Gretna Walk

Our walk this week took us to Gretna and on a superb but cold day we commenced our walk from the Auld Smithy at Gretna Green. The first stop was the bridge over the West Coast Railway Line where the worst rail disaster in in Britain took place in 1915. It was at Quintinshill where 5 trains were involved in a disaster that killed 226 people, mostly soldiers from the Royal Scots Regiment on their way to Liverpool to board a ship for the Gallipoli campaign. In the photograph above the 2 main lines are flanked by 2 sidings and it was here that the troop train coming south collided with the local train and eventually 5 trains were involved.

Part of the walk followed the River Sark which forms the Scotland - England Border. This is the Sark Bridge which was built by Thomas Telford in 1814 and widened in 2001. Thomas Telford left his mark on the bridge and it is now displayed at a small cairn next to the bridge as you can see below.

Thomas Telfords Mark

Crossing the border.

We followed the Sark to where it joins the Esk and it is here that the Esk forms a channel on the Solway. When the tide comes in the Esk will be covered by the sea.

The walk finished back at Gretna Green and I am advised that Tom & John are just good friends.