barr castle – Knightshoots Landscape Photography

Barr Castle, and Barcraigs Reservoir

South West Scotland 2021: Part Eleven

14 September 2021

Today I went to find Barr Castle. Now, I wont lie, it’s not exactly an inspiring castle by a long shot, but I had seen some nice reflection shots of this one, so I had added it to my county list as a possible plan b location. Since I was sitting nearby in the rain, it seemed only sensible that I should at least go and have a look. As I left the camper with River I couldn’t miss the fact that she was limping. I checked her paw and saw it look a little raw after yesterday’s walk, so I left her in Fred to rest up. I think long walks on tarmaced paths don’t do her paws any good, since I remember something similar happening on my highland trip a year earlier. I must bear this in mind for future. River didn’t object to being left, so I headed off, in the drizzly rain, on this one alone.

The walk was easier than I thought, being flat and much closer than I expected, although as I got near I realised that access to the castle itself wasn’t anywhere near as easy. Since I had seen so many photos I assumed that there should be an entry to this one, but couldn’t find it from this path. Frustrated I ended up doing the naughty thing and climbing over the low fence here and walking up the short hill trying to see if I could find a proper way in. On walking all the way to the front, I realised that the photos I had seen online had likely been taken from the road itself! (although, where on earth did the photographers park?!) I tried as best as I could, but just about every photo was drab in the grey weather so it felt like a struggle to get a nice shot.. and with a pond full of muck, getting a reflection was even worse.

Barr Castle looking pretty drab and grim in the miserable weather

Instead, I tried a shot through a fallen tree, various framing ideas to isolate the castle, all different spots around the pond, but nothing really worked to bring this location to life for me today. I think the cluttered pond really put me off and eventually I just gave up. This needed something that I wasn’t getting today. As I went to leave I spotted an awesome tree growing with a big hole in it. How its managed to survive such an intrusion in its trunk, I have no idea, but the whole tree looked very healthy (see header), I also spotted some amazing mushrooms growing on the floor. They were seriously impressive and HUGE!! I’d never seen anything quite like this one before, and couldn’t just leave without taking a photo to remember it with. Looking at it closely, I found it quite beautiful.

Some serious mushroom growth going on here!

On the way back to Fred I had a think on what I could do today. Ideally, I wanted to redo the temple if there was a sunset, so to bide time, I went back to Barcraigs reservoir to recheck that out. Since it had been a fail the night I tried to park up there, I thought that, if nothing else, it would be a good time to recce the site. In the daylight I found a nice parking spot and took some shots from the window of the van. There was no real need to get any closer, I could tell, since the water level was so low, and the water that WAS there was being heavily distorted in the breeze. I loved some red plants I could see, but beyond this, there was nothing to leave the van for. I sat and contemplated my options instead and checked the weather for tonight. The chances of a nice sunset had dropped considerably. Giving up on a shot here then, I thought that I would just check out a possible parking spot that was closer to the temple for another time, and then maybe move back onto Inverclyde to try the county again.

I drove around the roads near to the Temple and found a spot that was much closer. Marking it on my map, I then started towards, I thought, the M8, only I accidentally made a wrong turn and ended up at Barcraigs reservoir again. Amazingly, this time round, I could instantly see that the water was as still as glass! I re parked up at the spot I’d found before, grabbed the camera and hotfooted it to the waters edge hoping to get there before the next breeze started up. This time the image looked quite a bit nicer, although I am sure with a higher water level and an interesting sky/snow element, this image would be really quite beautiful. I was just glad to get it as it was today! The reflection shot I had been hoping for for the last two days, not of a castle, but this little house (or fishing lodge?) will do me just as well thanks!

Barcraigs Reservoir. The water levels were very low sadly, but a lucky accident found me here a second time, just as the water had stilled.

