A Glorious February Day at St. Mary's Loch

What a glorious day for a walk. We met John at St. Mary's Loch and parked my car there while John took us a mile further along the road to avoid us walking the first part of the walk on the main road. This reduced the walk to just under 6 miles. Just after we left the car and before we headed to the path along the hillside we passed this old church. We headed into the grounds to have a better look at it and discovered it had been converted to a house and we were therefore in somebody's garden. I normally don't like Church Conversions but this one was beautiful and the garden splendid.  

Just as we set off this C130 Cargo Plane flew down the Loch

There has been a lot of planting done along the hillside in this area. Just a mile or so from here there is the Carrifran Wildwood which was set up over 10 years ago and helped considerably by our friend David's charitable trust. 

There is a lovely path running parallel to the road. When we last walked round the Loch over 10 years ago we had to walk along the main road but there is now an excellent way marked trail round the Loch.

The weather was just perfect and the views spectacular. During the 2.5 hours we were walking we only met 4 other walkers. 

The Yarrow water at the exit from the Loch

Spectacular views of St. Mary's Loch

We stopped at this upturned rowing boat for a breather. A fast jet suddenly appeared but I had no time to photograph it as it headed down the Loch at about 100ft.

Our walk map

There is an old bridge crossing over the outlet between the Loch of the Lowes and St. Mary's Loch. This must have been the nicest February walk we have had for many years and we ended our perfect day with a lovely lunch in Selkirk