June Beags and Doodle Beags

The Quest

Part 1 of McGonks' attempt to follow the 'Pilgrim Way'

 

Torhouse Stone Circle

As you'll perhaps have noticed on the McGonks Facebook page, we are now trying to find out much more about a place named Whithorn and it's many links with Scotland's past - Vikings, Romans, the arrival of Christianity to Scotland and royal visits by such famous people as Mary, Queen of Scots and Robert Bruce.

 

This is in no way a pilgrimage nor is it in any way religious, it is a simple exploration of a road that is said to join the Southern Upland Way (Britain's first official coast to coast long distance foot-path) near the famous Glenluce Abbey then run all the way down through the Machars of Galloway to the Isle of Whithorn, where the remains of St Ninian's Chapel still stand to this day.

 

The Machars of southwest Scotland are home to many, many interesting places of national historical note. We believe The Whithorn Trust is like the information hub for anyone wanting to find out more about this area, offering helpful advice and information relating to all of the following historic sites: 

• Barhobble
• Chapel Finian
• Cruggleton
• Drumtrodden
• Kirkmaiden
• Rispain
• St Ninian's Cave
• St Ninian's Chapel
• Torhouse Stone Circle

There's also Whithorn Priory, a place where no McGonk has yet to venture, so we are planning on visiting all of these locations this summer AND attempting to make it to Glenluce Abbey to complete all stretches of the original Pilgrim Way. In doing this, we hope to help raise awareness (and funds) to help save The Whithorn Trust. We've already set up a donations page and linked to a petition that we beseech you to sign and then spread the word to all your friends, relatives, colleagues and acquaintances to do likewise. Only by saving the Trust can we save the visitor centre and, in so doing, have somewhere of historical interest to meet and greet all the ex-pats who will be visiting Scotland during Homecoming 2014. Having some place to enjoy a cuppa whilst learning about their Scottish heritage has to be high on the list of priorities if we are bringing our long-lost relatives all the way across that big pond known as the Atlantic!

 

But let's get back to the case in hand bfore we become too distracted. Our route starts probably halfway between the start and finish of the original Pilgrim Way, from Thrift Cottage, home of Clan McGonk. We don't yet have a proper map of the road or pathway, nor do we even know if it is still in use - it is our quest to find out and to uncover the secrets of this ancient way that could have been walked, horse-driven or ridden over 1,000 years ago. We 'think' it's about 50 miles round trip, so needs splitting into manageable sections to allow plenty of time for exploring everything there is to see en route. There are also herds of cows to be avoided, as part of the track cuts over farmland that we already know is home to the big scary, hairy beasts, the Black Galloways.

 

Along the way, (pardon the pun) we will be seeking to help discover a means of saving the associated visitor centre and museum, which is located near the old Whithorn Priory. It apparently costs about £100,000 each year to run the centre (it now also has a cafe) and keep it open for business while holding on to the treasures contained within. The ruined nave of the Medieval Cathedral and crypts are now in the care of Historic Scotland, as is the museum, which is reported to house the finest collection of early Christian stones in Scotland. McGonks haven't yet travelled this far along the route but they have found an easy access point onto it and are planning to follow the road and visit all the sites that they can.

 

This is one of the Beag McGonks, a dandy little fellow who was part of the support group that ventured to the summit of Ben Nevis last weekend (a total of 4 McGonks succeeded in reaching the top - Bhreac + 3 supporting Beag McGonks). He has been out on the beach today, where he found himself a beautiful 'wizard stick' and a feather for his cap. He then went out to show off his new outfit and admire himself in the garden mirrors. He's fairly well travelled and should make an excellent scout for this challenge; if you look closely at the Torhouse Stone Circle photograph, you can just make him out when he and the grey Beag were hiding at the bottom of the huge boulders. He has been nicknamed Doodle Beag.

