Before Hannah left Langholm to go back to Newcastle today she insisted that we all had our photograph taken in fron of the Christmas Tree. The house is going to be so quiet now they have left, but we will see them again on Sunday when Hannah will be 5.
Fraser took this photograph on Christmas Day as Granny Gaye was speaking to Eleanor on the phone.
Fraser's friend Alistair Hutton and his wife Claire visited us on Boxing Day. It brought back some happy memories of their visit to Salt Lake City 5 years ago for Fraser & Leslie's wedding.
A nice walk on Boxing Day is great fun especially with Hannah who has such an imagination and the sledge became her dog being led along on a lead.
Another Wednesday so another walk, this time from Canonbie to Langholm and as much as possible we followed the fishermens footpath at the side of the river. The photograph above is of the Esk just above Hollows Mill and it is frozen solid all the way over. We did not however attempt to walk accross. We had gone down on the 9.25am bus to Canonbie, which was spot on time so great credit is due to First Scotland. Tom had decided he would wear his crampons having spent £40 on them last year so he was determined to get his moneys worth.
Tom's choice for the walk was to complete the Cumbria Coastal Footpath missing link from the Metal Bridge on the M74 to the Eden Bridge in Carlisle. a distance of almost 12 miles. Most of the route followed the River Eden and it is an area rarely visited by anybody with only a couple of small villages and a few farms. Definately the forgotten corner of Cumbria. Apart from a heavy snow shower early in the walk the weather was excellent but became much colder in the afternoon.
John's son Craig joined the Last of the Summer Wine crew for our walk as he had a few days holiday and was spending them down in Langholm. Unfortunately Martin was unable to join us today as he had family duties having just become a Grandfather last week. Special mention should be made of Bowman the Old English Sheepdog as he was so well behaved especially when we met a bull in the field we were going through.
After meeting at Selkirk we took the bus to Melrose for the start of our 9.5 mile walk back to Selkirk which is a section of the Border Abbey Way. We had done this walk 3 years ago but in the other direction when Tom chose it for his birthday walk. We completed the walk in about 4 hours and had an enjoyable light meal in a coffee shop in the Market Place in Selkirk at the finish.
John, Tom, and I had a very enjoyable walk in the Eden Valley on Wednesday and we came upon the Apple Tree with all the leaves gone and the Apples still on it. The branches were almost breaking with the weight of Apples. That evening we had severe gale force winds so I would imagine all the Apples would have been blown off the tree.
The original plants of these Christmas Cactus came from Dalbeattie over 30 years ago and Gaye has taken many cuttings from them and given loads of cuttings to friends. They flower every November and this year they are as nice as we have ever seen them.
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| Nancy & Kelly hosted a family party for us on the eve of our departure home. |
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| This Log Cabin at the "This is the Place Museum" was the home of a family with 13 children |
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| Granny Ward, Cousin Mike, Sidne, & Gaye |
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| Granny Ward, Cousin Mike, Gavin & Gaye |
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| Cowboy Gaye |
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| Leslie on her ATV |
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| This Yurt is in the middle of nowhere and can be hired as it sleeps up to 8 people. It is mostly used by skiers in the winter months |
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| Lily Lake is 9000ft up in the Uintas and is named after the water Lillies growing in it. |
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| Gavin & Leslie on ATVs |
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| This is at Bear River and is from 8500ft upwards. The trees are mostly Aspens and the colours were magnificent. |
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| On the Beach at Eureka, Northern California. The Weather was a bit Misty and Cool, but 3 miles inland it was 70F |
