Dabbin

Inspired by a talk given by Ann Lingard during Wigtown Digital Book Festival, and her book The Fresh and the Salt: The Story of the Solway, we set out today to explore an area Gordon has known since he was a boy, but which he now realises he did not know as well as he thought he did - The Solway.

We started off in marpaul territory at Port Carlisle. I can never stand there and look out at all the bits of structures that are all that is left of what was once a port, busy with steam ships and boats and a canal, without wondering . . . 

We then wandered the coast of the Solway, coming across a number of serious birders along the way, until we reached the Solway Wetlands Centre and RSPB Campfield Marsh. We cannot understand why we have never been here before - quite ridiculous. It’s an area of salt marsh, peat bogs, farmland and wet grassland, which provides a rich area for all kinds of wildlife. Lots of birds to be seen at this time of year - geese, ducks, lapwings, fieldfares. A great place to wander. 

However, I was most taken with a clay dabbin which has been built recently on the site. Clay dabbing has been used for house-building since medieval times and the Solway Plain is one of the last areas in the country where some of them still survive. Multiple layers of clay and straw are added in a continuous process to create thick, solid walls. All materials are locally sourced - timber for the roof structure, wheat straw for the thatch. (I am not sure that they knew about solar panels in medieval times!)

I also liked the dragonfly that was close by - see extra.

Then we took the scenic route back along the Solway through to Anthorn and home. 

We have lots more to discover.