Hiking In The Borders

Yesterday was good for hill walking-TheTamshee and the good lady tackled the Selkirk to Melrose stretch of the Border Abbeys Way. Dropped the Indy Kids at school, then headed for Shawmount, taking a left at the stables opposite the Lindean Mast-just a few hundred yards before Halfcrown Corner "so called after the half crown payment that was made by Sunderland Hall estates as a reward to the men who originally planted the woodland here in the mid 1800's The track is part of the ancient drove roads-keeping the dyke on your right over Whitelaw Kips and onto Foldonside Moor continue until you reach Cauldshiels Loch. The views over this stretch are wide open to the Eildons Hills beyond. The trail continues onwards to Abbotsford House "originally Cartleyhole" but renamed and lived in by Sir Walter Scott between 1812-1832. Follow the path by the River Tweed until you reach the Redbridge Viaduct. This stone bridge was built in the late 1840's to carry the Edinburgh to Hawick railway which opened in 1849 The line was later extended to Carlisle but services on this route ceased in 1969. Pass under the viaduct and continue along the river track passed the front of Lowood House. We stopped on the river bank here for lunch while observing a Grey Heron scanning the river for some tasty morsels.

The route passes the Lowood Bridge, Waverley Castle Hotel through the lade to Abbey Mill and onto the Chain Bridge and finally ending at Melrose Abbey. Duration 3.5hours with various stops en-route. Enjoy

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.