John and Tom overlooking Lochmaben Golf Club where Tom has played many times. He was keen to show us the 15th hole which is a par 5 and is going to be dramatically restructured at a huge cost next year. Both John and Tom were very critical of the existing hole but I as a non golfer could see nothing wrong with it. I am sure the restructuring of it will still make it a difficult hole and if you play it well it will be a good hole but if you play it badly it will be a poor hole. That is the nature of golfers. They are rarely happy.
Burnswark in the distance from the Golf course.
Our next point of interest was the ruins of Lochmaben Castle by the shores of Castle Loch.
From here the route took us through some very marshy ground but fortunately there were loads of boardwalks in place to help us through the wetland area. 
The board walks provided good access through the marshland area to the bird hide by the shore of the Loch.
The old cemetery and the new one below.
Castle Loch from the bird hide.
A swan seen from pathway near the bird hide.
The section of the walk at the south end of Castle Loch was very wet and in some places almost impossible to get through without water going over the top of your boots. In the spring it must be a superb habitat for wild birds but today it was just a boggy marshland.
On the way home Tom insisted we stopped at Crowdieknowe where Langholm poet Hugh MacDiarmid used to visit an uncle many times and it is mentioned in one of his poems.
A lovely walk spoiled only by the very wet marshy area but ending with a lovely plate of soup in the Bakery Cafe in Lochmaben.
1 comment:
I hope Tom recited the appropriate poem.
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