I didn’t have any set plans for tonight, so found a little spot to park up that would offer views of Dumbarton Castle from across the Firth of Clyde. I drove over and checked that out, finding it pretty easily, although the tide was out so the scene was very messy and drab. It was still fairly early however, so I phoned round a couple of places looking for a gas bottle refill, and found one not too far away at the James Watt Dock Marina in Greenock. This was just a few minutes drive further on, so I headed over there quickly before they closed. The lady there was super helpful, and a little bit of a saviour as I was one bottle down, with my second desperately low. There had been a shortage of gas bottles over the last few months, and I haven’t been able to get a refill, so my relief was quite intense. As I stepped outside, I noticed just how still the water was in the marina. These places don’t usually excite me, but something about this scene encouraged me to reach for the camera and grab some shots.

James Watt Dock Marina. This sight really caught my eye.

With the gas problem sorted, I drove back to my parking spot for the evening, and plotted a few locations to consider over the next couple of days. After I’d had had something to eat I stepped out as the light began to fade, in the vain hope the river might be still as it was nearing high tide. It wasn’t and the breeze was quite consistent here, but the view across to Dumbarton castle was still quite nice so I just took a picture of the sight as it was anyway, hoping to check again in the morning. You never know right?

Dumbarton Castle from across the River Clyde

As I settled for the evening, I noticed a motorhome pull up for the night, and several cars that pulled in, waited ten or fifteen minutes before disappearing off again. I came to realise this was an area for taxi drivers to wait at until a call came in. This quietened by midnight and I found myself sleeping really well.

My Adventures

Kenmure Hill Temple, Castle Semple Collegiate Church, Calder Mill…

South West Scotland 2021: Part Ten

13 September 2021

Having driven until late and stopping in the dead of night, the parking I managed to find at Castle Semple was a complete unknown to me before I woke up. When I eventually rose and looked out of the window, I found myself beside a loch, with another van parked up a couple of spaces to my right. Loads of ducks, geese and swans gathered noisily by the waters edge and vehicles were arriving with both dog walkers and parents dropping off older children for what was apparently going to be a water sports day. This area looked like it was going to be pretty interesting!

Today I hoped to capture a picture of Kenmure ‘castle’, only on further investigation, there was no castle as such, just a small tower (mislabelled on the Web, although corrected today). This was actually called Kenmure Hill Temple, and although built in late 1700’s, no one seems to know its actual purpose. It may have been an actual temple, a folly or a hunting lodge for the gamekeeper to keep watch over the white deer they had here at the time. However it’s also been suggested that it might have been a nursery for sick children, or a ladies room for taking tea and enjoying the view. Basically, with so many suggestions bouncing around, it could have been pretty much anything, or a place used over time for a variety of uses. Who knows eh?! These days its an empty ruin/folly for tourists and photographers like me to hike to instead so I’m not complaining!

River and I took the long walk to it, with River stopping, as she always does, at every puddle for a mud bath. When we approached the last bit of the hill, the sun beamed down on it, and really picked the tower out on the lonely landscape. I grabbed a couple of shots from where I stood (see header), then continued up the hill, finally stopping at the top for lunch – without re checking the sky. When I was nearly finished, I suddenly noticed the looming cloud about to engulf the sun. I quickly grabbed my camera and managed one shot of the temple in sunlight before it dimmed and the view went flat (Gagh!!! Why did I eat first?!!) Fortunately it looked like it might be temporary as I saw a big patch of blue behind and to the side of me, so I decided to just wait it out, hoping…. Sadly, the blue came 3 quarters of the way to the sun’s position, then changed direction, the cloud winning out and growing instead. Clearly there would be no more pretty light today. I explored the top nonetheless, and had a good look around the structure both inside and out, noting a probable fireplace up on what seemed to be a first floor area. It was quite intriguing, and blessed with a wonderful view regardless of what the weather decided to do.

Kenmure Hill Temple, no one seems to really know what it was built for.

As I came back to my camera bag I spotted River rolling around in, and thoroughly enjoying, a huge fresh cow pat next to me… She was covered! I yelled at her to stop, and with a happy grin she came back to me, tail wagging – but I could smell her well before she got close. This wasn’t good, and it was clear that this young lady was definitely going to need a wash down!

