Catkins and Snowdrops on The Annandale Way

Today my walk with Mike took us to Annan for a walk on the Annandale Way up one side of the river to Brydekirk and then back down the opposite side. We soon arrived at the spot where the first of 2 pedestrian bridges were washed away in the November floods.

The broken bridges still lie in the river, hidden from view today but the townsfolk hope they will eventually be replaced

Further up river is the second bridge.

As on all walks with Mike I learn a lot about the Flora we meet on our walk. Today we passed loads of Catkins of various varieties. The flowers are not out yet and the pollen is not quite ready to do it’s job.

The river Annan from the bridge in the town.

The Coll just up from Annan. This photo was taken on the way back from the opposite bank. There were 5     Goosanders fishing just below the Coll so there must have been plenty of small fish about. 

A Male Goosander

A Female Goosander

The 2 of them together. There were another 3 fishing but getting them all together in the same camera shot was impossible.

Further along the river on the way back we came upon this great hole in the bank where a tree had been.

And this was the tree. A huge Oak blown down by the November gale.

There were loads of Snowdrops about and Mike spotted a very special group of them.

This is a double Snowdrop and it really has a beautiful head that you don't notice until you look under it.

Near Brydekirk there is a small hut beside the river and a wire that stretches to the other bank. I have seen the same thing on the Esk near Canonbie. When we were returning on the opposite bank we saw this guy working with a devise that was obviously going to be swung across the river in the water. We waited for ages to see what he was doing but he was in no hurry so we went on our way. We think it is a way to test water samples but we remain still a bit unsure. 

Sandria & Niall's Birthday Walk at Devil's Beef Tub

Today was a joint Birthday Walk for both Sandria and Niall so Sandria or maybe it was John selected a walk round the top part of the Annandale Way round the Devil's Beef Tub. There was 4 of us from Langholm and 3 from Edinburgh so we met a few miles north of  Moffat on the A701 at the roads highest point. The walk was shown as 5.5 miles but in actual fact we covered almost 7.5 miles. This photograph was taken by an American motorist from Seattle who had stopped to look at the view. 

And this was the view from the highest point of the walk at Great Hill overlooking the Devil's Beef Tub with the start of Annandale in the valley. 

The birthday pair pose for a photograph.  

There was quite a lot of climbing on the walk but it was not too steep and what was even better quite dry under foot. There were patches of snow but nothing too deep.

And this is the source of the River Annan according to the plaque on the cairn.

On the long drop down into the valley there has been loads of trees planted that should return the valley to the way it was many hundreds of years ago.

An unusual sheep pen

These lambs were in the shed at Ericstane Farm. They were much warmer here than on the open hillside where the start of the hill lambing is due now. 

More of the newly planted trees mostly Birch but we did see quite a few Juniper trees as well.
Almost exactly 4 hours after we started we were back at the car and ended our walk with a late lunch in Brodies back in Moffat. I was delighted to present the members of the Last of the Summer Wine Walking Group with photo albums recording their many walks together over the years. We have another Birthday Walk next Wednesday when it will be Peter's and a 6 mile walk near Galashiels. 

Lockerbie to Hoddam on Annandale Way

A glorious day for a long walk and a welcome back to both Tom and Peter who have both been away with Peter in Switzerland and Tom in Barbados. We had missed the healthy arguments with Tom over the last 4 weeks but he was back in fine form today and we were even arguing before we had reached our start point. Our choice today was part of the Annandale Way from Lockerbie to Hoddam. This is a distance of 7.75 miles but due to 2 wrong turnings we actually walked 10.5 miles.The weather was beautiful although cold at the start and in open areas the wind was biting cold

Burnswark in the distance from a different angle than we mostly see it.

Back on speaking terms again with Burnswark in the background

This is St. Mungo's Church near Kettleholm

These are the ruins of kennels belonging to the ruined big house a couple of hundred yards further along the road. There was no more information available in the walk notes about these buildings so I will do some research and add it to my blog in due course.

The old ruined big house

Peter pointing out Repentance Tower in the distance

Although it is called the Annandale Way we did not see a river until almost the end. This is the River Milk

Which a few hundred yards further down runs into the River Annan

There are several of these wooden sculptures along the bank of the Annan. This one has a Raptor, a Salmon, and an Otter on it.

We soon have to cross the Annan and into the Hoddam Estate. Forgive me for being serious in this photo but Tom was kneeling down to take it and we were not sure if he would get up again. Peter was enjoying the spectacle. 

On the estate there are several of these odd looking pods for the use of visitors.Not as good as a caravan but better than a tent. 

Hoddam Castle 

The Annandale Way in Lovely Spring Sunshine

What a difference a nice sunny day makes. Spring was in the air today as we headed to Brydekirk to do a section of the Annandale Way. Only John, Tom, and myself today but it was a perfect day for walking. This is the bridge over the Annan at Brydekirk with the most horrible painted pub in Scotland in the background. 

The River Annan just above Brydekirk Bridge

John and Tom and it was not long before the jackets were off.

A footbridge over a tributary of the river Annan

This Golden Retriever had jumped into the river to retrieve a stick thrown in by its owners but unfortunately the stick sank so it refused to come out until they had thrown another stick for it to retrieve.

 We visited an old graveyard at
Hoddom where many of the headstones have the skull and crossbones on them. We are unable to find out the reason for this.

The graveyard near Hoddom Bridge. This old churchyard was associated with St. Mungo and there was a 12-13th Century Church there for many years but it was abandoned in 1815 and now nothing remains of it. 

The Bridge at Hoddom. The walk back on the other side of the river was uneventful and the total distance covered was 6.5 miles