On 6th October, 13 Biggar Ramblers left the orchard District of Crossford and headed for Braidwood via the road known locally as Hilly Braes - it certainly lived up to it's name, providing a steep up hill to start off the walk. From there it was along Woodall Road with a detour to look at, and find out a bit more about, the Braidwood telescope, which now languishes in a field on the way to Fiddler's Gill. It was thought to have been made in the 19th century and spent most of it's life in a private observatory in Lanark, before being moved to it's current site when the house in Lanark was sold. Going down into Fiddler's Gill they heard about the possible site of the original St. Oswalds Chapel and how it was likely to have been built originally about the same time as the nearby Tower of Hallbar, although there is no longer any signs of the chapel visible. The legend of Samson's Slingstane was also mentioned although the group didn't observe it on this walk.A brief history of the Carfin Estate followed with a lunch stop on the banks of the River Clyde before returning along the Clyde Walkway to complete a very enjoyable 5 mile ramble on a bright, sunny October day.
