centres along the south of Scotland and was recognised as the second healthiest town centre in the United Kingdom by the Royal Society for Public Health in 2014, Ayr has hosted the Scottish Grand National horse-racing steeplechase annually since 1965. The town also accommodates the headquarters of the Ayr Advertiser and Ayrshire Post newspapers, the name Ayr can be traced back to a pre-Celtic word meaning watercourse. The name was used before the establishment of the Julian calendar as a name for the River Ayr, Ayr was founded as a market burgh town in 1205 by King William the Lion. It was formerly named Inverair or Inverayr, meaning mouth of the river Ayr, elements of the former name remain present within the Scottish Gaelic name for Ayr – Inbhir Air. Since 1261 annual fairs were held in the town, at this time the town had a recorded population of 1,500 and served as a major port on the west coast. The town was occupied by England from 1301 until 1312 as part of the Scottish Wars of Independence, on 26 April 1315, a Parliament of Scotland was held in Ayr by Robert The Bruce at St. Johns Tower by the sea. Later, in 1652, the town was used as a base, Cromwell established a large fortress along the mouth of the River Ayr and erected walls around the area just south of the Rivers mouth - most of these walls remain present to this day. A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of Ayr Barracks on the site in 1795. Ayr forms part of the Westminster constituency of Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock and this constituency includes Carrick in South Ayrshire in addition to Doon Valley, Cumnock and New Cumnock in southern East Ayrshire. The seat is held by the Scottish National Partys Corri Wilson. The Central Ayrshire constituency runs north of the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency and it takes in the towns of Irvine, Kilwinning, Prestwick, Troon and rural Kyle, running into Annbank
3.
Scottish Gaelic
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Scottish Gaelic or Scots Gaelic, sometimes also referred to as Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish. The 2011 census of Scotland showed that a total of 57,375 people in Scotland could speak Gaelic at that time, the census results indicate a decline of 1,275 Gaelic speakers from 2001. A total of 87,056 people in 2011 reported having some facility with Gaelic compared to 93,282 people in 2001, only about half of speakers were fully literate in the language. Nevertheless, revival efforts exist and the number of speakers of the language under age 20 has increased, Scottish Gaelic is neither an official language of the European Union nor the United Kingdom. Outside Scotland, a group of dialects collectively known as Canadian Gaelic are spoken in parts of Atlantic Canada, mainly Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In the 2011 census, there were 7,195 total speakers of Gaelic languages in Canada, with 1,365 in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island where the responses mainly refer to Scottish Gaelic. About 2,320 Canadians in 2011 also claimed Gaelic languages as their mother tongue, with over 300 in Nova Scotia, aside from Scottish Gaelic, the language may also be referred to simply as Gaelic. In Scotland, the word Gaelic in reference to Scottish Gaelic specifically is pronounced, outside Ireland and Great Britain, Gaelic may refer to the Irish language. Scottish Gaelic should not be confused with Scots, the Middle English-derived language varieties which had come to be spoken in most of the Lowlands of Scotland by the modern era. Prior to the 15th century, these dialects were known as Inglis by its own speakers, from the late 15th century, however, it became increasingly common for such speakers to refer to Scottish Gaelic as Erse and the Lowland vernacular as Scottis. Today, Scottish Gaelic is recognised as a language from Irish. Gaelic in Scotland was mostly confined to Dál Riata until the 8th century, when it began expanding into Pictish areas north of the Firth of Forth, by 900, Pictish appears to have become extinct, completely replaced by Gaelic. An exception might be made for the Northern Isles, however, however, though the Pictish language did not disappear suddenly, a process of Gaelicisation was clearly underway during the reigns of Caustantín and his successors. By a certain point, probably during the 11th century, all the inhabitants of Alba had become fully Gaelicised Scots, by the 10th century, Gaelic had become the dominant language throughout northern and western Scotland, the Gaelo-Pictic Kingdom of Alba. Its spread to southern Scotland, was even and totalizing. Place name analysis suggests dense usage of Gaelic in Galloway and adjoining areas to the north and west as well as in West Lothian, less dense usage is suggested for north Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, the Clyde Valley and eastern Dumfriesshire. In south-eastern Scotland, there is no evidence that Gaelic was ever widely spoken, the area shifted from Cumbric to Old English during its long incorporation into the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria
4.
