Todays Thursday walk with Mike & Charlie took us down to Longtown on a beautiful spring morning, but after quite a hard frost. This is Arthuret Church which we passed at the end of the walk. I uploaded the photos in the wrong order so the end of the walk is at the beginning of the blog. The last half mile of the walk from the church through a couple of fields was quite muddy and rough walking. We enjoyed a nice coffee at the Buccleuch Centre when we got back to Langholm with Jessica as usual needing no instructions but just produced our regular order within a minute of us walking in the door.
On the bridge over the old Waverley railway line.
Whenever I walk in Longtown I realise how well off we are in Scotland being able to walk anywhere as long as we act responsibly. This lane is just after we have walked along the river Esk on a proper footpath. We leave the footpath and open a gate into this lane where there is a big sign saying PRIVATE PROPERTY and no access is allowed. We as usual decided to continue our walk and if a farmer approached us plead ignorance. To be honest its a lovely lane and could be classed as a right of way and no possible damage could be done by 3 old men with an average age of 80. We were never approached by a farmer, but did meet his wife and I immediately spoke to her and said what a lovely day before she had a chance to say this is private property.
The Longtown ponds on the first part of the walk beside the Esk
You can just see the nesting Swan in the middle of this photograph
Charlie had never walked this route before so enjoyed the new experience
The first of the 3 ponds we passed on our walk
The start of the walk beside the river Esk. Slightly muddy in places, but not too bad.
Plenty Willow Catkins about to appear
