A Walk up Meggat Water

Gaye was planning to visit her friend Wilma at Bentpath this afternoon so I took advantage of the trip up the Esk valley to drop her off at Boonies and then travel a few miles up the Meggat valley in order to top up my daily miles walked. I parked up beside the river a couple of miles south of Glendinning and walked up this remote and beautiful valley.

Close to where I parked the car was this embankment next to the Meggat and I am sure there would have been Sand Martin nests there this summer.

A further away view of the banking

I was about an hour up this valley and in that time I saw no other vehicles or people

This is still sheep country and this is an old sheep stell. 

My car parked up beside the Meggat. It must be 4 or 5 years since I was last up this valley and I loved the remoteness of it. There were a pair of Buzzards flying about but too far away to photograph with my I phone camera.

Heading up the valley towards Megdale and then Glendinning further up the valley

The new bridge at Megdale

An old bridge at Megdale which is now too dangerous to cross

Megdale

Plenty of sheep up this valley. I hope it is never sold for forestry as it would ruin this valley.

I met these 6 big Rams or Tups as we call them in Scotland. They will be very busy in a few months time, but today they were enjoying a quiet life beside the river.

I saw a couple of Dippers at this spot but was not able to photograph them

A most enjoyable 1 mile walk up the valley and then back down again and I was back at Boonies for tea and cake exactly an hour after dropping Gaye off at Wilma's. One of the best hours I have spent walking in a long time. Just as I was leaving two cyclists appeared and gave me a big wave as they headed up the valley. I have a feeling they may have been heading for the Bothy at Greensykes which is about 4 miles up the valley from Glendinning. It was at Glendinning that the famous Scottish Engineer Thomas Telford was born in 1757 and there is a memorial to him there. 

 

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