Walking the Tweed and Lunch in Melrose

We headed up to Tweedbank to meet up with our Edinburgh friends and also John and Sandria who were arriving from Dunbar. It all went to plan with Ken and Martin on time on the train and John and Sandria arrived just as the train drew in. The plan was to walk to the centre of Melrose for lunch via the River Tweed. It was a glorious day with not a cloud in the sky. Photo above is Tom showing off his potential new car. 

When we left the Tweed we passed by Melrose rugby ground.

The river was looking magnificent today

Jeremy Clarkson was in the Scottish Borders recently and he suggested that this area of Scotland was the most beautiful part of the UK. Who would argue against him when you look down the river Tweed.

Martin, Tom, and Niall climbing up the steepest part of the walk beside the river.

A more gentle section of the Tweed

An angler enjoying s spot of fishing and probably paying a fortune for it.

The group of 7 with Tom taking the photo

This time it was me taking the photo with Tom in it. We had a superb day with a lovely lunch in Marmions in Melrose. The food was excellent and well served by a charming lady. We walked back to Tweedbank station via the road which was not as enjoyable as the river as by this time it had got very hot.

 

A Day With The Last of the Summer Wine Walkers

Our friends from Langholm and Edinburgh arrived at 11.00am and after coffee we walked along the sea front to Partanhall. There used to be 16 cottages there but this is now 13 cottages as some have been combined to make larger ones. We spoke to a resident who told us there are only 3 cottages with residents and the rest are second homes or holiday homes. This area gets very few day visitors due to the steep road down and there are no facilities in the area for visitors eg shops or cafes. 

 Tom, John, Niall, Martin and Ken ready for the morning walk. They were joined by Sandria while Gaye, Elspeth and Aileen stayed in the cottage for a chat.

Gaye, Elspeth, Sandria, and Aileen on our afternoon walk to Ross just a little way along the coast

The view from Ross looking back at our holiday cottage

The view from the cottage to Ross

The Last of the Summer Wine Walkers

I included myself in this one. We have had a smashing day with good friends. A nice lunch in the Clubroom Restaurant at Eyemouth Golf Club and the sun shone all day.

Our 50th Wedding Anniversary (Early) and a Family Visit

The Graham Family on the day they departed back to California.

Making my Speech at the Wedding Anniversary Afternoon Tea in The Buccleuch Centre

Out for a walk with Gaye

Our 5 Grandchildren, Hannah, Eleanor, Leo, Thomas, and Elliot.

Eleanor, Thomas, and Elliot out playing Soccer on Thursday evening with local Club

Mother & Daughter

Brothers in Law

Our Best Man John making his speech.

The Graham and Weatherstone families together.

The MacDiarmid Memorial and a lovely walk to the Monument

49 years and 8 months married. We will have a very quiet function in August.

Father, Son and Daughter at the Monument

 

A Weekend at Cally Palace with Last of the Summer Wine Walkers

Our long awaited get together for The Last of the Summer Wine Walkers was at Cally Palace Hotel in Gatehouse of Fleet. The golfers Tom, David, John, and Alix met at 1.00pm to play this excellent long and difficult course. It was a win for Alix as she played superb and beat the men.

While the golfers were out on the course Martin and I had a walk at the back of the hotel.

The Golf Course from the front of the Hotel

The view from our bedroom.

 

We had a Champagne reception on Friday evening to celebrate David and Alix's 55th Wedding anniversary. Tom put us all to shame by being so smartly dressed while we were all more casual. 

John and I enjoying a glass of Champagne with Martin & Alix in the background

Alix & David with Tom and Gaye

We were given the Conservatory for our reception and it was perfect.

On Saturday morning 8 of us went to Brighouse Bay near Borgue for a 4.5 mile walk. I once spent a week there in a tent with Langholm Boy's Brigade in July 1966 at our annual Camp. Things have changed since then and there is now a Caravan Site, Log Cabins, and a Golf Course adjoining Brighouse Bay.

The path we were following skirted the golf Course and had a few fairly high cliffs just to keep us on our toes. 

Tom and John enjoying the walk.

Brighouse Bay and an incoming tide.

This was a particular difficult hole on the course with the golfers on the extreme left having to drive across this little inlet. It was a par 3 and two of them made the green but the other two drove into the sea.

Ken, Anne and Sandria watching the golfers.

Laughing at Tom taking the photo

I took this photo and then Tom insisted he would take a photo with me in it. He attempted to get down on his knees and we enjoyed a great laugh at his antics as you can see in the photo above this one. 

While we were walking at Brighouse Bay Eileen, Alix, and Gaye had a walk in the grounds of Cally Palace. This photo taken by Aileen.

Sunday morning after breakfast and a group photo with our face masks, except John who had lost his.

This is the important photo. It has been a great weekend with loads of laughs and good banter. The Hotel and their staff were excellent. We all agreed that this should be the format in the future. It was unfortunate that Peter & Elizabeth and Niall and Elspeth were unable to be with us but hopefully will make it next year. 

Back Walking With The Last of the Summer Winers

I started my week with a trip up to Westerhall Estate as its my favourite place to go when I feel I need a bit of a boost. We were still waiting for Nicola Sturgeon to allow this area of D & G to travel more than 5 miles for our planned walk in Selkirk on Wednesday. This track is up the hill from the walled garden at Westerhall

The lovely garden at Westerhall

The road through the estate and a great place to go earlier in the year. In February it's full of Snowdrops. March its Daffodils and in April and May its Azaleas. On my journey today I saw 3 Red Squirrels but they were too quick to photograph. 

At the big house this pair of Jack Russells caused me loads of problems. They were so friendly and followed me along the road. I took them back to the house and headed back along the road and looked back to see the youngest one following me again so back I went for a second time. They were very cute and the youngest one was in danger of being dognapped.

I just love this tree sculpture

On Monday evening I went along to the Buccleuch Centre to see it being lit up by Centre Stage Theatre Group as part of a national campaign to show the Government how Theatres are being badly affected as a result of Covid-19 and many may not reopen again. 

This was the first time in 4 months I was out after 9.00pm

The Government have announced some financial backing for Theatres so we may be ok but life will still be tough for the Buccleuch Centre in the next year or so.  

On Tuesday the Scottish Government announced that the 5 mile limit had been lifted so we were good to go for a walk at Selkirk on Wednesday. We all travelled separately and arrived at almost the same time from Langholm and Edinburgh and during the walk we kept at a Social Distance. 

Single file on the uphill sections 

This is Lindean Loch

In this area you always see the Eildons and I think we have seen them from every angle 

A grand view of Selkirk from our start/finish car park

The first time we have been together for 4 months and we had a great morning walk and a lovely picnic at the half way point

Saturday was to be the best day for us since Lockdown started as we were able to have a visit from Fiona and the family from Newcastle. We had not seen them since February. We dined in the garden and Gaye went for a walk with our grandchildren Leo and Hannah in the park and later I took Fiona, Mario, and Hannah to upper Tarras to explain the plans for the Tarras Nature Reserve

Gaye and Leo walking in the park

Father and Daughter in Upper Tarras

On the Swings

In the Langholm Chilli Club Pollytunnel

Gaye had a lovely day

In the Park

The Mengers in Upper Tarras. We had a fabulous day and hope to have the kids back for a week in late August before they go back to school in September

This was the field at Potholm Bridge on 17th April during our long dry spring with not a sign of any Barley growing.

And this was the same field today, 12 weeks later when I walked round the Potholm today.