The Canonbie (Overgrown) Walk

The plan for todays walk was to do a circuit of 6 miles and finish with afternoon tea at the Canonbie Community Cafe. It had been hoped that David would join us but unfortunately he had meetings all day. He must get his retirement priorities right in the future and leave Wednesdays free. It is a while since we went to the Meeting of the Waters and the path is now very overgrown and difficult in places. It used to be maintained for fishermen but that no longer seems to be the case.  

A landslip at the Deed Nook may have the people who own houses at the cliff top worried as it looks as if more could slip into the river. 

A new set of steps has been put in just along from the Deed Nook as part of the banking had been swept away in the December floods. Hopefully these ones wont be affected by future flooding. 

The place where the old steps used to be.

With no grass being cut on the paths they are now becoming very difficult to use. 

Across the Esk is the very imposing Woodhouselees.

This time it is Thistles that is causing John a problem. 

The Liddell skewed viaduct separating Scotland from England 

On the old section of railway line to Rowanburn the trees have been cleared now allowing views of the small valley. 

To settle an argument about when the trees were planted Tom decided to count the circles of a large tree. It had about 35 rings so the trees were planted in the early 80s. At the end of the walk we had afternoon tea at the Canonbie Community Cafe where 3 pots of tea (3cups in each), 3 scones and 3 slices of excellent cake came to an astonishing £7.20 in total. This surely is the best bargain for afternoon tea in the country and served by volunteers in a very friendly manner. 

The Sunken Lanes of Cumbria (when we found them)

The last time we did this walk was in November 2014 and many of the lanes were flooded. As they are sunken they are below the level of many of the fields so water just collects in them. No such problem today as they were so dry and overgrown we had a problem finding our way. We even got off to a bad start and had great difficulty following the instructions in the book so it took us half an hour to get on the right lane. There were loads of locked gates as well so these had to be climbed. If the lanes are on the OS maps as rights of way then each gate should have a stile like this one in the photo. Lots of the gates were not in good condition and it was a real effort to get over them. 

The fences were all barbed wire as well which causes problems

This is the best of the Sunken Lanes and is about 600 years old. They date back to medieval times and were used by villagers to move their stock between the villages which is why they have such high banks so the stock will remain in the lane. 

A short break on the village green at Thurstonfield.

This is Thurstonfield Lough. It has many log cabins round the sides of it and is used as a holiday centre. 

Thurstonfield Lough

In the middle of Thurstonfield Village is this beautiful old house. I don't know what it is used for today.

It was just along this lane we went wrong in a big way and added another 2 miles to our route. It is a mixture of bad map reading and bad instructions in the book. We ended up going all the way round a huge corn field and ending up back where we started on this lane. 

The Corn Field with no exit. We eventually found our way back on the right lane and ended up back at Burgh by Sands for a very welcome pint in the Greyhound.

A family of Swans on Thurstonfield Lough

Newcastle Break with our Grandchildren

Gaye and I headed to Newcastle on Monday evening to look after Hannah and Leo for a few days during the mid term holiday. Unfortunately we left the good weather back in Langholm as it was cold, damp, and very windy with the east wind coming straight from Siberia. We did however enjoy our time with the kids despite the weather.

A selfie with Leo and myself.

Leo ready to bake some chocolate chip cookies

Leo has been growing Cress at school.

Mother and Daughter

A family photo

Hannah just loved dogs, but used to be nervous of them. She is now getting used to dogs and this one in particular is going to be a firm favourite. He is only 4 months old and its owner who is a good friend of Fiona's will now be getting regular visits from Fiona & Hannah. Leo is still very nervous with dogs but will gradually get used to this one and will in time love him as much as Hannah does. 

On Thursday I headed out to Seaton Sluice and walked the beach from there to Blyth. It is a lovely walk with the return walk on a path through the sand dunes. It was however blowing a gale and even with 4 layers on I was frozen. 

Westwater Farm and a walk up the Valley

Only Niall, Tom, and myself today so when we met at 9.30am Tom suggested a walk up the valley on forestry roads at Westwater Farm especially as Niall had never walked there. Tom and I last walked there in April 2015 but the rate at which the trees are growing will mean that in a few years time you wont see anything because of the trees. This is the lovely garden which is very sheltered and not easy to see from the road. It is open regularly for the public to visit and well worth a visit. 

There are loads of animals running around including Peacocks, Hens, Donkeys, and loads of Dogs. The Dogs were chasing the Peacocks who were in turn chased by the Donkeys. It was a very friendly and happy place to spend a few minutes of our time. Many thanks to the couple who own it and apologies for not asking their names.  

The mist came down and a fine drizzle started so the photographs are not very good. This is the deciduous trees which are growing much slower than the conifers. 

Tom and Niall dressed for the weather.

This is the head of the valley 

This is the other side of the valley and the route we went. 

Another view of our route up the valley 

Tom was a big hit with the Donkeys at the farm

There were six Donkeys all there as pets not as a Donkey sanctuary.
We ended our walk with lunch in the Buccleuch Centre.

River Esk Walk the Nicest Walk in the Valley

After the excitement of 10 of us walking at Gala last week it was back to a local walk and my favourite but only Niall, Tom, and myself available. Peter and Elizabeth are enjoying glorious weather in the Inner Hebrides and John and Sandria are in Crete. It could be that Peter and Elizabeth are having the better weather. The walk along the river Esk from Canonbie to Langholm is glorious and on a lovely day like yesterday it must be one of the nicest walks in Scotland with loads of wild life to be seen.  

I just love these logs stored in a perfect way 

We hope to re apply to Buccleuch Estates for this walk to be included in our Langholm Walks portfolio after we were turned down by them a good few years ago and hopefully they will change their mind this time. If we get the go ahead I have been promised a seat will be placed here at Hollows overlooking this superb view.

The views of the Esk are spectacular and most of the walk is along the fishers footpaths. This is the new Archimedes Screw powering Hollows Mill.

Lovely Cherry blossom at Hollows Mill

The Mill stream at Hollows Mill for the new power turbine.

I hope nobody was on this ladder when the banking slipped into the river

The following few photographs are of the stretch up to Gilnockie Tower

And the actual tower which is hardly ever visited and wasted as an Armstrong Clan visitor attraction as much more could be done with it if the 2 branches of the Armstrong Clan worked together instead of always being at loggerheads.

We were back onto the old road for a short stretch of the walk and this is the old Hagg on Esk School which has been a private house for as long as I can remember.

The next stretch of the river Esk walk to Irvine House is spectacular and should not be walked if the river is in flood.

The rapids just before Irvine House

The river Tarras joins the Esk and it looks such an inconspicuous river but in fact it is one of the nicest river valleys in Scotland and a hidden gem for wild life 

Irvine House which has been empty for many years but has just been sold by Buccleuch Estates. Let's hope it is soon occupied and maybe will become a small hotel or Sporting Lodge which would be a great asset to the area.