Kilmarnock
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Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland with a population of 46,350, making it the 15th most populated place in Scotland and the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, Kilmarnock is often shortened to Killie, especially when it is referenced in a footballing situation. The first collection of work by Scottish poet Robert Burns, Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect, was published here in 1786, the internationally distributed whisky brand Johnnie Walker originated in the town in the 19th century. Protest and backing from the Scottish Government took place in 2009, after Diageo, in recent years, Kilmarnock has been used for musical acts and film locations. Rock band Biffy Clyro were formed in the town in a school in the mid-1990s. The 2001 film, Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat was shot in the town as was Manhunt, the name Kilmarnock comes from the Gaelic cill, and the name of Saint Marnoch or Mernoc who is also remembered in the name of Portmarnock in Ireland and Inchmarnock. It may come from the three Gaelic elements mo, my, Ernán and the diminutive ag, giving Church of My Little Ernán, according to tradition, the saint founded a church there in the 7th century. There are 12 Church of Scotland congregations in the town, plus other denominations, in 2005, the Reverend David W. Lacy, minister of the towns Henderson Church, was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. In 1668 the town was destroyed by an accidental fire. About 120 families lost most of their possessions and were forced to live destitute in the surrounding the town. These tradespeople had no way of making a living and had already been driven to the edge of poverty by having troops stationed with them as part of the anti-Covenanter measures. Parish churches throughout Scotland collected money for the relief of these homeless citizens, added later was John Finnie Street, which is regarded as one of the finest Victorian planned streets in Scotland. The Sandbed Street Bridge is the oldest known surviving bridge in the area, the Member of Parliament for the Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency area in the Westminster parliament is Kilmarnock-born Alan Brown. Brown defeated Labour candidate Cathy Jamieson with a majority with Brown receiving 30,000 votes with Jamieson only receiving 16,363. The member of the Scottish Parliament for Kilmarnock is Willie Coffey, Kilmarnock is the home of the East Ayrshire Council Chambers and offices situated on the London Road, thus making Kilmarnock the main town within East Ayrshire. In local council elections, Kilmarnock comprises four wards, Kilmarnock North, Kilmarnock East and Hurlford, Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse, the leader in East Ayrshire is Douglas Reid of the SNP party, who has been leader since 2007. The chief executive is Fiona Lees, following the East Ayrshire Council election,2012, the SNP and the Scottish Conservative parties formed a coalition government for East Ayrshire, following the result of a hung council. At present, the Scottish Labour party is the opposition in the East Ayrshire parliament with their leader, kilmarnocks traditional industries were based around textiles and heavy engineering such as locomotives from 1837, and valves, which are still in production
5.
South Ayrshire
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South Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire Council is a Conservative controlled council. South Ayrshire also forms part of the east coast of the Firth of Clyde, the Conservative Party currently lead a minority administration in South Ayrshire, with Bill McIntosh as Leader of the Council and Labours Helen Moonie as Provost. They are working within a partnership agreement with the Labour Party, South Ayrshires Headquarters, County Buildings, are located in Wellington Square, Ayr. The buildings were built in 1931 on the site of Ayr Jail, at the front of the buildings is Ayr Sheriff Court which was built as the original county buildings in 1822. Other areas of significance include the towns of Maybole and Girvan which are located to the south of the area in the district of Carrick. Elections held after this point were conducted under the single transferable vote, the council has 30 councillors, elected in 8 multi-member wards by single transferable vote. Scottish National Party, Allan Dorans JP, Nan McFarlane, Douglas Campbell, William Grant, Ian Douglas, John Allan, Ian Cochrane, Alec Oattes and John Wallace. Labour, John McDowall, Helen Moonie, Phil Saxton, Ian Cavana, Andy Campbell, Sandra Goldie, Rita Miller, Kirsty Darwent, independent, Brian Connolly and Alec Clark. 9% No to 42. 1% Yes alongside 28 out of 32 local council areas in Scotland. With a turnout of 86. 1%, there were 34,402 Yes votes and 47,247 No votes. Nationally 55. 3% of voters voted No in the referendum compared to 44. 7%, with a turnout of 69. 8%,36,265 votes were cast for remain and 25,241 were cast for leave. Nationally, 62% of Scottish voters voted remain whilst 38% voted leave, the council elections in May 2003 resulted in a hung council where both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party had 15 seats. Control of the council was given to the Labour party after a cutting of the cards. In November 2005 the leader of the Labour group Andy Hill resigned on the grounds of ill-health, gibson MacDonald became Leader of the Council with Robin Reid as Deputy Leader. Official website South Ayrshire at DMOZ
6.
