THE Green Well of Scotland is a pool, 30ft in diameter, that can be found at the foot of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn in the Southern Uplands, close to the A713, and next to the River Deugh (Dee).

It is a storied place. Witches, covenanters, hidden treasure. All are associated with the pool.

And the stories continue. To celebrate our cautious emergence into the light as Covid restrictions ease, 180 inhabitants from the local community were invited to have their photograph taken by photographer Alicia Bruce, images that now form a new exhibition on show outside the Carsphairn Heritage Centre and at the Green Well of Scotland itself.

One of those photographed by Bruce in May this year was the artist Bill Holmes.

“For each of the portraits I asked people to choose where they wished to stand,” the photographer told The Herald Magazine. “Bill asked me to include the Cairnsmore of Carsphairn as he had restored the drystane dyke which reaches the hill’s summit.”

The photography project has been produced by Knockengorroch Community Interest Company and supported by Dumfries and Galloway Regional Arts Fund and EventScotland through Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund. It was the idea of Knockengorroch Festival co-producer and local Katch Holmes.

The photographs will be made available to the Carsphairn Heritage Centre for posterity.

For more information visit knockengorroch.org.uk/green-well-of-scotland-exhibition/

The Knockengorroch Festival will run from September 16-19. For more information, visit knockengorroch.org.uk/