A Walk Round Potholm after Storm Arwen

It is now 12 days since we had Storm Arwen and life is beginning to get back to normal in Eskdale, although the B709 road from Langholm to Benpath is still officially closed. You can however get through if you take extreme care and it's perfectly OK for walkers. We were planning to go Keswick yesterday for a walk along the old railway line to Threlkeld as it has been reopened after the bad floods of a few years ago. This was postponed due to Storm Barra which delayed John's arrival in Langholm and it was forecast to be very wet in the Lake District. This is a photo of one of the many uprooted trees on the Langfauld but it was fortunate they did not block the road due to the wind coming out of the North East.

A view from the Langfauld across the Esk to the Potholm road

A line of many fallen trees along the Langfauld

John and Tom along the Langfauld

One of the trees covered in moss

This is the B709 road to Bentpath and although the fallen trees have been cleared there are still electricity cables and telephone lines to be cleared from the road plus a lot of debris from the storm.

Tom and John on one of the worst stretches of the road. We finished our walk with a trip through Langholm Rugby Club ground where more damage was evident and then had a lovely lunch at Whitshiels Cafe. A most enjoyable 7 mile walk. 

 

Storm Arwen wreaks havoc in Langholm

This sequence of photos were taken over Saturday and Sunday and are out of the order taken but if they have snow on them they are Sundays. Storm Arwen hit us on Friday night and for about 12 hours Langholm was completely cut off from the outside world. Many areas in the countryside round about us were subject to power cuts and some are still not back on yet as I write this on Sunday evening.

The road from Stubholm to Murtholm with many trees blocking it

Lodge Walks heading to the Pheasant Pens.

Buccleuch Park

The Duchess Bridge which was damaged when a tree hit it

Looking down onto The Beechy Plains on Easton's Walk which has been devastated with many trees down all along the route.

The start of the route along Gaskell's Walk which is already closed due to a dangerous bridge.

Buccleuch Park

This tree is in the river just above The Duchess Bridge

Easton's Walk

The road to The Pheasant Pens

Near North Lodge

Blown over fence near the houses up from The Duchess Bridge

Easton's Walk

This was the A7 at Walkers Hole near the Kilngreen on Saturday morning and the work being done to clear the A7. The guys in the coloured jackets are supporters of the RAC Rally who got stuck in Langholm on Friday night and had to sleep in their cars. They all quickly volunteered to help clear the road.

Four RAC Rally supporters

On the Ty Pennington Trail near the Jubilee Bridge

Walkers Hole

Castleholm

The road is almost clear

The last tree and the road is open.
 

David's 80th Birthday Walk and Lunch

David is the first of the Last of the Summer Wine Walkers to reach 80, well almost as his birthday is not until Sunday but we met up this morning at The Buccleuch Centre for Coffee and then did an almost 4 mile walk round by the Pheasant Pens and The Curly Snake. Unfortunately not all of the gang could make it as Niall & Elspeth are still stuck in Australia, Martin & Aileen are in London and Peter & Elizabeth had to call off at the last minute due to illness. After the walk we headed back to The Buccleuch Centre for a grand Birthday Lunch complete with Cake and Champagne.

Sandria, Anne, John, Ken, David and Tom

Tom insisted on taking one with me in it. 

The 2 Lady walkers with Alix and Gaye joining us for lunch.

David makes an excellent job of blowing out his candles first time. 

Bringing up the rear as these three don't seem to be able to walk and talk at the same time. An excellent day in good company with loads of laughs. At the end Tom presented David with a book he had found during Lockdown in his house. It was a book of Short Scottish Stories from 1956 presented to David when  he was Dux at Langholm Academy. David thinks he just came out of the church after the presentation and gave it to Tom saying he would never find time to read them. I should add that Tom has still not read them either.

 

A Walk at Carlaeverlock Nature Reserve and Ward Law Hill Fort

Normally I don't put my Thursday walk on my Blog but today my walk with Mike took us to Caerlaverock Nature Reserve and Ward Law Hill Fort so worth recording on this and also on my Facebook page. The light was not great for photography but it stayed dry and it was a most enjoyable 6 mile walk. This is Ward Law hill and the sight of an ancient Hill Fort and also a Roman Camp. The hill is 96M above sea level. 

The track back down from Ward Law

This is the route along the shore, but quite a bit away from the sea.

The Solway with Criffel in the back ground and the Nith estuary

There were loads of Geese about and many flying over us during our walk.

Plenty of Bullrushes as well.

 They say there isn't a month without Gorse flowering in Scotland and this bush was spectacular for its coconut smelling flowers.

Our route took us past the old Caerlaverock Castle and also the newer one. This is the site of the old one which would originally be next to the sea and was built in 1220 and abandoned in 1270 when the new castle was built.

This is the moat of the new castle which was abandoned after a siege in 1640 and left in ruins.

Caerlaverock Castle with its unique triangular plan.

Part of the moat still with water in it. 

Another Day on Brampton Ridge Walk

I had recently walked this route with Mike Tinker but not on a beautiful day like today with lovely autumnal sunshine all the way and a carpet of leaves everywhere. Tom and I picked up Peter in Aglionby at 9.30am and headed out to Brampton for the climb up to the ridge. It was spectacular and soon warmed up to become a lovely day.

The waterfall on the Quarry Beck

A spectacular pathway next to Quarry Beck

Tom and Peter getting over a stile. As you get older kissing gates are more appreciated.

A lovely carpet of fallen leaves 

The old Lanercost Bridge just before the Priory. We had planned to have Coffee and Scones at Lanercost Cafe but it was closed for redecoration.

Tom and Peter admiring the views over the Eden Valley

At the end of the walk back in Brampton Elizabeth was waiting for us to join us for lunch.

On the Quarry burn section of the walk this Dipper kept us company for a while.