On a glorious November day 9 walkers set off from the car park below the James Hogg Memorial, the Ettrick Shepherd to walk The Ring of St Mary's Loch. The walk round the Loch was officially opened in August 2015. A variety of walking experiences along the route - lochside walks, woodland and moorland with places of interest around the Loch such as the March Wood which is a remnant of the great Ettrick Forest which once covered the area, Matt Baker's modern sculpture 'Shinglehook' ( two oak anchors which were originally attached to four floating bronze casts) and at the northern end of the Loch Dryhope Tower can be seen in the distance ( fortified tower house from the 1500s). The walkers also took a slight detour and climbed up to St Mary's Kirkyard - a well earned lunch stop with wonderful views of the Loch. The Church built in the 1200s has now gone but every year in July an outdoor service called the Blanket Preaching is held in St Mary's Kirkyard.
A picturesque 8 mile walk in the Yarrow Valley on a beautiful sunny day.
