A gloriously sunny Saturday at the end of September. A day for hanging out the washing early doors then head off exploring. I'd had Dunimarle Castle on my radar for a few months. An article had appeared in the Dunfermline Press saying the buildings and gardens were opening to the public for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Dunimarle is now a private residence but had previously been a museum until 1980. Following a lengthy period lying empty, it has been fully restored by the new owners.
The entrance gate is just a short stroll from the car park at the edge of the village. The path climbs up to St Serf's Chapel which was built in the 1870s as a private place of worship for the estate owners. After falling out of use, it eventually became a mausoleum. The chapel walls feature some nice stonework and there are a few old gravestones dotted around. Pushing on, the castle came into sight through a gap in the trees. The crenellated tower is striking and there are obviously good views across the Forth from within. A sign informed us that a visit to the gardens would cost £2, and for £7 the caretaker would conduct a guided tour of the interior. We were content to wander around the grounds and found an impressive avenue of giant redwood trees to the rear.
We bumped into gardener and caretaker George, who relieved us of our pound coins. He chatted for a bit and told us the visitor numbers over the season were up and down but generally positive. Apparently the owner uses the castle as a holiday home. Obviously not short of a bob or two. There are also plans to open a café on the terrace which looks out across the water. It's certainly worth visiting Dunimarle if you happen to be in the area during the season. I returned to Culross in the afternoon to stitch together a historical walk for the website. I've been to the village countless times over the years and have trodden most of the streets and pathways so it wasn't difficult to formulate a circular route. Starting at the other end of town, I headed up a steep grassy trail towards the abbey. This path is part of the newly established Fife Pilgrim Way - a 64 mile inland route from Culross to St Andrews. There is another starting point at North Queensferry and the two initial legs converge at Dunfermline Abbey. Having already completed the 117-mile Fife Coastal Path, I must get stuck into the Pilgrim Way at some point. I didn't dally too long at the abbey as I'd been before and took the public rights of way across to the ruined West Kirk. This is an Outlander filming location and therefore a mandatory stop on a Culross heritage tour.
Leaving the old church, the path led straight back down to the main road and from there it was a short distance back to the village centre. An information board on the shore relayed the story of a 16th century underwater coal mine that had been constructed in the intertidal zone by piling up an artificial island and boring down the middle. Strangely, I saw a TV programme the very next day called Britain at Low Tide, that featured this moat pit. Aerial photography revealed the clear cylindrical outline of the workings and I'm seriously thinking about pulling on a pair of wellies and going out for a look. One part of maritime history that's accessible (but for how long?) is Culross pier. A foot crossing takes you over the single railway track and a wooden walkway leads to the stone jetty. The pier is crumbling in places and hopefully funds will be found to stop any further decay. The railway is also moribund at the moment following the closure of the nearby Longannet Power Station. Passenger services ceased in 1930 and the line thereafter carried freight traffic. These days it is occasionally used for special steam tours. Calls to establish an Alloa to Edinburgh link via Culross have so far fallen flat. On one hand, the infrastructure is in place but folk often conveniently forget the track and signalling would all have to be replaced (at vast cost) to meet the demands of a passenger service. There's also the matter of Edinburgh bound trains having to reverse at Dunfermline. I don't wish to pour cold water on the project but the reality is it's not happening anytime soon.
I wish I could tell a few tales about the interior of Culross Palace but I must hang my head in shame and admit I've never been. I think I once attended some sort of fair in the courtyard but isn't it amazing how we sometimes take visitor attractions on our doorstep completely for granted? I'm sure there are a fair few Edinburgh folk who have never set foot inside their castle. Moving swiftly on, I had a wander around the winding cobbled streets of the ancient royal burgh. The village pub is called The Red Lion and it has an extensive menu and a welcome cask beer pump. I've been a few times over the years. I now had my Culross historical trail formally mapped and ready to publish. The sun was still shining and I headed eastwards to Carnock Moor to begin an assault on Craigluscar Hill. It's a small secluded peak in the shadow of Saline Hill and Knock Hill. Largely unknown as only narrow minor roads pass by.
I first had to negotiate Carnock Moor, a chunk of mixed woodland near the hamlet of Cowstrandburn. There is some parking at the entrance and a typical Forestry Commission road leads through the trees. I was looking for an offshoot path near the other end but missed it and came to the end of the stony access track. As I began to retrace my steps, my eye was caught by a red squirrel scampering up and down a trunk. I managed to get a couple of nice pics and it's good to see a native species thriving. I found the trail I'd overlooked, hidden by some overhanging vegetation. I was soon clear of the forest and walking along a pleasant path with fine views of Saline Hill. Even though it was a September scorcher, I always wear boots for hillwalking at this time of year as you often encounter muddy patches. This indeed proved to be the case and chunky footwear is also ideal for vaulting field boundary fences containing barbed wire. I passed through an open gate and cut the corner of a cattle field, the livestock a couple of hundred yards distant. I don't take silly risks with cows and in this instance it was perfectly safe to proceed. Even so, it was slightly unnerving as they began moving towards me. Not that they even remotely threatened to cover the ground. I easily negotiated the fence. Hand on the post, boot up on the top strand and over I go.
An informal trail led through the long grass around the base of the hill. I'd read it was easy to climb the far side which was covered in heather, therefore I resisted any temptation to try and find a route through the thick tree plantations on the lower slopes in my present vicinity. Arriving at the northern flank, I followed a narrow path up the open hillside and the gradient was initially severe. Not to worry, it's quite nice to sit down for a breather on spongy heather and take in the views. A peaceful valley lay between me and the neighbouring Knock Hill. Although Craigluscar is a designated nature reserve, it doesn't look as if many people venture out this way. As is often the case with lower hills, the sharp slog soon gives way to a far gentler stroll to the top. Craigluscar doesn't have an obvious summit and the ground undulates considerably upon the plateau. I wandered up to what appeared to be the highest point and there were excellent views over Dunfermline towards the Firth of Forth. The bridges dominated the horizon and Dunfermline Abbey was easy to pick out. An information board furnished me with details about the Iron-Age fort that once stood on the hill. The south face looked too severe to descend and I simply retraced my steps back towards Carnock Moor. Although the sunlight had held up well, allowing me to take some fine photos from the summit, it was remarkable how quickly the day began to dim as I reached the lower ground. Preparing to skirt the field, I saw a stationary mass next to the open gate in the distance. I hadn't noticed any large boulders on the way in and my camera zoom confirmed the presence of a sleeping cow. I therefore leapt over the fence at an earlier point and gave the beast a wide berth. Then home for a well-earned rest.
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