Kirkcudbright Bay

Today's the day ...................... to follow the map

Despite the fact that we've lived here for more than three years now - and St Mary's Isle is right on our doorstep - we've never done the circular walk which takes you right to the tip and back again.  The name St Mary's Isle  is misleading, because it is not an island but a narrow peninsula jutting out into Kirkcudbright Bay.  It was named after the 12th century Augustinian Priory dedicated to St Mary.  

In fact, all sorts of things happened here over the centuries - including it becoming the seat of the Earl of Selkirk who built 'The Isle' mansion on the site of priory and established gardens, once considered to be 'one of the loveliest spots in Scotland'.  There's nothing much left of it now - apart from the clumps of rhododendron and bamboo, exotic escapees from the garden.  But today, there were snowdrops everywhere (see extra) just beginning to open - always nice to see.

The bay to the west is called 'Manxman's Lake', where in the days of sail the intertidal flats were often busy with vessels loading or unloading in the few hours before the tide came in and they re-floated.  The name may simply refer to traders from the Isle of Man who used the area as a port, or it could refer to an event in 1507, when the Earl of Derby and a large fleet from the Isle of Man attacked and devastated Kirkcudbright.

Lots of history to think about, as you follow the map ..................