East Ayrshire
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East Ayrshire is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, the headquarters of the council are located on London Road, Kilmarnock. With South Ayrshire and the areas of North Ayrshire, it formed the former county of Ayrshire. Kilmarnock is the largest town, followed by Cumnock, other main towns are New Cumnock. The area was formed in 1996, from the former Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Cumnock, Kilmarnock is the countys capital and also largest town. The former Kilmarnock and Loudoun District Council was also twinned with Sukhum, following a review of links this link is now considered as a friendship link. Kilmarnock and Loudoun was one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland from 1975 to 1996, the district was abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc. Act 1994, which replaced the regions and districts with unitary council areas, the districts area was combined with that of Cumnock and Doon Valley to form the East Ayrshire council area. The name Kilmarnock and Loudoun continues to be used for a constituency of the House of Commons and, covering a similar area, there are many early settlements within East Ayrshire. The Burns Monument Centre and Dick Institute also hold local newspapers from 1834 to date, the Burns Monument Centre holds local photographs and postcards. Microfiche/film readers are available within the Burns Monument Centre and the Dick Institute, Kilmarnock Academy, situated in Elmbank Drive area of Kilmarnock is one of only two schools in the world to have educated two Nobel laureates, Alexander Fleming and John Boyd Orr. East Ayrshire Council East Ayrshire at DMOZ East Ayrshire Forums - Tenants Portal
7.
Isle of Arran
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Arran or the Isle of Arran, at 432 square kilometres, is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde and the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the council area of North Ayrshire. In the 2011 census it had a resident population of 4,629, though culturally and physically similar to the Hebrides, it is separated from them by the Kintyre peninsula. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault and has described as a geologists paradise. Arran has been inhabited since the early Neolithic period. From the 6th century onwards, Goidelic-speaking peoples from Ireland colonised it and it became a centre of religious activity, during the troubled Viking Age, Arran became the property of the Norwegian crown, until formally absorbed by the kingdom of Scotland in the 13th century. The 19th century clearances led to significant depopulation and the end of the Gaelic language, the economy and population have recovered in recent years, the main industry being tourism. There is a diversity of wildlife, including three species of endemic to the area. Arran is therefore not unusual in that the derivation of the name is far from clear, mac an Tàilleir states that it is said to be unrelated to the name Aran in Ireland. Any other Brythonic place names that may have existed were later replaced on Arran as the Goidelic-speaking Gaels spread from Ireland via their adjacent kingdom of Dál Riata. During the Viking Age the island, along with the vast majority of the Scottish islands, became the property of the Norwegian crown, as a result of this Norse influence, many current place names on Arran are of Viking origin. The island lies in the Firth of Clyde between Ayr and Ardrossan, and Kintyre, the profile of the north Arran hills as seen from the Ayrshire coast is a well-known sight referred to as the Sleeping Warrior due to its resemblance to a resting human figure. The highest of these hills is Goat Fell at 873.5 metres, there are three other Corbetts, all in the north east, Caisteal Abhail, Cìr Mhòr and Beinn Tarsuinn. Beinn Bharrain is the highest peak in the north west at 721 metres, the largest valley on the island is Glen Iorsa to the west, whilst narrow Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa to the east surround Goat Fell. The terrain to the south is mountainous, although a considerable portion of the interior lies above 350 metres. There are two other Marilyns in the south, Tighvein and Beinn Bhreac, Arran is sometimes referred to as Scotland in miniature, as it is divided into Highland and Lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault which runs northeast to southwest across Scotland. Most of the interior of the half of the island is taken up by a large granite batholith that was created by substantial magmatic activity around 58 million years ago in the Paleogene period. This comprises a ring of coarse granite and an inner core of finer grained granite
8.
