Another Walk on the Borders Drovers Road

Six weeks ago Mike and I walked this Borders Drovers Road on a beautiful summers day and we were very impressed with it. Charlie was unavailable that day so we were determined to take him to Hawick to see it for himself. The best part is the mile long Drove road which has 2 drystone dykes flanking it. Between the drystone dykes there are a multitude of wild flowers and today it was a huge quantity of Berries and Sloes

It is a well sheltered road and a pleasure to walk along

This Elder tree was full of Elderberry fruit.

This beautiful Highland Cow was not a bit bothered by our presence

Another Elderberry Tree

The downhill section of the Drove Road

Another prominent fruit was Rosehips

This was a Hawthorn and Elder intwined together and very old

Rosehips and Sloes

More Rosehips. We had a lovely walk and came back to The Buccleuch Centre for our coffee and were served within a minute of walking in the door as we have the same order every Thursday. 

 

A Canonbie Autumnal Walk

After our holiday in Rockcliffe it was back to my Thursday walk with Mike and Charlie. Just a 4 mile walk at Canonbie, but an excellent autumnal day and the hedgerows were full of berries.

One of my favourite views of the river Esk at Hollows

This is Pendulous Sedge according to Mike who gives us a lesson in wild flowers every walk. 

There was a lot of these berries on our walk. They are Gelder Rose and look splendid and bountiful this year. 

Another red berry but this is Honeysuckle and not as bountiful

More Gelder Rose

This seat was placed a few years ago at the bridge over the old railway overlooking what used to be the Rowanburn Coal Mine. I think it was made and placed their by Tony Mattinson so we are very grateful as it is indeed the Best Seat and View Around. 

Hawthorn berries in profusion

More Hawthorn

These are Slows and we have never seen them as plentiful as this year. Gin lovers will be delighted.

A lovely walk and even better conversation today so it was a real treat to be out in such lovely countryside. We finished our walk with our usual coffee's at The Buccleuch Centre and were served by Jessica as soon as we walked in the door without even having to tell her what we wanted.

 

A Walk to Dog Island

It has been at least 25 years since I walked on Dog Island at Broomholm so for our Thursday walk we decided to pay it a visit. Charlie was last there during Covid and its a good few years since Mike was last there. There is a good path from The Green Door on the Tarras road (B6318).

Mike and Charlie on the bridge which is quite good condition.

The view of the river Esk from the footpath

One of the Dog graves on the island

A nice waterfall on the path to the island.

A huge fallen tree blocking the path on the island.

 

A Walk on the Ullswater Way

Yesterday we headed to the Lake District and Ullswater for our Thursday walk. Mike, Charlie and myself left Langholm at 9.15am to be in Pooley Bridge in time for the 11.05am Ferry to Howtown. We allowed plenty of time to get a parking spot and were lucky that we managed to get a spot, but in another 15 minutes or so they would all have been taken. A quick Coffee at the Ferry Pier and then 25 minutes on the boat to Howtown. It was almost full with visitors and their dogs.

Ullswater from the Ferry. The sun never got out all day and at times we had a few spots of rain, but it was always very warm.

Mike and Charlie on the Ferry.

Once we were off the ferry we left all the people behind and soon we were walking along the side of the lake and maybe a couple of hundred feet above the lake level. This was a mountain stream that came through a small gap in the drystone dyke.

Ullswater and our Ferry disappearing in the distance.

Plenty of drystone dykes.

A very interesting and high stone stile in the dyke. Mike as usual leading the way.

The very small gate on the other side of the stile.

An interesting little valley we passed by on our walk.

 

New Years Day Walk

My good friends have met for many years on New Years Day to join the runners for the New Years Day run. We of course just walk part of the route which up until today was round Potholm a distance of 5 miles. Today we decided that we would just do a 3 mile walk starting at 10.00am and finishing in the Market place at 11.00am and we timed it to perfection arriving just as the clock was chiming. Our excuse for the shorter walk is that 2 of the group and now Octogenarians and another 2 are recovering from various injuries. Its a fairly poor excuse but we are sticking to it. I was impressed with another octogenarian Tom Hutton who walked the full 8 mile route and arrived back at the same time as us. This is Tom Stothart with Wattie Borthwick at the end of the walk in the Market Place. Wattie of course ran the route and is to be much admired having had several operations on his hips or knees in the last few years and yet is still running. We used to play in the same Squash team together. 

The winning male runner James Taylor from Annan who did it in a time of 60 minutes and 12 seconds. He is being presented with his Bottle of Whisky by Mike Tinker who started this event in 1998.

The winning female runner Marie Marshall also from Annan who managed the same time as the winning male as they ran together. The whisky is presented by Charlie Graham who helped Mike run the event for many years.

Myself with David Stevenson, Wattie Borthwick, and Mikes son in law Lorne from Linlithgow

Mike with his daughter Elizabeth who has taken over the running of the event.

The group of walkers on the Duchess Bridge