Biggar Ramblers host Clydesdale to Solway Area Gathering
Last Saturday Biggar Ramblers hosted the Clydesdale to Solway Area Gathering. Forty five members of the Biggar, Clyde Valley, and Dumfries and District groups came together to share walking experiences on a choice of 3 walks showcasing the lovely countryside around Biggar.
Using the Elphinstone Hotel as a base each group left by minibus for the start points. Five walkers did the most challenging walk, climbing up Culter Fell into the cloud followed by a cross country ramble back to Biggar, a distance of 10 miles. The second group of 14 set off to Stobo and walked 7 miles of the John Buchan Way to Broughton. This undulating walk through four valleys follows the old drove roads that are still used on the Rideouts from Biggar, Peebles and West Linton to meet at Stobo Hopehead. The third group of 16 walked 6 miles starting from Quothquan with a short climb up Quothquan Law, followed by a woodland and hillside walk across Biggar Common and back to Biggar.
On return, the walkers enjoyed relaxing in various ways: with icecreams, cups of tea, or visiting the Glasgow Boys exhibition in the Museum. The day ended with a hot buffet at the Elphinstone and an interesting talk by Iain Brydon from the Search and Rescue Dogs Association Scotland. It is humbling to learn how much time and skill it takes a volunteer to train a dog through several stages. Once qualified to search for a missing person, a dog and handler are checked each year. Importantly if someone goes missing on the hills, it is the police, not the ambulance service, who will call out the Mountain Rescue. The audience was very appreciative and a donation of £225 has been made to SARDA. The Ramblers dispersed around 7.30pm after sharing an enjoyable and interesting day of good exercise, good company, and good food.
