An Edinburgh Stress Busting Walk

On Wednesday we tolok Gaye into the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for her big operation at 7.00am and she went to Theatre at about 9.30am

My Edinburgh friends Johm, Martin, and Ken arranged to meet me at Martins house which was only a 10 minute bus drive from the hospital to take me on a walk to help relieve some stress. It was such a beautiful morning and this proved to be a wonderful idea. Edinburgh was at it's very best and must be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The walk took us to Craigmillar Castle which is just close to the hospital so I felt I was still close to Gaye as she was in the operating theatre. This is us outside Cameron Toll Shopping Centre which we walked through on our way to the Castle. I am pleased to say the Edinburgh Branch of the Last of the Summer Wine Walkers were not tempted to shop and went through without spending a penny.

This is Inch House which is about 600 years old and is now a Community Centre

Craigmillar Castle which actually overlooks the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. I have to say that we were so well looked after and Gaye  is in such professional hands that we are very confident she will come through this well.

After a 2 hour walk we arrived back at Johns Edinburgh Flat at about 2.00 pm and it was not until 8.00pm we were able to see Gaye as she had been in recovery for several hours waiting for a bed in HDU but she was very cheery and looking much better than when we had left her.

Bentpath to Langholm

Todays walk was to be a walk through memory lane for Peter from the time he used to live at Douglen and often walked around the area between Bentpath and Langholm.  This is Tom & Peter outside the lovely Westerkirk Church where Peter and Elizabeth were married over 40 years ago.

The road through Westerhall Estate which at certain times of the year must be one of the nicest walks in Scotland. Looking at this photograph you see a very rare sight that of Snowdrops and Rhododendrons in the same photograph. 

Westerhall House which must be one of the finest Holiday Houses in the country as it is rarely used but is kept beautifully both house and gardens. The views from it are outstanding and it is a real pleasure to walk through the estate. The best time to go through will be in April/May when the Azalea's are in full bloom.

At the Westerhall Farm Peter took us up a trail next to the Glenearls Syke to a spot where he and the family used to go to swim many years ago. This is the dam in the Syke and the group of trees in the centre is actually an Island. Lots of the gravel has been moved so it is not as wide and deep as when Peter used to go there.

This is the Dam which at one time provided Hydro Power to the farm a few hundred yards down the burn.

The Dam from a distance

Nearer Langholm we passed by the Feeding pens for all the Pheasants reared by Buccleuch Estates

Peter outside Douglencleuch the house he used to live in nearly 40 years ago

A string of National Hunt Racehorses from the Ewart Stables at Burnfoot

On the Sorbie Road there is this lovely Pond which started life as a flooded field many years ago and is now nurtured by the farmer as a wildlife habitat. We arrived in Langholm after almost 7.5 miles and within an hour of getting home the rain started so we had been very lucky.