A charity fundraiser who followed the route of an old railway line believes it could be opened back up for walkers.
Alan Mclellan walked the old Port Road train track from Dumfries to Portpatrick to raise funds for Cancer Research UK after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
And the retired postie from Dalbeattie reckons a bit of tidying up on the route would allow others to follow suit.
He said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and meeting people. People were fantastically helpful.
“You could open up a lot of it to be walkable with some volunteers and some tools.
“I was speaking to McNabb Laurie at the Galloway Glens about it and he said there could be funding available for tools.
“I believe they have been talking to Sustrans about it and I think the Green Party are interested.
“I’d be happy to help volunteers and organise it.
“Once it’s cleared it’s another thing for Scottish tourism to say we have fantastic walks and it would help hotels and B&Bs on the route.
“A lot is still solid under foot. There are places the farmers have taken gravel away, but that’s doable.
“Where it crossed the River Urr, the towers are there and I spoke to an engineer who said they are solid and you could easily make a footpath across there.
“With a bit of willingness, funding and time you could open a lot of it up for a fantastic walk. I’m up for helping in whatever way I can.”
For now, Alan is working on a film of the route and has been visiting communities along the former line with a special PowerPoint presentation.
It’s proven so popular that a number of areas, including Dalbeattie, Newton Stewart and Gatehouse, want him to return for a second talk.
He said: “People love the memories and come up tell me more stories.
“I went to see Mr Niven at Killywhan. He told me how they bought the station and had to build new toilets as they were separate from the station.
“Someone else said their dad was a tapper and walked from Newton Stewart to Kirkcowan tapping the railway lines.
“I’m retired and enjoy doing it for people, I don’t charge anything at all. All I do is put a donation bucket out.”
Alan – whose cancer is now in remission – has had huge support with the project from wife Pamela, who is now being asked to give talks herself.
He added: “The knock-on effect from doing this one about the railway line is people have been booking other talks, it’s been fabulous.
“Because Pamela did some talks before when we were in Eastbourne, people have been asking to book her talks about when she went backpacking around Australia and about the Six Five special (a BBC rock and roll programme from the late 1950s).
Alan will be giving his presentation at The Fullarton in Castle Douglas at 7pm on March 16.
Tickets cost £5 to cover the theatre’s costs.
Alan is keen to hear from anyone with more memories of the Port Road. They can call him on 07562 398253 or email alanmclellan6@gmail.com
