Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen

Show the photographs you've taken in this album.
Forum rules
Here you can show the photographs you've taken. Use a storage agent such as https://www.imgur.com - our forum attachment system has limited storage and therefore reserved for photos in our Threetowners' Photo Album.
Post Reply
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen

Post by iain »

This walk represents a failed attempt to capture the autumn leaves when they were at the peak of their colourfulness: I evidently mistimed my visit, because most of the leaves had been blown off the trees by the time I took my walk! Nonetheless, I thought I’d post some photos.

I waked down the two most attractive stretches of glen that line Stevenston Burn and its tributaries. I started at Glen Banks, then left Stevenston Burn to re-join it at Kerelaw Glen (to follow it all the way to Kerelaw Glen would involve crawling under the bypass).

The Glen Burn runs through Glen Banks, before it joins with Stevenston Burn near where Corsankell Farm stood. It’s muddy and steep-sided, making it a bit of treacherous walk. In fact, ‘scramble’ is a more appropriate word than ‘walk’. But its seclusion and wildness make it an interesting place to visit.

The woodland is unmanaged, so there’s plenty of deadwood, an extremely important microhabitat for woodland wildlife. This is the view downstream: a bunch of trees collapsed into the burn.
Image

Some Candlesnuff fungus growing on deadwood.
Image

Ivy catching the sunlight in the dark interior of the glen.
Image

The most significant waterfall associated with Stevenston Burn and its tributaries is this one in Glen Banks. It’s not awe-inspiring in its grandeur, but it’s still a pleasant feature to spend a few minutes observing.
Image

The south slope of the glen (on the left-hand side in this photo) is very steep and in places is an impressive river cliff.
Image

A river cliff to the right covered in mosses and ferns.
Image

Interesting patterns of an autumn leaf. I’m not sure what caused them.
Image

Lichen growing among the berries on one of the many Hawthorn trees in the wood.
Image

Glen Burn crossing a farm track.
Image

Stevenston Burn shortly after it’s joined by Glen Burn.
Image

Image

Kerelaw Glen lies a few hundred metres downstream from Glen Banks. It has many more mature tree specimens than Glen banks, including this old Beech.
Image

And Kerelaw is also great for deadwood and the rare insects that are associated with it.
Image

The numerous Ivy-covered trees are also great for wildlife. In October, Ivy is the most important nectar source for insects and in summer it makes great nesting sites for birds and roosting sites for bats.
Image

Some photos of the burn as it passes near Kerelaw Castle.
Image

Image

Image

A photo of the wooded glen from the former Kerelaw School grounds/former Kerelaw estate. These overgrown grounds are now haven for wildlife.
Image

Livestock in the adjacent field. When you meet horses that are better dressed than you are, you know that something’s gone wrong in your life!
Image
User avatar
morag
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 11337
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Stevenston. now in S. Cal

Re: Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen

Post by morag »

Thank you for posting these lovely photos..I'm homesick now, but it's a good homesick.. :GP
"You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."
C.S.Lewis
User avatar
Hughie
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 11138
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 12:42 am
Location: Australia Formerly Ardrossan
Contact:

Re: Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen

Post by Hughie »

Very enjoyable, Iain. Countryside like that was our playground when we were growing up. We also had the bonus of the seaside too. Today's kids would be better served taking a wee stroll up the country now and then. Great memories right there for my generation. :)
Vivc113
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:21 am
Location: The Super Moon

Re: Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen

Post by Vivc113 »

Great pix !!! Very vibrant.
"Words are very.... unnecessary... they can only do harm".
margb
Heid Poster
Heid Poster
Posts: 762
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:16 pm
Location: qld australia formerly saltcoats

Re: Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen

Post by margb »

Love all the pics. Thank you.
5siamese7
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 1719
Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 7:18 pm

Re: Walk down Glen Banks and Kerelaw Glen

Post by 5siamese7 »

Glen Banks Glen Banks so sweet are you and your cliffs that we thought of as sheer. Youth can sometimes exaggerate certain things and memory distort reality. Such fond memories of the Glen Banks that I remember from my youth.
Post Reply