Thanks to everyone who helped Glencairn to take part in the NITHRAID on 15 August 2026. This annual festival is a celebration of the River Nith – its history, geography and wildlife; past, present and future. Boats race upriver from Glencaple to Mill Green in Dumfries, where they are met by the ‘Salty Coo’.

We started with two guided walks with Moniaive’s Antoine Lemaire, who taught us how to ‘Read the River’ and how to see bioflourescence . These aimed to teach us a little bit more about our rivers, to give us ideas of some of the local features we could include on the banner.

Then we set about making our banner, during four hands-on sessions support by textile artist Elizabeth Stephenson:

Finally came the big day, and the chance to carry our banner through Dumfries as part of the Nithraid parade:

Thanks to Nithraid, EcoArt and Elizabeth Stephenson.

Photo Credits: Deborah Iden and Kirstin McEwan