 

So, McGonk fans, let's set to work and try to help save the Whithorn Trust for a while longer and, in so doing, discover the Pilgrim Way so we can trek, ride or cycle the length of the Machars. It's another big adventure!

 

Check out www.mcgonks.com for links to donate or even just to sign the petition to help save the Whithorn Trust. We hope you will enjoy the summer adventures and our quest to uncover the original Pilgrim Way.

Beag's Sunny, Sunday Mini Adventure



MEET BEAG!

In the Gaelic language, the word 'beag' means small. As expected, the way we say the word depends on our dialects and accents, so to make things easy, it sounds quite like 'BUG'. Personally, I think it's a fantastic name for any of the micro McGonks!

This is Beag (Bug). He's grey, measures about 6cm high, has a pink button nose, pink felt 'shoes' and wears a blue tartan Tam o' Shanter with a tiny white pompom on top. Beag McGonks are great, they can be clipped onto almost anything and go anywhere without causing too much of a fuss - handbags, keys, zippers, bicycles...

 

But first, a little bit about Tam o' Shanter:

Tam o' Shanter is the character in a very famous poem of the same name written by Robert Burns. (You can find the poem in its entirety HERE.) Rabbie Burns, as he's commonly referred to, is possibly Scotland's most famous and influential poet. His birthday is celebrated every year on 25th January on "Burns' Night", when all good McGonks eat the customary haggis, neaps and tatties (haggis, turnip and potatoes) for dinner. Official Burns' Supper events are held all around the country and wherever else you find McGonks - I mean Scots! The Tam o'Shanter hat is the flat tartan cap that was often worn by Scotsmen of that time and so-named after the poem's main character, Tam.

 

Today the sun shone and the outdoors beckoned. Beag McGonk couldn't really go for a gallop on his trusty steed, Black Bess, so he donned his Tam o'Shanter, wrapped up against the blustering wind, hitched up the bike and had a wander along the local lanes. The views on such days can literally blow you away, but there really wasn't much to see by way of life - no cows, no sheep, no birds flying overhead, no herons by the stream. In fact, not a soul in sight - so nobody to spy Beag as went secretly exploring.

First stop was a signpost. There was still nobody about, so Beag climbed right to the top to see if he could see any signs of life further afield. Scrambling up, blown all ways by the blustery winds, he almost lost his balance more than once! He finally made it to the top and scrutinised the panoramic views for signs of life. Unbelievably, on such a glorious day, there still wasn't a soul in site, not even the hare that's usually bouncing around the adjacent field! But then he spotted a fabulous, huge tree, leaf-less and begging to be climbed!

 

Back on the bikes, we cycled a little further along the lane until Beag stopped by a prickly looking clump of winter-bare hedging. Off the bike, stumbling through the grass he went, scaling the gnarled, twisting branches with a definite mission in mind. Once he'd reached a particular spot in his chosen 'tree', Beag stopped, looked all around and then peered anxiously downwards. Following his gaze, I spotted the long, slender, pointed looking branch he was eyeing.

Just at that exact minute, I heard a yell and watched as Beag leapt clean off his resting place and then hooked the branch below in one death-defying action. Off he went, swinging along, shouting with glee as he flew through the air, almost as though on a magic zip-wire, sliding his way in a flash to the base of the branch. What a naughty little McGonk he is! If this is the kind of exploits the micro-McGonks are going to get up to then I really don't know how the red king Rory or any of the others are going to cope!

Still, Beag seemed as proud as Punch with his flying trapeze act and was quite happy to settle back onto the bike and come home afterwards. Phew! First mini-adventure over without mishap and we all got some fresh air and exercise into the bargain.

 

Back home, there was a lovely bowl of hot, steaming lentil soup waiting and a room full of McGonks wanting to see the photos of the day's mini-adventure. Sending the littlest member of the clan out as a scout seemed like a good idea at the time, but he didn't quite grasp the concept of surveying the lie of the land. Perhaps next time he'll concentrate more on his mission than playing at swinging from trees.

 

McGonk.