A Circular Walk Round Carlisle Airport

I had plotted a 7.5 mile route round Carlisle Airport with the first part of the walk following The Roman Wall. As a result of getting lost in a wood we added at least another 1.5 miles to the distance making it a 9 mile walk. There was a biting north wind during the first part of the walk. The airport is extending its runway and also building a new terminal ready for the start of scheduled passenger services commencing in early June. We intend to book tickets on the first flight to Southend so we can have a walk along Southend Pier.

This is the outer ditch  on the section of the Roman Wall we walked. 

Tom well wrapped up against the wind

Tom and I are competing for the wooly hat prize and Tom wins easily

This wee Shetland Pony was very pleased to see us

And so were these sheep as they came running up to meet us 

Our walk took us past Eden Golf Club which looks to be closed for the winter

This looks like the new Carlisle Airport Terminal being built. Scheduled passenger services commence on Monday 4th June so there is a lot of work still to be done before then. The runway is being extended so it can take larger aircraft. I used Carlisle Airport regularly in my days with Atlas Air and flew every month for a while down to London Heathrow but it was not well supported mainly because it was only an early morning flight down and then a return at 6.00pm. It was much easier to use NCL Airport where they had 6 flights a day to LHR.

Today's route. The wood in the middle of the bottom half was where we got lost for a short time

Langholm's 12 Bridges with John & Marion

The purpose of our walk round Langholm's 12 Bridges today was to show Marion & John Glover a walking route for a Walking Club visit to Langholm at the end of February. Marion will lead this walk so we did a practice run through it today. Our first bridge was The Sawmill Bridge. 

Bridge no 2 The Jubilee Bridge 

Bridge no 3 The Duchess Bridge and the oldest cast iron bridge in Scotland

This wood sculpture by Robin Waitt will go down very well with the visitors when they come.  

Bridge no 4 The Highmill Bridge and the scene where John and Marion rescued a couple in their car 30 years ago after an accident that had the car go into the field and catch fire. Prompt action by John and Marion and another person managed to rescue the couple from the car just before it was engulfed in flames.  

Bridge no 5 The Rugby Club bridge

Bridge no 6 The Langholm Bridge one one that Thomas Telford worked on as an apprentice 

Bridge no 7 The Kirk Bridge

Bridge no 8 The Park Bridge

Bridge no 9 The Becks Burn Bridge 

Bridge no 10 The Auld Stane Brig

Bridge no 11 The Skippers Bridge 

Bridge no 12 The Suspension Bridge formerly called The Boatford Bridge. Although this was our last bridge there are another bridges in the town. The bridge over the Dam in Wauchope Street next to Mr. Tootlepedals house should be included. It is hopefully being repaired this week but it is a Langholm Bridge and should be included. The other bridge is on the A7 at Whitshiels over the Whitshiels Burn so that actually would make 14 bridges in the square mile of the town. We finished our walk with a lovely lunch at Whitshiels Cafe.

Another Canonbie Circuit

We had a late start this morning so decided on a fairly local walk at Canonbie and because the ground was so wet in fields we kept to the quiet roads. We started at Rowanburn and headed over the old railway line followed by the path down past the Fairly Loup and then the old road past the Fee Kirk down to Canonbie and back to Rowanburn a distance of just over 6 miles completed in 2 hours.

This was the old railway line from Langholm to ridding Junction where it joined the Waverley line.  

Looking south on the old railway line with Canonbie Station at Rowanburn just round the corner. To the left of this photo but not is sight was the bing for the Rowanburn coalfield where my father actually started work at the age of 14 in 1919 but he only lasted 6 months as he hated being underground. 

The Fairy Loup waterfall with plenty of water running today

The river Esk at Hollows bridge with Hollows Mill archimedes screw just in the left of the picture. 

Tom decided we would take a shortcut through a couple of fields next to Canonbie and where they may eventually build houses if they ever get the sewage sorted. As usual with Tom's shortcuts it was longer than the proper way and not very good underfoot. Notice Tom's taped trousers. we have given him an ultimatum to get new walking trousers by next week or he wont be allowed to walk with us. He will as per usual totally ignore our request and do his own thing. We ended our walk once again at Canonbie Kirk Community Cafe for an enjoyable tea and cake. 

No Snow at Gretna

Only 1 photo today as my camera has packed up and then my phone run out of power 2 minutes after this photo was taken. Tom reckoned we should head for Longtown as there would be no snow there and in Langholm there was at least 3" last night. On our way there we decided to go to Gretna instead and by the time we arrived the snow had gone but was replaced by heavy rain and a biting cold wind. We did manage to do 6 miles but it was not the best walk we have done but its still a walk and we finished with afternoon coffee and cake at Canonbie Community Cafe so that was very acceptable as was the price of £5 for both of us. My new cheap pocket camera arrives tomorrow so hopefully there should be plenty of photographs again soon. 

A Misty Day in Newcastleton

It was just Peter and myself today for our Wednesday Walk and the weather was pretty dismal although it was not raining. This photo in the forest at Dykecrofts gives an idea what the visibility was like. On a good day this walk is spectacular with some excellent views of the Liddel valley. 

North of Newcastleton after walking through the forrest section this is the old bridge over the Liddel.

And just a little bit further along is the bridge over the Hermitage water just before it joins the Liddel. 

This pair of Shetland ponies don't mind the weather. 

Walking back into Copshaw along the old Waverley railway line it backs onto this house with the spectacular Pod in the garden which I think belongs to artist Julie Dumbarton. 

Back in Newcastleton work is going on at a pace on the new filling station which will be unmanned but will allow locals and visitors to get petrol at all hours. 

We managed to do a short detour to find a Geocache at the local cemetery.

Dykecroft Circular which on a good day would be an excellent walk.

Foiled by Floods in Carlisle

Our first Wednesday walk of 2018 and our plan to walk at Newcastleton was changed as the weather forecast was awful. The forecast for Carlisle was much better with no rain until mid afternoon so we headed there for a walk along the river Eden.  

When we came to the river Petteril a tributary of the Eden the flood water was almost lapping over the bridge. 

The water was still rising so within another 30 minutes we reckoned this bridge would be flooded.  

Although the Eden had not burst its banks there was a lot of flooding and the paths were very muddy

Another bridge over the Old Eden burn and this was very precarious with broken slats in the background 

Our walk came to a sudden stop when we came to the this flooded area and there was no way round it. This is the Collar Beck which usually can be easily stepped over but at this point it was over 2 feet deep and too wide to jump. 

Our way back again took us over the Petteril and a bridge that regularly causes problems according to Tom from his regular reading of the Cumberland News as when in flood it builds up against the bridge and floods onto the road. 

Our way back to The Sands Centre took us past the entrance to Brunton Park the home of Carlisle United and the statue of Hugh McLlmoyle which was erected in July 2005 to commemorate the clubs centenary.  

Just past the Carlisle United ground is Carlisle Squash Club where our friend Ronnie Bell is club coach and manager. Ronnie used to play for Langholm in the mid/late 80s as our no 1 and was sponsored by Edinburgh Woollen Mill. The Carlise club has had tough times over the last 12 years having been badly flooded twice but they are now doing very well and have over 600 members and a superb fitness centre there as well. It was great to see him and we enjoyed a very pleasurable half hour looking round the club and reminiscing about old times. 

This is a photograph from those days with Peter and myself in the top photo of the 1st Team winning the Border League and Tom in the bottom photo of the 2nd Team who also won the Reserve League in the same year.