Great Cumbrae
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Great Cumbrae is the larger of the two islands known as The Cumbraes in the lower Firth of Clyde in western Scotland. There is a triangulation pillar nearby, as well as a point which indicates the locations of surrounding landmarks. In clear conditions, views extend north over the upper Clyde estuary to Ben Lomond, to the west, the larger islands of Bute and Arran can be seen, while on the other side of Knapdale the Paps of Jura may be visible. Looking south, Ailsa Craig is visible, around 40 miles distant beyond Little Cumbrae, Ailsa Craig roughly marks the halfway point to Northern Ireland, which itself may be glimpsed if visibility is good. Millport, the only town, is spread around a bay which makes up the entire south coast of the island. The usual island population of 1,376 as recorded by the 2011 census was a fall from the 2001 figure of 1,434. The population increases substantially during the summer tourist season due to the proportion of second homes. The land on the island is owned by the farmers. Flights across the Atlantic from British and many European airports often pass over the island, the Gaelic name Cumaradh means place of the Cymric people, referring to the Brittonic-speaking inhabitants of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. The Cumbraes are referred to as the Kumreyiar in the Norse Saga of Haakon Haakonarson, the island was previously known in English as Great or Greater Cumray. The island is on the Great Cumbrae fault line runs north east to south west. Fault lines have formed some interesting rock formations which have become popular with tourists, including Crocodile Rock, Indians Face, Lions Rock, several have been enhanced with colourful paint. Cumbraes western coastline has fine examples of raised beaches, one of these is in the area surrounding Bell Bay, where the islands highest waterfall, Horse Falls, plunges over the old sea cliffs. The island has been inhabited since the end of the last ice age, legend has it that St Mirin, on his return to Scotland from Ireland around AD710, arrived in Cumbrae and, following the example of St Patrick, rid the island of snakes. The Cathedral of the Isles is reputed to have built on the site where St Mirin preached. Cumbrae to this day remains snake-free, St Mirin then went on to found a community in Paisley. In 1263, Haakon IV, King of Norway may have used the eastern coast of the island as an anchorage for his fleet, Ballochmartin Bay and Portrye are suggested locations for the Norwegian-anchorage. Cumbrae has long linked to Christianity in Scotland
9.
County of Bute
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The County of Bute, also known as Buteshire, is one of the registration counties of Scotland. Buteshire was also a local government county of Scotland with its own elected county council from 1890 to 1975, the county town was Rothesay, located on the Isle of Bute. Bute had its own elected government council from 1890 to 1975. However, in 1975 this system was superseded and Buteshire was divided between the Argyll and Cunninghame districts of the Strathclyde Region, the island of Bute itself became part of Argyll whilst Arran and the Cumbraes became part of Cunninghame. There was a Buteshire constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. Between 1708 and 1832 it was a constituency with Caithness. Between 1832 and 1918 it was a constituency, electing an MP to every parliament. In 2005, both constituencies were enlarged as part of the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the name Argyll and Bute was retained, while the enlarged Cunningham North was named North Ayrshire and Arran. Constituencies with similar boundaries to the constituencies, and also called Argyll and Bute
10.
Dumfries and Galloway
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Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It comprises the counties of Dumfriesshire, Stewartry of Kirkcudbright and Wigtownshire. The administrative centre is the town of Dumfries, following the 1975 reorganisation of local government in Scotland, the three counties were joined to form a single region of Dumfries and Galloway, with four districts within it. Act 1994, however, it has become a local authority. For lieutenancy purposes, the counties are largely maintained with its three lieutenancy areas being Dumfries, Wigtown and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. To the north, Dumfries and Galloway borders East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire, in the east the Borders, and to the south the county of Cumbria in England, to the west lies the Irish Sea. The Dumfries and Galloway Council region is composed of counties and their sub-areas, Dumfries and Galloway covers the majority of the Western area of the Southern Uplands, it also hosts Scotlands most Southerly point, at the Mull of Galloway in the west of the region. This road leaves the A714 at Bargrennan, Water of Ken and River Dee form a corridor through the hills called the Glenkens which carries the A713 road from Castle Douglas to Ayr. The Galloway Hills lie to the west of route through the hills. River Nith rises between Dalmellington and New Cumnock in Ayrshire and runs east then south down Nithsdale to Dumfries, Nithsdale carries both the A76 road and the rail line from Dumfries to Kilmarnock. It separates the Carsphairn and Scaur Hills from the Lowther Hills which lie east of the Nith and this gap through the hills separates the Lowthers from the Moffat Hills. River Esk enters the Solway Firth just south of Gretna having travelled south from Langholm, the A7 travels up Eskdale as far as Langholm and from Langholm carries on up the valley of Ewes Water to Teviothead where it starts to follow the River Teviot to Hawick. Eskdale itself heads north west from Langholm through Bentpath and Eskdalemuir to Ettrick, the A701 branches off the M74 at Beattock, goes through the town of Moffat, climbs to Annanhead above the Devils Beef Tub before passing the source of the River Tweed and carrying on to Edinburgh. Until fairly recent times the ancient route to Edinburgh travelled right up Annandale to the Beef Tub before climbing steeply to Annanhead, the present road ascends northward on a ridge parallel to Annandale but to the west of it which makes for a much easier ascent. From Moffat the A708 heads north east along the valley of Moffat Water on its way to Selkirk, moffatdale separates the Moffat hills from the Ettrick hills to the south. There are three National Scenic Areas within this region, Nith Estuary - This area follows the River Nith southward from just south of Dumfries into the Solway Firth. His mausoleum is in St Michaels graveyard, criffel offers the hill walker a reasonably modest walk with excellent views across the Solway to the Lake District. The house of John Paul Jones founder of the American Navy is also open to visitors near Kirkbean, East Stewartry - This takes in the coast line from Balcary Point eastward across Auchencairn Bay and the Rough Firth past Sandyhills to Mersehead
11.
