Tom's Birthday Walk at St. Boswells

Today was Tom's Birthday Walk and he choose a walk at St. Boswells along the river Tweed. We have done sections of this walk in the past but this was the first time we had done this exact circuit. The light was not good but it was dry and we did enjoy a grand walk in excellent company. When we walk in a group of 8 you find yourself walking with different people at each section of the walk and if the path is broad sometimes all 8 together. The time passes to quickly and the humour and craic is just great. Tom had as usual just given everybody 4 toffees so I was eating my first one. For the benefit of our friends in Mendon Utah from L to R the names are Gavin, Tom, Martin, John, Ken, Sandria, Elizabeth, and last but not least Peter. Missing from our regular Birthday walkers are David, Niall, and Elspeth who are in warmer countries at the moment. 

The obligatory stop beside the Golf Course next to the river Tweed

Trees without their leaves are always very interesting at this time of the year.

This embankment of the Tweed suffers from serious erosion

This is a Caul for an old mill now converted into a lovely house. We can often see salmon running up the Caul but none today.

Back walking on the opposite bank of the river along a lovely lane

Tom and Martin have been best friends of about 70 years. Martin deserves a medal. 

The gate to Nowhere 

The footbridge over the Tweed with the Temple on the hill in the background 

A lone Salmon Fisherman not having much luck

When you walk in this area the Eildon Hills dominate the skyline and over the years I have photographed them from every angle. It really is a lovely place to walk. 

Tom admiring one of the statues at The Temple of the Muses. It is a tribute to James Thomson a Borders Poet who loved the natural world. 

We ended our walk at The Mainstream Trading Company for lunch. This has just been voted the best small shop in Britain. It is a Bookshop, Deli, and Cafe and we enjoyed a lovely lunch there and then several of the group purchased a book for Christmas.
This will be our last walk of 2018 as we are all busy before Christmas and then we meet up again at Langholm for a Hogmanay dinner and a New Year Day walk.

This week I had a lovely e mail from Fraser's In-Laws Carlo and Sidne in Mendon, Utah, USA. They remarked on how much they enjoyed my blog and what excellent friends we have. I therefore post this photograph to remind them of July 2016 and our trip to The Kelpies and loads of other places in Scotland and England. Haste ye Back Carlo and Sidne there are loads more of wonderful places to see in the UK and we would love you to come over again soon. Have a lovely Christmas and all the best for 2019.