Almost 4 Months of Lockdown and a Heatwave and a Flood

Its been a week of two weather halves with the first half of the week glorious weather and high temperatures and the second half of the week loads of rain culminating in floods on Sunday. This was my very early morning walk on Wednesday and Langholm Parish Kirk without the trees in front.  

Langholm Lodge on Monday morning. It would have made a superb country hotel if they had not knocked down the big middle section after the war. 

The Ha-ha in front of Langholm Lodge

On Wednesday morning I enjoyed a trip up to Springhill to see David and Alix Stevenson for morning coffee in the garden. Alix had just returned from a walk with my two favourite dogs Bowman and Ruger and they always finish a walk with some games on the lawn. Despite his advanced years Bowman is still very enthusiastic in catching a rubber ring. 

Bowman catching a rubber ring 

All set for another go. 

A very happy Bowman

On Thursday I had my first walk as a group of three people in over three months. I joined Mike and Charlie to walk round part of Walk 8 in the Langholm Walks Booklet. It was chosen as it was easy to keep socially isolated on the walk but I have to admit its not easy and you occasionally forget. This is the lane at Bagra and it was full of wild flowers and Mike as always gives us instructions on how to identify them.  

Mike explaining a particular wild flower. It was the warmest day of the year and very humid but a most enjoyable walk in excellent company and finished off with a lovely cup of tea in Mikes garden thanks to Alison.

My Friday walk took me to my regular 3 mile circuit of Canonbie. This is the lane from the high road above Canonbie down to the village.

My favourite bird The Dipper 

The Esk from Byreburn Bridge

My Skippers Bridge walk on Saturday spotted the first fisherman of the year near the Bowling Club at Codgie

Sunday morning after a night of heavy rain and the rivers are high. The Ewes and Wauchope are running much faster than the Esk so maybe it will come down in flood later in the day

The Esk and the Ewes

The Wauchope which mostly is the first to come down in flood.

The Ewes from the Sawmill Bridge

The Esk from the Duchess Bridge

The Esk and the Wauchope

A family of Goosanders sheltering from the flood with Mum standing guard. There was another family just down from this one and in total there was I think 15 young and the two Mums. This family is 8 young.

This is the second family with Mum and 7 young

I photographed them when I set out on my walk and again when I returned and this time some of them had moved into the river but they were soon back on the banking.

Week 14 and a Visit to Winterhope and The Meggat Valley

Another week of fairly good weather. My week started with a 5 mile walk on the Old Drove Road from Old Irvine to The Ker Wood and back. It was a lovely walk with lots to see and hear. My new camera is performing well as this bird was a hundred yards away 

There were loads of flowers next to the track

This is the old Drove Road and it is as straight as a die for over 2 miles

The following day we headed up to Winterhope to see Jean and Wattie Rutherford. It was the first time Gaye had seen her friend Jean for 3 months 

Wattie keeps a lovely garden with a bit of everything on show here 

I particularly like this tub of flowers 

He also loves keeping hens and this is one of his favourites

Another part of his lovely garden

They have a very friendly cat who just loves to sleep in this old pot in a corner of the garden 

Their house is just below the reservoir and the water level is quite low at the moment but not yet at the stage where water rationing will be required

His noisy Cockerel who is very popular with the neighbours early in the mornings

My Wednesday walk took me up the Copshaw road with a stop off at the old Quarry to see the last remaining pond of Tadpoles and Newts. They are surviving well and the water level seems ok. 

From the road I headed across Whita and down the road to the Golf Course where I met Denis and Tom enjoying 9 holes of Golf. 

At the end of my Wednesday walk I met Jack and Daphne Irving and their daughter Trish at Brooklyn. Jack is another keen garden and has done wonders with the massive garden at Brooklyn.

After a short walk on Thursday I went up to the Benpath area on Friday to visit one of the Buccleuch Centre Staff who is currently on Furlough. She lives in the Meggat valley and I combined my visit with a walk up the valley and back. It is a beautiful and peaceful valley. 

A lovely field of either hay or silage near to Meg's house

Further up the Meggat valley

This Roe Deer crossed my path a hundred yards or more in front of me

Our Grandson Thomas in California was 9 on Wednesday. He loves sport and the outdoor life. They had been kayaking on The Ice Lake in northern California this week and just loved it.

A selfy taken at The Round House on Saturday morning 

This Grey Squirrel posed for a photo on my walk round Jenny Nobles Gil on Saturday

Foxgloves 

And finally Demelza the young Rabbit that has been visiting us every day for a week. She was called Demelza by Gaye as we have been watching Poldark regularly during Lockdown