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.

 10am on Sunday at Lockerbie on what was forecast as a showery day was a bit of a risk for an autumn nature walk, but 11 intrepid ramblers walked off into the rain to see what they could find. Eskrigg is a small 7 acre independently run reserve with a mixed woodland, scrub and small loch. It proved to be an easy walk of 3 miles mostly over good paths. They started the walk with a brief introduction to local fossils and the geology under foot. Along the walk they were all impressed with the variety and number of fungi to be seen including Jelly Ear, Common Puffball, False Chanterelles, Turkey Tails and Coral Fungus to name but a few. However, they are happy not to find any Destroying Angles, Witches Butter or Dead Man's fingers! Towards the end of the short walk the ramblers spied several bird feeders that had a multitude of coal tits, chaffinches and several nuthatches. Eskrigg is also well know for red squirrels, but no matter how hard they looked unfortunately none are seen that day.

 Biggar Ramblers had an excellent day recently on their Map & Compass workshop.

Brian Henry, a long term member of the group, first taught members how to read an O.S. map and calculate their grid reference. They then worked out their 'magic number'. The walk rambled through the John Buchan. At the next step they were shown how to calculate compass bearings before walking on to a welcome lunch stop at Stobo Hope in beautiful scenery, heather hills abounding. Brian then showed the intrepid team how to triangulate their position, then they were on their own to find their way up Hammer Head using their new skills. The top attained, there only remained a photo call and a very welcome downhill walk to complete the circuit and a cracking, and very informative day.

 On Sunday 12th September members of Biggar Ramblers met in the village of Leadhills which is situated high in the Southern Uplands. The ramblers were led by the walk leader from the village to take a moderately steep stony track up towards Broad Law where the ground evens out, giving them time to catch their breath and start to enjoy the tremendous views of hills all around. The path then twists and turns like a burn flowing off into the distance before disappearing around Meadow Wood where the track becomes steeper and very stony as it goes down off the hillside, eventually reaching the old disused Victorian railway line, which in its time brought the Lead and Minerals down from the mines in Leadhills and Wanlockhead to be shipped out all over the world. The weather had been perfect for walking, but this is Scotland and as they found the perfect spot to settle down for lunch, disaster struck, the dreaded Midge attacked in their hundreds, no more needed to be said, except perfect weather for them too. The 7 walkers quickly packed up their rucksacks and got on their way, now heading back towards Leadhills, but just before entering the village they crossed the road through a gate onto another rack which passed the Hass, the Game Keepers Lodge and on to traverse around the side of Shiel Gair Rig passing an old shepherds cottage sitting low down in a very picturesque valley. Here they left the track and headed uphill onto a narrow grassy sheep path, where they had to manoeuvre their way through some tricky gullies back towards Leadhills village.

 A group of 7 walkers recently left Nine Mile Burn on an 8 mile walk across the Southern Pentlands. On a cool morning with grey skies they passed Spittal Farm to reach North Esk reservoir. Continuing alongside the reservoir the route took them to the Bore Stane which marks the col of a pass on an old route. Turning right and following the  stone boundary wall the route crossed Kitchen Moss, an area of upland bog. Reaching the Red Gate the group turned south to reach the base of West Kip and make another turn over Cap law. Rising up to the summit of cap law the group were suddenly presented with the impressive panorama of the border hills. Dundriech above Eddlestone continuing around past Peebles and Manor hills to Culter Fell and the distant Lowther hills. From there it was over Monks Rig passing the Font Stone and back to Nine Mile Burn.