David's Birthday Walk

After a gap of nearly 2 years David ably assisted by Bowman is back with us and was able to do a 4 mile walk along the Ettrick at Selkirk today. A year ago he could hardly walk 40 yards so has made great progress over the last year and is now delighted to be one of the Last of the Summer Wine gang again, although only for the short, flat walks.

The walk took us to the Salmon Ladder and a new mini Hydro Power Station on the Ettrick. The route back to Selkirk followed an old Mill Lade where the water was used to power the many Textile Mills in Selkirk.

The Ettrick River from the bridge. It's amazing to think that the bridge was washed away on 31st. October 1977 when the Borders was hit by huge floods.

This is the Hydro Power scheme and also incorporates a Salmon Ladder.

The weir which the Salmon have to bypass via the ladder. The sun was facing directly into the camera so the quality of the photographs is not good.

You can probably just make out this Archimedes Screw that is used to create electric power.

This is an old water wheel that once was used to power a mill.

A short distance from the Salmon Ladder is Philiphaugh Estate and this shows the wall behind which is not so much a walled garden but a walled orchard.

The many Apple trees in the orchard where hopefully the Apples come to Langholm for turning into Cider at Waukmill.

The last stage of the walk took us along this old Mill Lade which once upon a time provided power to the many Selkirk textile mills of which sadly there is now only one remaining.

We ended our walk by having a superb lunch at the Philipburn Hotel courtesy of the birthday boy.

A superb day out in great company with plenty of good conversation.