This the follow up to Jamie’s popular first post about his preparation for the Galloway Tri Challenge in aid of Cancer Research UK on the 27th of July 2013.

I have this thing now. I can’t look at a body of water without getting the urge to swim across it. Not to just go for a swim but to actually traverse bodies of water. I hope to cure this on Saturday.

This week has been about final preparations and reconnoitering the route. It had only existed on Google maps and in my own head until today. We will head through my home town of Stranraer and head out past the RAF station of West Freuch flirting briefly with the A75 before dropping down in to the Machars past stunning Stairhaven. It is a magical route with the sun glittering off an azure sea and a backdrop of rolling hills. On days like today this area competes with any tourism hot spot in the country. Those rolling hills however…as we climb from one headland to the next the legs are going to be less appreciative of the views.

The going gets easier but no less picturesque as we head inland through Whithorn and on to Garlieston before heading north to our swim start point.

Now the wind was around 10 mph today and in the shelter of Culscadden cove the water was positively inviting. As my gaze swept out to sea however the ominous breaking of whitecaps in the middle of Wigtown Bay and the sheer distance to the opposite coast stirred some considerable apprehension. Ach who am I kidding? It stirred fear. Its a long way. Its a long way ploughing, as I do when I swim, through the most powerful element at nature’s disposal; an arsenal of tide, currents and stinging creatures lie in wait. I am already retreating in to myself; visualising putting my feet down on sand surrounded by friendly faces, preparing myself by conjuring worst case scenarios in my head, planning how I would deal with them and most of all preparing myself to just keep swimming no matter what.

I also try and do the opposite. People swim far further than this. I’m well supported by friends in boats. The wind on Saturday is forecast to be only 7 mph. I’ll be fine, I’ll get my feet on to the sand, as long as I keep on swimming.

After the swim there is just the little matter of a 20 mile run. The first stretch has to negotiate the A75 again until a shimmy in to Anwoth begins what will be a dramatically scenic run. To get to the views we need to climb 650 feet out of Gatehouse to Laurieston Forest. After that it is pretty much downhill and a case of trying to enjoy the views and keep one foot going in front of the other.

I’m always glad to arrive at Stewartry rugby club but suspect I will never have been so glad as on Saturday evening.

I only hope I have enough energy left to enjoy what’s left of Dougie Day!

Wish me luck and please donate to Cancer Research UK via my Just Giving Page

If you would like to come and cheer us on approximate timings are below:

Wigtownshire RFC, Stranraer 8:30am – 9:00am
Hanover St, Stranraer 9:15am
Portwilliam 10:45am
Auchenlarie Holiday Park 3:30pm
Gatehouse of Fleet 4:40pm
Laurieston 6:00pm
Stewartry RFC, Castle Douglas 6:45pm

You can keep up to date with Jamie’s Galloway Tri Challenge on his Facebook Page

Back in May 2013 the wickerman festivals charity side ‘ Rerrick Events’ launched competition to all primary schools in the Stewartry.

To enter the pupils were required to design a colour image for the front of a t-shirt in an African theme. The headteacher from each school had to submit one chosen entry, with each entry received being judged by the Rerrick Events committee. The winning school was Auchencairn primary school, with Lucy Smiths design , which is now being worn by the smaller Wickerman at the festival entrance . The T shirt and shorts were once again sewn and constructed by the Amazing JaneSmith  from Solway Feeders . The print work was done by Elite Display from Dumfries!

Rerrick Events was established as a not for profit organisation in 2003, to run the activities for the Wickerman Festival. It is run by a local group from Dumfries and Galloway as a vehicle to raise money for charitable causes. For the last two years the organisation has supported a young Tanzanian orphan named James Okeyo, who lives in a small village near Mount Kilimanjaro.

