Glencaple

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Glencaple
Stone Cairn Glencaple.jpg
Stone cairn in Glencaple, installed in celebration of the year 2000
Dumfries and Galloway UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Glencaple
Location within Dumfries and Galloway
OS grid reference NX996687
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town DUMFRIES
Postcode district DG1
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°00′11″N3°34′22″W / 55.00306°N 3.57278°W / 55.00306; -3.57278

Glencaple is a small settlement in the Dumfries and Galloway area of SW Scotland. Situated on the banks of the River Nith, it once served as a port for nearby Dumfries. Glencaple is a Gaelic name meaning 'horse valley' from the words gleann 'narrow valley' and capall 'horse, mare'. [1] [2]

Contents

In the village

At the centre of the village is the old quay with The Boathouse (modern eatery and shop), 24-hour public toilets and Public Access Defibrillator (old phone box).  Across the road overlooking the quay is the historic Nith Hotel (meals and accommodation).  Turn left from the quay, cross the bridge over the burn and you come to Vintage on the Nith (antique shop).  Continue along the road and at the very end of the village is Nith Inshore Rescue, our independent (non-RNLI) lifeboat.  A part-time Post Office operates twice a week from the Barbour Hall in Church Street.  The village has a Primary School and, opposite the school, an allotment site established in April 2020.  New housing is being built at the southern end of the village (2021 onwards).

Local Community

Caerlaverock Estate has been in the same family for 800 years. The Caerlaverock Estate website has information on places to stay, the estate farm and much more. The Caerlaverock Community Association website has a wealth of up-to-date information about history, people and events, including the monthly Scottish Women's Institute meetings in Glencaple.

The Natural World

Tidal Bore

If conditions are right, a bore can sometimes be seen sweeping up the river as high tide approaches.

Wildlife

The area’s bird life is one of the reasons people visit Glencaple. The mud exposed at low tide attracts large numbers of wildfowl and waders in autumn and winter.  The merse (saltmarsh) across the river is home to Barnacle Geese in winter and breeding waders and skylarks in summer.

Protected Areas

Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve starts just to the south of the village.  Glencaple lies within the Solway Firth SPA (Special Protection Area - designated Dec 2020), the Solway Firth SAC (Special Area of Conservation) and the Nith Estuary National Scenic Area.  The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’s WWT Caerlaverock reserve is 4 miles to the south.

Walking

Tracks lead along the merse to the north and south of the village but check the tides first.  Up Church Street and on up the Quay Hill waymarked paths leave the road to left and right.

Other places of interest

Caerlaverock Castle

Opening of The Boathouse, 2012

On 7 September 2012, Princess Alexandra opened the Caerlaverock Shop and Tearoom in Glencaple, accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of Dumfries, Jean Tulloch. The tearoom was originally operated by Lady Mary Mumford, a former lady-in-waiting to Princess Alexandra, and her sister, Baroness Herries. It is now overseen by Lady Clare Kerr, Lady Mary's niece.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solway Firth</span> Firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caerlaverock</span> Civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Caerlaverock is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumfries</span> Town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkcudbrightshire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Kirkcudbrightshire or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright is one of the historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Kirkcudbrightshire was an administrative county used for local government. Since 1975, the area has formed part of Dumfries and Galloway for local government purposes. Kirkcudbrightshire continues to be used as a registration county for land registration. A lower-tier district called Stewartry covered the majority of the historic county from 1975 to 1996. The area of Stewartry district is still used as a lieutenancy area. Dumfries and Galloway Council also has a Stewartry area committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumfriesshire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries is a historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the historic county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Nith</span> River in south-west Scotland

The River Nith is a river in south-west Scotland. The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, 4.4 miles (7.1 km) east of Dalmellington. For the majority of its 70 miles (110 km) course it flows in a south-easterly direction through Dumfries and Galloway and then into the Solway Firth at Airds Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haugh of Urr</span> Human settlement in Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkbean</span> Scottish seaside village

Kirkbean is a Scottish village and civil parish on the Solway Firth, in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire and council area of Dumfries and Galloway. In the 2001 census, the four small villages making up the parish of Kirkbean had a total population of 643. It includes the hamlet of Loaningfoot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brow, Dumfries and Galloway</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Brow is a hamlet on the B725 lying around 3 km from Ruthwell in the Parish of that name on the Solway Firth between Dumfries and Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The Raffles Burn runs through the site, marked on maps as the Brow Burn it flows into the Solway Firth at Lochar Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigtown Harbour</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bankend, Dumfries and Galloway</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Bankend is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is located near Lochar Water, the civil parish Caerlaverock and the villages of Blackshaw, Glencaple and Shearington. In 1961 it had a population of 79.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lochar Water</span> Natural watercourse in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, flows into the Solway Firth

Lochar Water is a stream located in Dumfries and Galloway. It flows for about 10 miles or 16 km, mainly in a southerly direction, roughly parallel to the River Nith to the west and the River Annan to the east. It is formed by the confluence of Park Burn and Amisfield Burn, and skirts the eastern side of the town of Dumfries, and flows through an extensive low-lying area and former raised peat land known as Lochar Moss, before flowing into the Solway Firth. Bankend Bridge, part of the B725 road, crosses Lochar Water on the east side of Bankend village. The tidal limit is about 1 km below that. It shares its name with an electoral ward of the Dumfries and Galloway council

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingholm Quay</span>

Kingholm Quay, commonly called the New Quay (NX975735) in the 19th century and its associated village and warehouses is located on the River Nith, once serving the town of Dumfries and its hinterland in Dumfries and Galloway. The port of Dumfries lay upstream and downstream quays or harbours were located at Laghall, Kelton, Glencaple, Carsethorn and Kirkconnell Jetty. It is not clear whether Kingholm was home to a fishing fleet of any sort. Mavisgrove Merse lay opposite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laghall Quay</span> Quay in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK

Laghall Quay (NX973732) is located on the River Nith, once serving the estate of Laghall, later named Mavis Grove and now again called Laghall as well as its hinterland in Dumfries and Galloway, previously Kirkcudbrightshire. The ports of Dumfries, Kingholm Quay and Castledykes Quay lay upstream and downstream quays or harbours were located at Kelton, Glencaple, Carsethorn and Kirkconnell Jetty. It lies on the edge of the old Mavisgrove Merse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glencaple Quay</span> Architectural structure in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK

Glencaple Quay (NX994687) is located on the River Nith, it mainly served the town of Dumfries and to some degree the Glencaple area as well as its hinterland in Dumfries and Galloway. The quays at Dumfries, Kingholm Quay Laghall, Kelton and Castledykes lay upstream and downstream jetties were located at Kirkconnell and Carsethorn. It lies opposite Kirkconnell Merse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelton Harbour and Village</span> Architectural structure in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK

Kelton Harbour and Village (NX988708) are located on the East side of the River Nith opposite the Kirkconnell Merse, about 3.5 miles (5.6Km) from Dumfries and 1.5 miles (2.4Km) north of Glencaple Quay. The old harbour served the immediate area as well as its hinterland in Dumfries and Galloway. The quays at Dumfries, Kingholm Quay Laghall and Castledykes lay upstream and downstream jetties or quays were located at Glencaple Quay, Kirkconnell and Carsethorn.

References

  1. Grant, Alison (2010). Macleod, Iseabail (ed.). The Pocket Guide to Scottish Place-Names. Glasgow: Richard Drew Ltd. p. 50. ISBN   978-1-899471-00-3. OCLC   759569647.
  2. Johnson-Ferguson, Edward (1935). The Place-Names of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries: Courier Press. p. 7.