Westerhall and Running Water

Due to other commitments today's Wednesday walk had to be a short one and there was only Tom and me as the rest were away or unwell. We decided a short walk through Westerhall Estate which is always a very pleasant walk. The first 2 photographs are of the stream going through the estate at the Bentpath entrance and it has plenty of good clear water running in it today.

The stream is called the Kirk Burn

I have commented on this wooden sculpture before and it fascinates me how it was done. The light was not good but this is a lovely big house and a beautiful estate. It seems to be closed up for the winter at the moment, although signs that it has a housekeeper living there on a permanent basis.

Me and my friend who must be feeling the cold 

This is the Glenearls Sike and just half a mile up from here there is a dam that used to provide Hydro power for the estate

A lovely old footbridge at the Burnfoot Burn at the end of the walk.

Tom's Birthday Walk to Waterloo Monument

Today's walk started at Harestanes Visitor Centre near Ancrum and it was Tom's Birthday Walk. Unfortunately only 4 of us were able to make it due to illness and other commitments. The forecast was for better weather further east and this proved to be spot on as the heavy rain cleared once we were past Hawick and it remained dry for the whole walk, but very windy. This is a Spanish Hedgehog Fir at Harestanes. 

The first part of the walk took us through a lovely wooded area with some very old trees. Almost as old as these 3 guys. 

The Waterloo Monument in the distance

The Waterloo Monument was built by the Marquis of Lothian in 1835 and it sits at 774ft above sea level. 

There is a viewing platform at the top but you need special permission to climb it

Today's walkers getting the full force of the wind.

Birthday Boy Tom 

The Eildons in the distance

A Walk from Silloth to Grune Point

Today's walk was in Silloth on the Solway Coast. The weather forecast indicated that the heavy rain would clear up at Silloth by 11.00am so we set off in good faith and trusting the BBC weather forecast and just as we arrived the rain stopped. It was still very overcast with mist on the Solway and a strong wind on our backs. Our walk was to take us to Grunde point north of Silloth and this is a peninsular sticking out into the Solway.

This is a type of lighthouse but I don't know if it is still in use today.

A dull and drab view of the Solway coastline on Silloth Promenade. 

This peninsular looks on to the Solway Marshes and there are many Creeks winding their way through the marshes. This is the largest called Skinburness Creek

At Grune Point there is an old wartime Pill Box 

It was very gloomy inside the Pill Box and I would not have like to spend much time their so whoever manned it must have had a very difficult job.

An old Fort in Moricambe Bay 

The only bit of colour in the gloom today was this gorse which seems to be in flower all winter.

This is the Skinburness Hotel which seems to have been closed for many years. Tom and I have a distinct memory of having a pint in it maybe 10 years ago but it could be longer. 

Back at Silloth and the mist has cleared allowing us to see Criffell on the Scottish side of the Sloway Firth 

The view of our walk as seen on Google Maps