Schools in Tanzania are not free to attend, however James was educated for free until the age of eight as his grandmother worked at his local school. On his eighth birthday, Rerrick Events took on the yearly cost of sending him to school and have raised the fee in various ways, including fundraising in the Wickerman Festival’s children’s area. And again this year the small fee to enter the children’s area will all go towards Helping pay for education for James !

Last Friday afternoon I was invited along to meet the kids involved in the competition from Auchencairn, and also meet Lucy Smith who drew the winning design . I chatted to Norma Maxwell , Lucy’s headmistress , who told me , Lucy was in p7 when she entered the competition, but she will be going on to Dalbeattie high at the end of the summer holidays! I also spoke to Lucy’s mum Pamela , who said Lucy had worked hard on the design of the t shirt , and had come up with the great idea of combining a picture of the wickerman , into the map of Africa . Which you can now all see, now and right through the whole of the festival weekend at the main gates of the festival ground !

Also during the photo shoot , there were some very colourful guests , several of the Wickerman festival farms Texal Tups had decided to show off their wonderful festival style fleeces, and they caused the kids, us photographers and Jamie ( the owner of the wickerman festival) and Chris Caygil a neighbouring Farmer and sheep dog trainer , much laughter while trying to get them to stand still long enough to pose for a few shots !

On Friday 12 July 2013, a new footbridge, commissioned by the Auchencairn Initiative, was transported from Paterson Engineering Ltd’s premises in Dalbeattie to site in the centre of Auchencairn.

The bridge, joins the two halves of the village across the Hass Burn and enables residents from the North West side of the village to cross to the Post Office and Shop on the village’s Main Street without using the main road (A711) creating a safer route, in particular for children and a shorter route for the less able-bodied.

The Bridge is be named after Mr David Dunstan, a founder member of the Auchencairn Initiative and the impetus behind its design. He was also the project leader for the Post Office and Shop construction 5 years ago. Mr Dunstan died suddenly in October 2012.

Built with funding from D & G Council, the Dumfries and Galloway LEADER Programme and The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation the bridge is 11.0m long and 2.00m wide and weighs 3.75 tonnes. It is of all galvanised steel construction and finished with a timber deck and the same paint used on the Forth Bridge, which has a guarantee of 25 years before needing repainting.

Pathways and steps leading to the bridge and a DDA compliant ramp have also been included and were constructed by David Hardie Engineering in Dumfries.

The field the bridge crosses is owned by the Auchencairn Initiative in trust for the Village and contains at present 6 allotments. The Japanese Knotweed endemic in part of the field is undergoing chemical removal and the remainder of the Field will be laid out for the Village enjoyment.

The Auchencairn Initiative is a Limited Company with Charitable status set up in 2003 to “promote the benefits of the villagers of Auchencairn” and has to date provided a bird hide, a local boardwalk and path around the head of Auchencairn Bay, a play park, the Post Office, Shop, Enterprise Centre and 3 bedroom flat. The Directors are all unpaid volunteers.

Further reading is available on The Commonty Website

Guy Pounder
Chairman
01556 640220
07899050725
Screel House
Auchencairn
DG7 1QL

Scotland’s most successful horror franchise “Outpost”, recently enjoyed the world premier of it’s third instalment (filmed at Dundrennan MOD Range near Kirkcudbright and starring Dumfries lad Leo Horsefield) at this years prestigious Edinburgh International Film Festival. In “Outpost 3: Rise of the Spetsnaz” we discover the horrifying origins of these supernatural Nazi soldiers and see them in ferocious gladiatorial battle against the most ruthless and notorious of all military special forces: the Russian Spetsnaz.

Local photographer Kevin Sloan from KSS Images was invited to attend the world famous film festival by friend, actor and cast member Leo Horsfield.

Kevin mingled with some of the film’s stars: Bryan Larkin (“Battleground”), Iván Kamarás (“A Good Day to Die Hard”, “World War Z”, “Hell Boy 2”), Vivien Taylor & Leo Horsfield (“A Spanking in Paradise”), Gareth Morrison (“Outpost 2: Black Sun”)