After it was clear the cloud was building and not receding, I decided on a different route back, this one via the old church that gives the name of the area here, Castle Semple Collegiate church. The church was interesting to visit, although I found it hard to photograph. Part of its curiosity was not simply that it was a derelict building, but that it has gravestones INSIDE the nave. The outside was a small grassy area, without any further tombstones, and sadly, to one end, I found barriers around parts of the building due to dangerous masonry in the windows. The church was founded in 1504, but beyond this fact, there is very little information available on it. I have no idea when it fell out of use. The roof was apparently removed sometime in the 1800’s so I assume it was well before that. I didn’t get my main camera out where I failed to see any pleasant viewpoints, but I did snap a few images on my phone just for memories sake. River and I went back to the main path, and continued the walk back to the visitor centre.

I have no idea what caught her attention, but on the route River kept diving nose first into several gaps/holes in the tall grass. A dog came past and for the first time she didn’t seem worried by it where she was so absorbed in whatever she was sniffing here. Instead she dived nose first into yet another leafy area. I called her over to tell her what a good girl she had been for not barking, and she came back straight away, with a leaf over one eye. She didn’t even seem to notice it as she looked up at me with the happiest expression. I laughed, took some photos, and we eventually moved on. When we got back to the lochs edge, I gave her as best a rinse as I could, but she turned green with the staining from the cow pat. I wasn’t altogether sure this was an improvement at all, and when other people walked passed, I had no option but to smile apologetically about my stinky green dog.

Covered in cow poo, muddy puddle debris and now a leaf – Happy River!

I decided that as we were here, I would check out the waterfall nearby. I wasn’t full of high hopes given the low water situation during this trip so far however. On the other hand, it did occur to me that as I had a bar of 100% natural ingredient shampoo soap in the van, maybe the running river water might help wash my stinky dog a little better. Even though I wasn’t expecting too much, when I turned up at the fall, I was SOOO disappointed!! This was as much a dribble as Blairskaith had been, and although I tried to take a few photos, it was really quite pathetic. I KNOW it can look so much better, so I decided that I would mark this waterfall as one to come back to. I sat instead at the waters edge, and gave River a proper wash. She was most disgruntled that all that ‘lovely scent’ she had worked so hard to get into her coat, was now gone, but there was no way I was going to let her anywhere near the van smelling the way she did!!

Looking pretty pathetic today, Calder Mill Waterfall

Finished here for now, we then left to have a little drive past nearby Barr Castle to see if there was any parking to explore here. There was none, so disappointed, I continued driving round to the other side of the Loch to see if it was a possible reflection location. Nope. There wasn’t a good reflection view either. This left me a little frustrated and disappointed so I continued round to the RSPB bird place at Lochwinnoch, parked up and went for a short walk to try a bit of bird watching instead. My app told me there were a large number of birds here.. But could I see any?!! Clearly I was too inexperienced at this so I gave up and went back to Castle Semple. Interestingly, the loop I had driven took me through a small town by the name of Beith. This was my grandmothers maiden name, and through her is my blood link to Scotland. I regret not pulling over and having a look here, although the family, as far as I am aware, came from Ayrshire rather than here. It might have been interesting to see the town though.

As soon as I pulled up back at the car park, it started raining and it didn’t stop all night. Looking at the map as I waited, I could see there was a walking route to Barr Castle from here. Maybe I could do this one tomorrow. For now, I could do little but settle for the evening listening to the rain pattering on the roof. It was such a relaxing sound, sleep came easily.

UPDATE. I did indeed return to this location after attending Emily’s Graduation in December and boy, oh boy, was this now worth it, and MUCH more what I had originally hoped for! I was able to find the park up quickly, and the walk to the falls told me straight away that there was a major difference here. I could hear the thunder clearly from the road, well before I descended down through the trees to the waters edge. When I arrived I was greeted with the awesome sight of water crashing over the edge to the rocks below and and flowing away with an incredibly strong current. No way was I able to stand anywhere near where I had washed River just a couple of months earlier! What an amazing revisit, and so worth retrying. I was over the moon capturing the fall this time!