A Kippford to Rockcliffe Walk with the Southwells

 

We had arranged to meet our friends Doreen and Norman from South Wales at their chalet at Barend near Sandyhills where they are staying for 2 weeks together with their daughter and son in law. The weather forecast was awful but we decided we would still try and get a walk from Kippford to Rockcliffe and back. After we had coffee at the chalet we set out for the walk dressed for wet weather. We were soon casting off various items as it was dry, warm, and muggy, but a perfect walk. We left Gaye and Doreen back at the Chalet to catch up with all the news while Tom and I joined Norman and family for the 4 mile walk. This is the road above Kippford on our way back to the village.  

Rockcliffe at high tide but on a very quiet day

The Ice Cream van is always there and Milo waited patiently for his ice cream.

Norman with daughter Lindsay and her husband Jon

Tom and I have been friends with Norman since the days when he came to Langholm to play rugby for Bryn Wanderers against Langholm 2nds in the mid 70s. Tom used to play against him. He met Gaye's friend Doreen from Dalbeattie who was staying with us and the rest as they say is history.

We had great entertainment watching a couple blow up an inflatable Canoe at Rockcliffe.

When they eventually launched it we all gave them a round of applause

After our meal back at the Chalet this photo was taken by Jon. I will never complain about youngsters spending so much time on their mobiles again.

The Tree of the Year 2021 at Kippford

High Tide at Kippford

The party of walkers, Norman, Lindsay, Jon, and Tom

All 7 of us taken after dinner at the Chalet in Barend. A most enjoyable day in good company.

Round Castle Loch at Lochmaben and a Good Crack with Irving Bell

Our Wednesday walk this week was at Lochmaben and a walk round Castle Loch.

A lot has been done to make this such an excellent walk.

Near the end of the walk going back into Lochmaben

Tom at the yacht club

We enjoyed an excellent walk and met up with our old friend Irving Bell on the way round and we relived our our many happy times when we all played Squash at Langholm.

 

Tom's Shortcut has all gone to Pot

Our walk today took us up to Westerkirk and the site of a brand new factory in the hills. It's a spectacular setting and this secret site is for producing legally a substance that is normally illegal but now for the benefit of the NHS. We were very impressed with the factory or giant greenhouse and it should create a lot of employment in the area when it opens. 

The bit on the right looks as if it is going to be a huge reservoir for water. These plants will need loads of heat and water.

Tom asked that we did not go right to the top of the hill to the wind turbines as he had a bowling match later in the day and to be honest I was quite pleased to agree with him for once. 

This is the road up and it's a gentle climb for most of the way.

Tom and I argued about the best way to get round the factory site. There was a road right in front of it but Tom said there would be a locked gate. He decided against my better judgement that we would follow a fence and get onto the top road. This was the shortcut from Hell and it took an age to get less than half a mile. It was  such rough ground and we both fell a couple of times. We eventually came to a high fence and that had to be followed until eventually we came to a gate we could get over. We were both knackered by the time we had completed the shortcut and we discovered the gate was not locked. It will be when the factory is up and running and then the site will be very secure.

The wind turbines at the top of the hill.

Looking up the valley at the start of the walk

This was a lovely copse of trees with loads of Rowan

Looking across the Esk valley.

 Another view of the Esk valley. We completed 6 miles but that half mile shortcut had nearly finished us and the last 2 miles of the walk were completed in silence.

A Walk at Westwater

It has been a while since we had a Last of the Summer Wine Walk so today we headed to Westwater to do a circuit of the valley that is now a forest instead of a sheep farm. The three of us Peter, Tom and myself kept Socially Distanced and thoroughly enjoyed our 6 mile walk.

Once the trees grow a bit more there will be less to see but because the forestry road is quite high up then we should always see the summit of the hills

Near the farm buildings at Westwater we met these Donkeys that are looked after by the owners of Westwater and are in excellent condition.

Tom and Peter Socially Distanced

And still Socially Distanced although they swopped sides as Tom is deaf in his right ear and cannot hear what Peter was saying

A lovely sunny morning and we completed our walk just before a heavy shower of rain

The wind Turbines at The Craig in Westerkirk just poking their heads over the skyline

 The lovely donkeys. There were 5 of them in total and they were in the company of a single sheep who seemed to be the leader of the gang but it was past me by the time I got my camera out.

Another Potholm Walk

Tom decided he had only time today to do a short local walk as he is getting ready to fly off to Barbados on Friday morning. I take him to Carlisle Station at 5.15am for the 6.22am train to Manchester Airport. Its just over a year since we did this walk on New Year's Day 2019 so we thought we should do it again. The wind was on our backs for the first half of the walk but in our face for the second half and it was fierce and cold. 

A selfie on the seat near Potholm farm. 

A good view of the outward section of the walk to Potholm

Tom wanted to do a Tarzan and swing on a vine but it broke. 

At the meeting of the waters in Langholm. His next walk beside water will be on a beach in Barbados. I can look forward to peace and quiet for 10 days and our walk next Wednesday at The Gelt Woods near Brampton will be argument free and nobody will get lost.

There was a Raptor on this tree but it flew away just as I was about to take the photograph.
We enjoyed the walk and finished up at The Buccleuch Centre for a lovely lunch.

Heading East to Wilton Park Hawick

When planning a nice easy walk to suite Tom we originally thought Eskdalemuir from the Hub to Samye Ling and back but the weather forecast was terrible so we headed east to Hawick and a walk round Wilton Park. It stayed dry although it was very dull and when we got back to Langholm it was still raining so we made a good choice. The park has benefitted recently from a massive injection of money and it really is a nice place to spend an afternoon and have a walk. It will be much better when the new cafe is open.

The new bandstand is a great place to enjoy music during the summer months if the weather is decent

Wilton Museum and some great exhibitions on Hawick's two famous motor cyclists Guthrie and Hislop

The river Teviot with autumn colours beginning to show

The new bridge to the park with the Cafe still empty but hopefully will be open soon. 

Boxing Day Walk (Monday Bank Holiday)

John and Sandria joined Tom and Gavin round Potholm for a most enjoyable Boxing Day Bank Holiday walk, and despite the route being very slippy it was a great walk.  

One small leap for Tom

Berwick reclaimed for Scotland

Tom stands on the Scotland/England Border to reclaim Berwick back into Scotland. The sound quality is very poor due to the wind so you will need to listen very carefully to Tom's declaration.

The Last of the Summer Wine

On my first day of retirement i was joined by my two best friends for a 5 mile walk in Canonbie.

Tom and John deliberately arrived 5 minutes late to show to me that time is no longer important to us and we have all day to do what we want to do. We plan to do many more walks in the future with Monday being our main walking day and then another walk weather permitting in the middle of the week.

Monday Walk

Since my semi retirement and Tom's full retirement we are trying to get a walk in every Monday and today Tom and I walked from Brydekirk to Annan and back along the banks of the river Annan a distance of 6 miles. Tom always carries a bag of pandrops and every horse or pony we meet seems to know this and they follow him until the pandrop is handed over.