Galloway Forest Park's dark skies score UK first!

We've just been awarded Dark Sky Park status by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) - one of only a handful of such awards in the world! It confirms Galloway as being one of the best places for stargazing anywhere on the planet.

Limited numbers of buildings within the forest park's boundary mean light pollution can be kept to a minimum. The award has attracted a lot of media attention, with our own Keith Muir (head of Recreation and Tourism for FCS in Galloway) in demand from, among others, ITN, local radio and Radio 2's Jeremy Vine.

Work on achieving Dark Sky Park status began back in September 2008, and the formal application was submitted to the IDA six weeks ago. The final awards were decided at the Association's AGM in Phoenix, Arizona, over the weekend just past.

There's more details - and a map of suggested stargazing locations in the park - at www.forestry.gov.uk/darkskygalloway.

Autumn Walks in the Galloway Forest Park

Despite the heavy rain and strong winds of recent days the trees are still managing to hang onto some of their golden leaves and the range of colours to be seen makes it well worth a walk around the Park.

Large numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares are also migrating from Scandanavia to spend the winter months in a warmer area. Look out for them in the Rowan trees as they stock up on the berries. If you are out at night and it is fairly clear, listen carefully for a high pitched whistle, the contact call made by migrating flocks of Redwings.

Autumn is here, enjoy!

What a pleasure it is to go exploring at the moment, the woods are full of colour! Remember we have 27 way marked trails here in the Galloway Forest Park, details of which can be found in our walk trail leaflet. If you would like a copy let us know or click on the walkers leaflet icon on our main Galloway Forest Park page www.forestry.gov.uk/gallowayforestpark

Don't forget to wrap up warm!

Yogi

Trail closures

We will soon be upgrading two of our very short walkers trails, Bruce's Stone path at Glentrool and Bruce's Stone path at Clatteringshaws. I'm afraid this will mean that there wont be access to either of these paths whilst the work is being carried out.

The good news though is that it is likely to only take a couple of days at each site, keeping disruption to a minimum.

The work will be carried out during next week (w/b 19th Oct.) If you are visiting next week and want to check whether the path will be open or closed whilst you're here then please give us a call 01671 402 420.

Yogi

Wrap up warm and enjoy the show!

If you haven't had a walk in the woods for a while then I can strongly advise one just now. I headed out to Barhil Woods in Kirkcudbright yesterday afternoon and walked the circular route from the car park. Crispy leaves that had fallen from the surrounding trees crunched under foot as I made my way along the trail.

Whilst the full throws of Autumn hasn't quite happened in this wood yet, the warm light from the late afternoon sun filters through the trees and provides anticipation and a subtle glimpse of great things to come.

It's a similar story for many of our other woods within the Galloway Forest Park, whilst many trees have started to show signs of transforming, we yet have to see their full Autumnal glory.

Silver birch started to turn back in September and so in some places throughout the park they are looking quite yellow. However, some of our bigger trees like the Oak and Beech are taking their time, some might argue mother nature is 'saving the best to last'!

Ill help you keep a track of what's happening out there this Autumn right here on our blog. I can't promise to update every day, that wouldn't be very helpful anyway, but I will try my best with a couple of entries a week.

I cant wait to get back out there to see how the Autumn colours are coming on. Now where did i leave my gloves?...

Yogi

Archaeology event at Polmaddy

Steeped in history, Polmaddy made the perfect place for an Archaeology Training event on Friday and Saturday just gone. Attendees got introduced to some basic techniques used by Archaeologists when surveying a site, and then put those new skills to the test with some practical tasks out in the field.

The event was run by Scotland's Rural Past team as part of this years Homecoming. Many thanks to the SRP team for all their hard work over the two days.

Polmaddy is a great place to visit at any time of the year. There is interpretation on site which gives visitors a real insight in to how this old town would have looked all those years ago. So if you find yourself in that part of the forest park then pop in!

Yogi

Pictures from the Polmaddy archaeology event

Images by and copyright Lucy Hadley.  Report to follow!