Exploring a Walk Route in Lower Tarras

 

Three years ago I was involved in planning a footpath from Rashiel Bridge to the site of the new ponds in lower Tarras Valley. This would connect the entire river Tarras from the entrance to the ponds right up to Lodgegill in upper Tarras Valley a distance of about 10 miles. With my friend Mark Hallam, Jenny from TVNR, and Ross the D & G Council Ranger we walked the 2.5 miles of the route from this bridge to where the ponds were going to be created. The route was very difficult and we decided that we would need 3 wooden bridges plus at least 1000 yards of boardwalk over the very marshy parts of the walk. This would cost in excess of £65K as the terrain is so difficult. I decided to walk part of the route today after we have had a hot summer and a dry autumn and to my surprise its even wetter than it was 3 years ago.

Rashiel Bridge

My car parked in the lay-by near the bridge on the other side of the river. The section I walked today was about a mile to just below the old suspension bridge placed by Buccleuch estates many years ago. This bridge is now closed as it is in a dangerous state and may eventually have to be dismantled.

The first of the 3 streams we would need to bridge. These wooden bridges cost on excess of £15K each as they have to comply with rigorous standards.

The areas where there is a lot of bracken is not so bad for walking

Far too much bracken in some areas of the walk

A Hawthorn tree laden with red berries. Once the cold weather hits us we should get migratory birds from Scandinavia feeding on these. Some Redwings have already been seen in Galloway this autumn.

The path is starting to get soft and muddy

The old Buccleuch Estates suspension bridge

Now closed as it is unsafe

This area is in places almost impassable unless you have good stout and waterproof boots and a stick to assist you.

The worst sections

At one point I was  way over the top of my Boots and my stick went down through the peat about 4 feet.

Another of the better areas but still soft in places.

The stretch nearer the Rashiel Bridge

An area of Bull Rushes that has a good variety of birds frequent them

Across the Tarras this is a nesting box provided by Tarras Valley Nature Reserve for Kingfishers

Plenty of mud

I walked almost a mile and then back again. We will need to raise a lot of money to create this path. It is the missing link in the road and paths between the Ponds and Lodgegill. 

Autumn on the Castleholm

After a trip to DGRI with Gaye this morning I was keen to get a late afternoon walk. The weather was perfect and the sun in the right direction to see the autumn colours at their best

I think the tree on the right in Buccleuch Estates yard may be dead or has just lost its leaves early

Looking at Warbla in the distance

The above photos need no explanation. The walk round the Lodge Walks is beautiful at this time of the year.

A lovely sky

The monument on the top of White hill

The Duchess Bridge. I would like to photograph it from down at the riverside but its a bit risky at my age

 

A Walk at Penton

Today's Thursday walk took the 3 of us to Penton for a 4.5-mile walk as shown below. It was a nice day and the Beach hedges were looking great all along the roads we walked along.

This is a nice walk and in the summer you can probably take paths across the fields, but today we stuck to the roads as the tracks across the fields looked very muddy.

The first mile of the walk we passed loads of Crab Apple trees, mostly with the apples on the ground, but on this one there are still a few lovely red Apples still on the tree.

Loads of Crab Apples on the ground

Plenty of Fungi as well

Lovely Beach hedges

Many of the hedges have just been allowed to grow into trees

The War memorial at Nicholforest Church

A very old Church

The entrance into a small estate

Many of the fields have just been left fallow and over the years they have become full of reeds

Pentonbridge Inn and a fine place for dining, but a little bit expensive

A commercial crop of Willow

Near the end of our walk we met this family of Pigs. It was a most enjoyable walk and we only once had a few drops of rain and as soon as Charlie and I put on our waterproof coats it stopped, much to the amusement of Mike. We finished our walk with a Coffee at The Buccleuch Centre where we were served without even giving our order as they are so used to our Thursday visit.