Three members of Biggar Ramblers travelled into Dumfries and Galloway on Saturday 27th Oct. to climb Moorbrock Hill. Moorbrock is one of the 89 Donalds and is the easiest to climb although the climb is more of an afternoon amble with a steady continual ascent on a well defined track. Starting from the Water of Ken the group walked up to the cottages of Moorbrock Estate and then continued up to the base of Green Hill. The direct route to the top was ignored and the track continued to provide an easy ascent. Then a track took the group up round the north side of Green Hill to reach the flat top of Moorbrock. It was level going after that to reach the single stone which indicated the top of Moorbrock. Brian henry led the group and his walks are claimed to be wet and windy but on this occasion a clear blue sky was appreciated. From the top the nearby Donalds Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, Windy Standard, Alhang, Blacklorg and Blackcraig Hill were very clear. The visibility was clear enough to identify the Striding Arches on Benbrack, Colt and Bail Hills. On the walk the group encountered buzzards, jays, ramblings, a hare and 3 deer. The route back to the Water of Ken was by the ascent route.

A small group of eight left the Water of Leith Centre for the start of the walk which was by bus to Haymarket. Between the station and Mandala Crescent time was taken for a coffee stop before continuing past the side of the former Donaldson's College to access the long steps down to the river path. There was one short detour because of a previous landslip at Dean village, a former milling area producing flour, before returning the path opposite Hawthorn Buildings and Well Court - housing for 19th century workers of the Scotsman. From there the path runs along a steep gorge under Dean bridge, past St George's Well and the larger St. Bernard's Well with its statue to Hygeia, goddess of Health and into Stockbridge.
Crossing the road here the path continues into Arboretum Avenue giving a view of the colonies - low cost 19th c housing for workers away from the pollution of the city. A stop for lunch before continuing along Rocheid path into Cannonmills and towards Warriston. Before the next diversion, because of road and bridge works, the group took time visit the ScottishPoppy factory and were given a guided tour of the premises,meeting many of the workers and their dogs and making a contribution by purchasing the 1918 special poppy and some their other products . Continuing through the large housing development on the former Powderhall Stadium and crossing the modern foot bridge the walk continued beyond Bennington once the boundary between Edinburgh and Leith. Soon Leith was reached with many of the former buildings now converted to restaurants and housing but their use still marked by many information signs. Completion of the walk was at the whaling harpoon at their end of the port before returning to choose a place for are and coffee or tea. Two buses were needed to return to where the cars were parked and this took some time due to the route and the use city.

On Sunday 23rd of September, eleven Biggar Ramblers met at the lovely village of Durisdeer. Two had only come for the village hall afternoon tea, for the rest of us it was to be a special treat after our latest sampling of the Lowther Hills landscape.
WE split into two parties: Jan and Bernard Airlie led a walk up Glenaggart, while John Hart headed a group up the more gruelling Well and Black Hills.
Jan writes: A pleasant lower level walk, plenty of partridges. No grouse because of the hot weather. Red Kites seen in the sky. A gentle walk up Glenaggart to the Kettleton Bothy and beyond, met a gamekeeper doing his rounds. He said the bothy had not been used so much this year. Lovely hill views and blue autumn sky! The usual sumptuous tea to conclude the day out!"
Meanwhile after their very steep ascent of Well Hill the walkers were rewarded with tremendous views of our cherished Border's landscape. To the West they could clearly identify the Lowther Hills, with it's distinctive "golf ball" aircraft tracking station and they thought they could make out the shape of Goat Fell on the Isle of Arran in the far distance. To the South they could see all the way to the Solway and the hills of The Lake District beyond.
When they looked North and back into Scotland across our fabulous local hills they were completely despoiled by an ever growing forest of wind turbines. This is no longer a 'wind farm' but an industrialisation of our cherished landscape, the continuation of this process must  be seriously questioned. There are plans for two further wind turbine developments around the Southern Upland Way at Wanlockhead. A true green legacy for future generations would be to conserve our wild landscape and it's ecology. This special area should be designated a National Park equivalent to the Lake District or the North Yorkshire Moors. John Hart ( walks secretary)

On Sunday 2nd September, seven members of Biggar Ramblers undertook a nine mile circular walk around Coulter Fell. The walk commenced from a layby near Culter Allers Farm and initially followed a gently sloping path through woodland. As we emerged onto the hillside and began to climb, some great views of the Clyde Valley past Tinto and Symington opened  up. These disappeared as the path got steeper and we climbed higher through strong gusting winds and a swirling mist, past Tippet Knowe, across Glenharvie Moss, and up the final slopes to the 784 metre high Culter Fell Peak. After a short stop to savour our achievement and catch breath we started to descend gradually by Moss Law to Holm Nick.
The weather had improved considerably and we had a relaxed break by a burn before following a scenic path along Culter Water down to Coulter Reservoir. We continued on the path along the reservoir before following the Culter Water for a further two miles back to our start point.

On a warm, sunny Saturday 25th August, 7 ramblers, including a visitor from Australia, set off from Selcoth, near Moffat, for a trip into the high, beautiful Moffat Hills. Following the Selcoth Burn, the party had to traverse a narrow path through a dark and fearsome ravine before successfully reaching the Southern Upland Way at the top of the glen, overlooked by the sharp, vertical escarpment of Craigmichen Scar. A narrow and undulating path led the party beneath the bulk of Capel Fell to the saddle at Ettrick Head. Here, the path became a forestry track leading eventually to the bothy at Over Phawhope. The party continued to Potburn Farm and then commenced a fairly steep but easy climb up Potburn Rig. Then, as they descended beside the Bodesbeck Burn, a magnificent panorama opened up of the hills across the Moffat Water - Saddle Yoke, Hart Fell, Swatte Fell, surrounding the deep chasm of Black Hope and looking magnificent in the afternoon sun. After reaching Bodesbeck Farm, the party returned to Selcoth by a pleasant easy route through fields. Over this section they had to ford several burns, but were rewarded with the sight of a buzzard flying slowly around the woods at Sailfoot.