A new stretch of path has been opened in the Glenkens.
The New Galloway Link path runs from the Cairn Edward forest road at Strachan to existing paths in the woods at New Galloway Golf Clubs.
This allows people to avoid walking on the busy A762 and also provides marvellous views over Loch Ken and Galloway Forest Park.
The work cost more than £30,000 and was funded by the Galloway Glens Scheme’s National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as contributions from the council’s environment team, the region wide community fund and Local Initiatives in New Galloway (LiNG).
The need for the path was identified by LiNG volunteer Gerry Cinderby and was worked into a detailed proposal by the Galloway Glens with the support of the council’s environment team.
Gerry, who was present at the unveiling of the path, said: “This path will be of great benefit to local walkers and to visitors. It will give safe access to areas of old woodland as well the network of paths in the Forest Park and could form part of an ambition to develop a long-distance path from Carsphairn to Kirkcudbright.
“Our grateful thanks to all the funders of this project and to the landowner who generously supported this idea.”
The path has been made possible thanks to the support of landowners the Gordon family and Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor Access Trust.
Trust chairman Peter Ross, who was also present at the launch, said: “I am delighted to see this path being constructed at the instigation of local community activists.
“Outdoor activity provides many individual and community benefits. Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor Access Trust is pleased to have helped in this shared endeavour to provide the community of New Galloway somewhere peaceful to enjoy their surrounding countryside.”
The path completes a missing link between New Galloway and the path network in the Galloway Forest Park. Work carried out includes creating new paths, upgrading existing routes and a new footbridge over Knocknairling Burn.
This has been named Kirsten’s Bridge in memory of landowner Jamie Gordon’s late mother, who loved to walk by the burn.
Jamie joined Gerry and Peter at the unveiling, as did New Galloway Golf Club captain Marina McClymont and Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere’s Andrew Tait.
“We are so grateful for the funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with support from partners including the council’s environment team, the Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor Access Trust and the UNESCO
Biosphere.”