Galloway Hills
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The Galloway hills are part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland, and form the northern boundary of western Galloway. They lie within the bounds of Galloway Forest Park, an area of some 300 square miles of largely uninhabited wild land, managed by the Forestry Commission. The unusual place names reflect a mixture of the Old Norse and Scottish Gaelic languages, the location of Galloway is described as follows, Galloway is contained by sea to the west and south, the Galloway Hills to the north, and the River Nith to the east. The northern limit of this area is around the small towns of Dalmellington and Straiton. The B741 runs on an east/west line between two towns on its way to the town of Girvan on the Firth of Clyde. So the B741 could therefore be taken as the limit of the Galloway hills area. This latter road forms the boundary of the Galloway hills. It follows the valley of Water of Minnoch and for most of its length it passes through the forestry plantations which lie to the west of the Galloway hills. The A713 forms the boundary of these hills. As it heads south from Dalmellington it passes through the valley which separates the Galloway hills from the Carsphairn and this valley is known as the Glenkens. There is a hydro electric scheme with several dams and power stations that runs down through the Glenkens to end at Tongland Power Station near Kirkcudbright. The A713 passes through Carsphairn village on the Water of Deuch and it also passes close to New Galloway at Kenbridge, at the northern end of Loch Ken. From New Galloway you can take the A712 through the hills to Newton Stewart and this road passes Clatteringshaws Reservoir, the Queens Way, Dunkitterick Cottage, a deer range, a wild goat park and Murrays Monument. For most users of these hills, the Galloway hills would mean the ranges which lie north of a line running eastwards along the shores of Loch Trool, Loch Dee. This for them would be the true heartland of the Galloway hills. The Southern Upland Way and the National Cycle Network Route Number Seven travel along this line, a slightly looser use of the phrase Galloway hills would certainly include the ranges which lie to the south of that line. As you approach Clatteringshaws Reservoir on the A712 heading for Newton Stewart you have a hill called Cairnsmore of Dee or Black Craig of Dee to the south of you. This is not a high hill but it offers excellent views from the top over Clatteringshaws into the heart of the Galloway hills
12.
Carsphairn and Scaur Hills
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The Carsphairn and Scaur hills are the western and eastern hills respectively of a hill range in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. Ordnance Survey maps dont have a name for the hill area as a whole. Also, Ordnance Survey use Scar rather than the local spelling of Scaur - the word is pronounced as Scar however, in their Landranger Series of maps it requires four separate sheets to cover the area. This range lies between two ranges, the Galloway hills to the west and the Lowther hills to the east. The overall shape of this area is oval with the longer curved sides to top. From the north point of the oval at Dalmellington to the south eastern one at Thornhill is around 39 kilometres. So the axis of the runs from north west to south east. The north west quarter of the lies in Ayrshire in Strathclyde Region. Being much more accessible and in general considerably less challenging than the neighbouring ranges these hills are much more lived in. They are exploited on a more casual basis, by communities which strongly identify with them. From Dalmellington the B741 runs north east to New Cumnock passing the head waters of the River Nith on the way. At New Cumnock this road joins the A76 which follows the valley of the Nith eastward through the coal mining towns of Kirkconnel. The northern boundary follows the River Nith for all but some 5 kilometres. The A76 carries on from there southward with the River Nith to the town of Dumfries, from Thornhill the boundary is formed by the A702 road which travels south west through the small villages of Penpont and Moniaive. At Carsphairn the B729 joins the A713 heading north-westward for Dalmellington, Blacklorg Hill lies roughly in the centre of this hill area with the Afton Reservoir just to the west of it. The main rivers radiate out from this area in all directions. Below is a list of the water courses starting from Water of Ken. Water of Ken rises just to the south east of the watershed at Polskeoch and this series of power stations is called Galloway hydro-electric power scheme
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Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ayrshire". Encyclopædia Britannica. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 74–76.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "
