Dumfies House Estate

 A group of 10 from Biggar Ramblers visited Dumfries House Estate on August 30th.  This was to enjoy a gentle 4-mile walk around the grounds. The weather was perfect for such a visit.  Despite it being nearly September, the Rothesay Garden was full of colour and the displays of Hydrangeas were particularly impressive as was a crab apple tree heavily laden with fruit.  The group moved on to cross the Adam Bridge into the Arboretum which has developed hugely over recent years. The Walled Garden and greenhouses were a blaze of colour and interest and the Education Garden had many fruit trees and tempting vegetables.  The group went on further,  past Home Farm and up to The  Temple where the views were terrific.  The walk ended naturally at the Cafe where everyone enjoyed cups of tea and nibbles. A very fine day out. To learn more and for future walk details see www.biggarramblers.org

 

From Cardrona to Peebles via Kirkhope Law

 On Saturday 26 th August 5 Biggar ramblers were joined by 3 from Tweeddale, and with a
guest leader, set off on an 11 mile walk from Cardrona to Peebles via Kirkhope Law.
The walk started along the old railway line before turning off into the Cardrona Forest. After
a long ascent through the forest open moors were reached, offering spectacular views. The
walk progressed along the open moor, going round Birks Hill before picking up an old drove
road past the top of Kirkhope Law (537m) and down to Peebles through the Gypsie Glen.
Luckly the forecast showers failed to materialise, and with sunny intervals and excellent
visibility it was possible to see the top of the Tweed valley in one direction and beyond
Glensax in the other, all the way to the Pentlands – amazing scenery!
A long and invigorating walk, enjoyed by all.

Forth and Clyde canal and Antonine wall

 

A  group of Biggar Ramblers enjoyed a walk along the banks of the beautiful Forth & Clyde canal where we encountered two heron fishing,  before climbing up along Croy hill to view the earth works which are part of the Roman Antonine wall.  The ramble was a circular walk of 6.5 miles.  The route takes you through two Roman fort sites and gives great views of the Campsie hills to the north.

If you are interested in joining us on a ramble please check out our website biggarramblers.org.uk for details of how to get in touch with our team.

Drum Maw and the Cloich Hills from Newlands

 On Sunday 13th August 2023 a small group of five Biggar Ramblers braved the danger of thundery rain, and completed a lovely circular walk in the Cloich Hills near Romanno Bridge. We parked at Newlands Church and followed a farm track up into the hillside, where we walked a grass track along the side of Whiteside Hill with great views of the Lyne Valley. From there we followed the Flemington Burn, and then through Romanno Hope and a steep climb up to the summit of Drum Maw. The day turned out bright and breezy, and walking along the ridge to White Knowe we had fantastic views of West Linton and the Pentlands to the North, and The Broughton Heights and Southern Uplands to the South. The last part of the walk involved visiting the site of an Iron Age fort where we enjoyed lunch before walking round the hill and back to our start point. The walk

proved a revelation with good paths and beautiful views from start to finish.

Minch Moor via the Cheese Well

 Twelve members of the Biggar Ramblers met at the Traquair Village Hall car park to climb to the top of
Minch Moor via the Cheese Well. The climb is straightforward on good woodland tracks up a steady
gradient for over 2 miles. As the woods cleared the views over the Tweed valley opened up. A helpfully
located bench indicated that this would be a good place for a refreshment stop. A hillside crop of large
ovals cut into the heather and undergrowth added an item of interest. Before reaching the trigpoint on
top of Minch Moor the group passed the Cheese Well by a trickling Burn. It is a local tradition to leave
small pieces of cheese here for the fairies to ensure a safe journey. So not to offend the fairies the group
did leave a small amount of cheese in the burn. The summit afforded great 360 degree views over to
Hundleshope Heights range to the west and the Eildon Hills to the east. Taking different tracks
downwards through the purple heather, small sprigs of white heather were spied as well as many other
examples of interesting flora growing wild along the route. Returning to the valley floor via Camp Shiel
and the Fingland Burn to the main road it was just a short walk back to the start point. In near perfect
walking conditions the 6.5 mile circular route was a satisfying achievement for the ramblers, safe in the knowledge we had left the fairies happy too!

Melrose and the Eildon Hills

 On Saturday 5 th August a group of 9 Biggar Ramblers enjoyed a day in the Borders visiting lovely Melrose and climbing the spectacular Eildon Hills. We parked opposite the 12 th Century Abbey and quickly picked up the St Cuthbert’s Way footpath up a steep path towards the Eildons. At a col between the hills we branched onto a steep path up Mid Hill the highest of the three peaks, and struggled to the summit in a heavy rain shower. We then descended back to the col and took a much gentler path up North Hill where we could enjoy fantastic panoramic views over Melrose and the Tweed Valley, before descending down a good path. 

The latter part of the walk was easier, but very interesting, visiting the “Rhymer’s Stone”, the Victorian Leaderfoot Viaduct, and the site of the Roman fort at Trimontium, which housed a Roman garrison of 1000 in the first century AD. We walked back into Melrose on the ancient Prior’s Walk path, and finished our day with  well-earned tea and

scones in an outdoor café in Melrose High Street.