Wigtown Bay

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Wigtown Bay Nature Reserve

Wigtown Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea on the coast of Galloway in southwest Scotland. Its coastline falls entirely within the modern administrative area of Dumfries and Galloway and shared between the historical counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire.

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The bay is broadly triangular in form, widening to the southeast and with the estuary of the River Cree entering from the northwest at its head. The inner parts of the bay are characterized by large expanses of salt marsh and mudflats. [1] The River Bladnoch flows into the estuarial section of the Cree near Wigtown. The Water of Fleet is a third significant river which enters Wigtown Bay via Fleet Bay on its eastern shore. At the mouth of Fleet Bay are the Islands of Fleet include Ardwall Island, Barlocco Isle and Murray’s Isles. [2] The western shore of the bay is formed by The Machars peninsula. This coast is itself indented by Rigg (or Cruggleton) Bay and by Garlieston Bay on which the village of Garlieston sits. The small town of Wigtown also stands on the western shore of the bay whilst the village of Creetown lies at the head of the bay.

Wigtown Bay forms the largest local nature reserve in Britain. [1] It has also been designated as a site of special scientific interest.

A proposal to construct an offshore windfarm in Wigtown Bay was turned down by the Scottish government in early 2011. The potential effect on tourism was cited as a major reason in the decision. [3]

The design of the floating Mulberry Harbour used in the successful invasion of Normandy by allied forces during the Second World War was tested in the bay where conditions were felt to be suitably similar to those of the Normandy coast. There was also a World War II Bay class frigate named Wigtown Bay [4]

Related Research Articles

Solway Firth

The Solway Firth is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in Cumbria, to the Mull of Galloway, on the western end of Dumfries and Galloway. The Isle of Man is also very near to the firth. The firth comprises part of the Irish Sea.

Dumfries and Galloway Council area of Scotland

Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It comprises the historic counties of Dumfriesshire, Stewartry of Kirkcudbright and Wigtownshire, the latter two of which are collectively known as Galloway. The administrative centre is the town of Dumfries.

Kirkcudbrightshire Historic county in Scotland

Kirkcudbrightshire, or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the informal Galloway area of south-western Scotland. For local government purposes, it forms part of the wider Dumfries and Galloway council area of which it forms a committee area under the name of the Stewartry.

Isle of Whithorn Human settlement in Scotland

Isle of Whithorn is one of the most southerly villages and seaports in Scotland, lying on the coast north east of Burrow Head, about three miles from Whithorn and about thirteen miles south of Wigtown in Dumfries and Galloway. Whithorn,, is a former royal burgh in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, with which Isle of Whithorn is frequently incorrectly amalgamated or confused. It is referred to locally as 'The Isle' - never 'the Isle of Whithorn'.

Newton Stewart Human settlement in Scotland

Newton Stewart is a former burgh town in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. The town is on the River Cree with most of the town to the west of the river, and is sometimes referred to as the "Gateway to the Galloway Hills".

Wigtownshire Historic county in Scotland

Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-west Scotland. It is popularly known as and referred to as The Shire. Until 1975, Wigtownshire was one of the administrative counties used for local government purposes, and is now administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. As a lieutenancy area, Wigtownshire has its own Lord Lieutenant, currently John Alexander Ross. In the 19th century, it was also called West Galloway. The county town was historically Wigtown, with the administrative centre moving to Stranraer, the largest town, on the creation of a county council in 1890.

Port William, Dumfries and Galloway Human settlement in Scotland

Port William is a fishing village in the parish of Mochrum in the historical county of Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, in Scotland with a population of approximately 460.

South of Scotland Football League Association football league in Scotland

The South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL) is a senior football league based in south-west Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.

Machars

The Machars is a peninsula in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Galloway in the south-west of Scotland. The word is derived from the Gaelic word Machair meaning low-lying or level land, known as "links" on the east coast of Scotland. Although there are no high peaks in the Machars, it is not flat and would best be described as undulating or rolling. The North Atlantic Drift or Gulf Stream creates a mild climate, and dolphins and basking sharks are frequently seen in the seas.

Before the South of Scotland Football League was formed in 1946, there had been previous attempts to introduce league competitions in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland since the 1890s. These early attempts invariably foundered because of the very small townships in the area and a tendency for the clubs to concentrate on the myriad of cup competitions that were in operation.

Garlieston Human settlement in Scotland

Garlieston is a small planned coastal village in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Dumfries and Galloway, south west Scotland. It was founded in the mid 18th century by Lord Garlies, later 6th Earl of Galloway.

Newton Stewart F.C. Football club

Newton Stewart Football Club are a football club from the town of Newton Stewart in the Dumfries and Galloway area of Scotland. Formed in 1880,as Newton Stewart Athletic but after a further two name changes they became Newton Stewart Football Club in 1902. They are nicknamed the Creesiders, because the town stands on the banks of the River Cree.

Islands of Fleet Group of small islands in Galloway, Scotland. Ardwall and Barlocco are tidal islands

The Islands of Fleet are a group of small islands in Galloway, Scotland. They are in Fleet Bay, which is part of Wigtown Bay, and is in turn part of the Solway Firth in the Irish Sea. There are three main islands.

Kirkcowan Human settlement in Scotland

Kirkcowan is an area about 15 miles in length, and from nearly two to nearly seven miles in breadth, comprising 30,580 acres, of which 7000 are arable, 300 woodland and plantations, and the remainder meadow, pasture in Machars, in the historical county of Wigtownshire, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, with the village of Kirkcowan, bounded on the east by the river Bladnoch, on the west by the river Tarff, and is 6 miles W. by S.W. from Newton Stewart.

River Cree

The River Cree is a river in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland which runs through Newton Stewart and into the Solway Firth. It forms part of the boundary between the counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. The tributaries of the Cree are the Minnoch, Trool, Penkiln and Palnure which drain from the Range of the Awful Hand, the labyrinthine range of mountains and lochs, bogs, burns and crags, rising at its highest to The Merrick, Galloway, 12 miles north and visible from Newton Stewart.

Galloway House

Galloway House is a Category A listed country house in Sorbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

Wigtown Harbour

Wigtown Harbour or Wigtown Quay was relocated in 1818 to serve the town of Wigtown and its hinterland in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, following the silting up of the original natural harbour that was originally located near to St Machute's church. This relocation occurred following centuries of silting and then the alteration of the course of the River Bladnoch that runs into Wigtown Bay where it joins the River Cree.

Kirkcudbright Bay

Kirkcudbright Bay is an inlet of the Irish Sea on the coast of Galloway in southwest Scotland. Its coastline falls entirely within the modern administrative area of Dumfries and Galloway and the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire. It extends in a north-south direction for about 6 miles (10 km), and is up to 2 miles (3 km) wide.

References

  1. 1 2 "DG Community - Business & Commerce Blog For The Digital World". Dgcommunity.net. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  2. Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale Explorer map sheets 311 and 312
  3. "Wigtown Bay wind farm bid knocked back by government". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. "HMS Wigtown Bay, frigate". Naval-history.net. Retrieved 6 June 2016.

Coordinates: 54°48′N4°18′W / 54.800°N 4.300°W / 54.800; -4.300