Snowy Hike

Today was good - dropped the Indy kids off at school then headed off for what was supposed to be a gentle stroll around the Pot Loch to see how the ducks were dealing with their frozen domain but we ended up at the Lindean Mast, Half Crown corner and onwards to Sunderland Hall which turned out to be rather interesting when we came across what seemed to be an emergency situation - with police sign and fire tender vechile parked on the old bridge across the river Ettrick. This used to be the the first of the two bridges on the old A7 road to Galashiels. Anyway, the missus and I approached with caution expecting to see some vechile or other wedged into the hedgerow or through the parapit but as it turned out it was not as dramatic. We watched as half a dozen fire crew busied themselfs with a Tirfor type winch assembly. Being the curious kind, I caught the crew chiefs eye and asked what was going on ? the good chap proceeded to explain that their planned excerise had gone a bit Pete Tong. The tender was infact a transporter with hydraulic arm arrangement to offload a portable emergency triage unit. The first stage of the task seemed to be going according to plan but the icy conditions had resulted in the heavy unit sliding off line and becoming impossible to recover. Much huffing and puffing later we continued on our hike through the estate, up the North side of river all the way to the lower - what used to be called the Green bridge crossing and into Baxters for some lunch. Great walk, the only negative being that I did not have the videocam on hand when we came across and disturbed the magnificient Heron.