Bere Hill

Hill, Mountain in Wigtownshire

Scotland

Bere Hill

Southbound on the Rhins of Galloway Rockhopping on the way into the mouth of Clanyard bay — Southbound on the Rhins of Galloway Credit: Tony Page

Bere Hill is a prominent hill located in Wigtownshire, a historical county in the southwestern region of Scotland. Rising to an elevation of approximately 240 meters (790 feet), it stands as a notable feature in the scenic landscape of the area. The hill is situated around 5 kilometers (3 miles) northeast of the town of Whithorn and approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of Wigtown.

Bere Hill offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, with its rolling green fields and picturesque valleys. Its location near the coast adds to its charm, as visitors can enjoy glimpses of the nearby Irish Sea on clear days.

The hill is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, attracting hikers, walkers, and nature lovers. Several well-marked trails lead up and around the hill, providing opportunities for exploration and exercise. The diverse flora and fauna found in the area make it an ideal spot for birdwatching and wildlife spotting.

Bere Hill holds historical significance as well, with traces of ancient settlements and archaeological remains discovered in the vicinity. These remnants offer insights into the rich heritage of the region and its early inhabitants.

Overall, Bere Hill in Wigtownshire is a captivating natural landmark that combines stunning views, recreational activities, and historical intrigue. Whether one seeks a peaceful walk in nature, a glimpse into the past, or simply a place to appreciate the beauty of the Scottish countryside, Bere Hill is a destination that offers something for everyone.

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Bere Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.709918/-4.9341162 or Grid Reference NX1138. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Southbound on the Rhins of Galloway

Rockhopping on the way into the mouth of Clanyard bay

Tony Page

End of Clifftop Walk from Port Logan

It is rare to see a yellow waymarker pointing straight down. This one means 'turn back'. There is no easy way beyond this point.

Rose and Trev Clough

Cliffs overlooking Slate Heugh Bay

The rock is greywacke of Early Silurian age.

Rose and Trev Clough

Slate Heugh Bay

The cliffs here are composed of greywacke, a sedimentary rock, laid down in the Early Silurian period. In the bay a jagged line of upstanding rock crosses the shore from the sea, and appears to continue as a white line all the way up the cliff. This is a later intrusion of hard igneous rock, and is mentioned in the British Geological Survey's excursion guide to the area Link

as "a cross-cutting, Tertiary dolerite dyke".

Rose and Trev Clough

Carlin House Bay

A small bay eroded along the strike of the rather deformed rocks of the turbiditic greywackes of the Clanyard Bay Formation (Gala Group, Silurian). Much interest attaches to the deformation style and stratigraphy of this area, but I did not climb down from the grassy col between the larger and smaller bays.

Jonathan Wilkins

Farm quarry

A convenient source of easily-worked stone. This band of slatey rock, part of the Silurian Gala Group of greywackes, runs across the Rhins and is worked in several places. See NX1139 : Quarry lakes for another. In this image the bedding of the rocks is very clear, steep and northerly, and that is a regional trend reflecting the collision of continents in the Caledonian orogeny.

Jonathan Wilkins

Please shut the gate

An excellent reminder in colloqial Scots that closing the gate behind you is important under all circumstances. The animals that occasion the reminder are clustered on the hill overlooking Port Logan.

Jonathan Wilkins

Junction of the tracks

The way-marked track from Port Logan comes in from the left here, and is signposted towards Cowans. Behind the camera stretches the route to Clanyard and Inshanks, which is the old road.

Jonathan Wilkins

Track to Clanyard

Beyond the limit of fields belonging to Cowans, the track sees little use, but it is a fine walking route. Barncorkrie Moor and Cairn Fell make the far horizon.

Jonathan Wilkins

Track to Port Logan

Looking towards Port Logan on the waymarked track that is the old road from Inshanks and Clanyard. Here it just clips the corner of another square as it makes its lonely way through the fields.

Jonathan Wilkins

Deformed rocks

An outcrop of highly deformed greywacke which is intruded by felsite dykes. These rugged rocks drop steeply to the sea from a pronounced feature known as Carlin House.

Jonathan Wilkins

Raised beach

The west coast of the Rhins only has isolated lengths of raised beach, and this is a quite spectacular section. Another fine length is at Ardwell bay, NX0745 : Raised beach. The great antiquity of the formation is indicated by the prolific growth of lichen on the cobbles, which shows that it is never moved by wave action. It is distressing to see that this very special formation is being dug for hardcore and destroyed.

Jonathan Wilkins

Moffat shales

Between the major blocks of tilted strata it is common to find outcrops of the Moffat Shales, of Silurian age as are the adjoining Gala and Cairnharrow Group greywackes. It appears that these weak rocks formed detachment surfaces along which there was severe deformation and transport of kilometre-scale blocks of strata. Clanyard Bay was formed by erosion of shattered rock adjacent to one of these major faults, and the striped appearance of this shale outcrop is due to intense deformation and injection of quartz veins into fractures which run parallel to the main fault.

Jonathan Wilkins

Calliedown Bay

Looking southwards into this unapproachable bay, with Clanyard Bay behind. Streams are eroding gullies into the soft, glacial deposits above the bedrock.

Jonathan Wilkins

Heathery slope

A wonderful patchwork of colours, with heather blooming among dead bracken fronds and dried grasses.

Jonathan Wilkins

Strones Bay

Patches of rockfall, scree and huge boulders of probable glacial origin make a superb rocky ensemble, with Clanyard Bay to the south.

Jonathan Wilkins

Folded strata

Within the Silurian Gala Group greywackes there are some sections of thinly-bedded strata which show very clearly the pervasive and severe deformation experienced during the Caledonian orogeny. The cliffs here show how tight folding has resulted in detachment and faulting of these incompetent strata. Deep gullies have been eroded by streams descending from the undulating terrain above the cliffs.

Jonathan Wilkins

Tilted strata

In contrast with the folding demonstrated by the section above Strones Bay (NX0938 : Folded strata) The Lennans demonstrate competent strata that are steeply tilted, but flat. Complete beds have simply spalled away to leave clean bedding surfaces, and gaps between the flat slabs give rise to the caves marked on the map, but not visible from above.

Jonathan Wilkins

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Bere Hill is located at Grid Ref: NX1138 (Lat: 54.709918, Lng: -4.9341162)

Unitary Authority: Dumfries and Galloway

Police Authority: Dumfries and Galloway