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The Natural Environment
Kirkgunzeon parish is in a beautiful rural area of South West Scotland. It is largely agriculture and is home to many species of plants, insects and other wildlife. The statistical accounts of the Parish all include some reference to its natural features View the 1st Statistical Account, 2nd Statistical Account, 3rd Statistical Account and the 3rd Account of 1959 describes it as a shallow valley five miles long and three miles broad. Through this valley runs the local burn Kirkgunzeon Lane which begins in Lochaber, on the edge of Mabie Forest. Having passed through Kirkgunzeon it flows south west past Dalbeattie becoming a tributary of Urr Water.
The high land in the parish lies roughly round the boundaries. On the southern side the hills are heather-clad, forming the slopes of the large granite batholith of Criffel. The opposite side of the valley lies on blue whinstone. The dividing line between the granite and the whin runs down the centre of the valley. Many features of the landscape, local landmarks and opportunities to see local wildlife can be found via a circular route which passes through the village and is illustrated on this map.
‘A Circuit of Kirkgunzeon.’
Dumfries and Galloway Council website also gives details of core paths which are key public access routes for walking and cycling in Dumfries and Galloway.
Please remember to act responsibly when outdoors, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code is based on three key principles:
- Respect the interests of others
- Care for the environment
- Take responsibility for your own actions
More information can be found on the Outdoor Access Scotland website.
South West Scotland Environmental Information Centre
The village is fortunate to be home to the office of the South West Scotland Environmental Information Centre (SWSEIC) the local environmental records centre covering Dumfries & Galloway and Ayrshire - visit website here. The Centre aims to further the appreciation, understanding and protection of the natural environment of SW Scotland by collecting, collating, managing and safeguarding information about the natural environment and providing a focal point through which anyone may access the information.
This means the village has access to a superb resource for those interested in the natural environment and SWEIC staff have facilitated well received community events such as two Kirkgunzeon village moth surveys. View moth survey.
SWSEIC records include details of the species found in the area, including this record of species recorded within 1km of the village of Kirkgunzeon Anyone interested in contributing to these records can contact them on info@swseic.org.uk.
Weather
The relatively mild climate of South West Scotland prevails, although Spring growth is slightly slower, and snow and frost linger longer than in the seaside parishes five or six miles away. There have also been instances of more extreme weather events in Kirkgunzeon, such as heavy snow and flooding. Heavy snowfall can occasionally leave the village cut off from main routes, and flooding has also occasionally caused disruption.
The village is also an area where the northern lights (aurora borealis), a natural light display can occasionally be seen. This 2014 picture was taken by Mike Bolam.
