Daer Valley Walk

 

Thirteen members of Biggar Ramblers gathered in the car park at the Water meetings of the Daer and Potrail Waters at the head of the road to Daer Reservoir. This undulating low level 7.5 mile walk initially started along a now young forest track adjacent to Potrail Water and around Coom Rig, emerging onto the open moorland. After stopping for coffee at this point the route now followed the Southern Upland Way. At the head of the Daer valley a marker post and bench identified exactly the halfway point of this 214 mile coast to coast route and was the ideal spot to take in the views and enjoy a sandwich lunch. The weather had been warm and sunny thus far so an extended break was very welcome. This delightful walk continued along meandering farm and woodland tracks until it crossed the Daer Water with the Reservoir dam wall well in view. Now heading north away from the dam the group took the small tarmac road back to their cars. This was not a difficult walk but the unforecast heat from the constant sun for the duration of the trek ensured there were some very tired walkers at the end. But nobody was complaining. www.biggarramblers.org

A small group of six from Biggar Ramblers enjoyed a walk along the banks of the river Tweed between Peebles town centre and the Manor bridge.  There and back its a distance of 3.5 miles.  The group encountered a heron as well as some tree creepers and even heard the delightful warbling song of a Black Cap.  Spring is certainly in full flow with bird song and countless young and established trees bursting into leaf. 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.

Biggar Ramblers’ walk on 27^th April was from Broughton Place Walkers’ car park, a favourite starting point to explore this part of Tweeddale. This time the route took in Trahenna (549m), Grey Yade (537m) and Hog Knowe (427m). The group started with the steep climb up to the ridge and then followed the fence line until stopping for a coffee break at the point where the route branches off to Trahenna. Then, since Trahenna has a minimal cairn (being less visited than Hammerhead), each member of the group carried a stone out to Trahenna and added it to the pile.  They then took in the views along the three valleys of the Tweed, Holms Water, and Biggar Water. From Trahenna the group made use of a wooden fence crossing point to walk over to Grey Yade, followed by a steep descent to Hog Knowe for a lunch stop. This point gives views East towards the Stobo reservoir and Dead Wife’s grave. After lunch the group were pleased to head North towards Stobo Hopehead with the South Easterly wind at their backs. They gradually descended through rough going into the valley to join the John Buchan Way and followed the track to the North East of Hammerhead, over the shoulder and down into Broughton Hope. After nearly 7 miles of walking they were back at the cars, having enjoyed this lovely area of valleys, ridges and wonderful views. www.biggarramblers.org

 

19 ramblers set out on Thursday morning, 13 April from Medwyn Road in West Linton firstly walking through the picturesque hamlet of Lynedale. Just past Lynedale the walkers attention was drawn to where volunteers have planted quite a number of trees in the fields at the top end of the Loan known now as Roamers Wood. The party then headed through Stoneypath Farm and walked round the hill stopping for a coffee break and admiring the hills in the distance and majestic Mendick in the foreground. Near to Baddinsgill the walkers then came off the hill and headed to the river where a new bridge had been made over the river Lyne, the previous bridge being washed away with heavy rain a few months ago. Lunch was taken looking over to the track the party had just walked and then it was a road walk thereafter down Baddinsgill Road back to Medwyn Road and refreshments at the Golf Club. An enjoyable walk, the weather being very kind too. www.biggarramblers.org

Biggar ramblers ventured into new territory in Dumfries and Galloway on 5th April. From the picture perfect village of Tynron three hardy members set off in rain and immediately headed up the track past the beautiful now deconsecrated church. Very soon they were onto the open hill. Although the rain dissipated the cloud persisted and any low level views disappeared as height was gained on the steep slopes up to the summit of Auchengibbert Hill. A welcome coffee break was taken down from the peak in a sheltered gully before the trio headed east, sadly devoid of any view of the impressive Iron Age fort ahead of them (shown in the photo above). The thick cloud necessitated a combination of map and compass work and reference to I phone technology ensuring the defined path to the top plateau of the fort could be found. Lunch was enjoyed above the northern sheer slopes of the fort, sheltered from the southerly breeze. As if to order the cloud partially cleared to reveal the splendour of the Nith valley. The downhill return to the village hall car park along the contours of the lowland hills allowed the group to glance behind them and see the stepped layers of the fortress hill in all their glory. Even without the expansive views of a clearer day this challenging 4 mile climb in the finest of the Dumfriesshire dales gave the three ramblers a flavour of the footsteps of their Iron Age ancestors. www.biggarramblers.org

On Saturday 1st of April a group of 9 Biggar Ramblers enjoyed a relaxing walk around Camps Reservoir at Crawford.  This was a fairly easy 6 mile circuit with a wonderful backdrop of hills and water.  Although it was not a warm day, there was little or no wind which made the going very pleasant.  The group included one prospective new member and another who has only recently joined Biggar Ramblers.  There was plenty of activity amongst the bird population - Curlew, Oystercatcher and Lapwing were all in full cry while Pied and Grey Wagtails and numerous Ringed Plover were all spotted around the water’s edge and some Teal were swimming nearby.  This was an excellent day out in good company. Interestingly, a Water Board representative explained that there is now a major invasion of Crayfish in the reservoir and very few fish.  Also that the water level is a little lower than normal because of maintenance work. www.biggarramblers.org

On Thursday 23rd March a group of seven Biggar Ramblers enjoyed the 6.5 mile “Three Valleys Walk”. This circular walk covering the Mouse, Lee and Clyde valleys showcased some of the beautiful countryside around Lanark. From Wellgatehead Car Park they walked through the town centre and along Waterloo Road then down the old “Stey Brae” and across Mouse Water. they had a steep climb up the other side of the Mouse Valley before walking through Cartland village, After crossing the A73 the group then followed a steep woodland right-of-way down into the  peaceful and secluded Lee Valley. Another climb followed up into Nemphlar village and then a meandering descent on a right-of-way and quiet road down to the edge of Kirkfieldbank. Here the walkers stopped for lunch on the old Clydeholm Bridge before following the Clyde Walkway along the fast-flowing river before a final steep climb up through Castlebank Park and into Lanark. A lovely spring walk on a bright day. www.biggarramblers.org

Biggar Ramblers walk on Wednesday 15th Martch was an old favourite, along the Falls of Clyde at New Lanark. The group of eight walkers took a high path down to Corra Linn where the water falls were viewed. They then proceeded to the viewpoint beyond Bonnington Linn for a coffee stop whilst admiring the falls there, more spectacular after the recent rain. Afterwards the route back to New Lanark was along the board walkway close to the river. Lunch was eaten by the waterwheel at New Lanark. The weather had been fair. The company agreed that they are very fortunate to have such a beautiful World Heritage Site on their doorstep..www.biggarramblers.org

On Saturday 11 th March, a group of twelve Biggar ramblers enjoyed a 6 mile walk in the foothills

between Biggar and Coulter Fell. Starting outside Coulter village on the Birthwood Road they

followed a road alongside Coulter Water and up through Nisbet Farm. From there the group followed a farm track past Cow Castle, Whitehill and Mitchell Hill. After turning left at Mitchell Hill Farm they climbed up to the remains of an old Iron Age fort and then on along a ridge taking the tops of Mitchell Hill and Green Hill. It was a cold, but clear day and the walkers were able to find a sheltered slope to have lunch and take in the splendid views of the Pentlands and Southern Uplands. After a fairly steep descent they rejoined the main path and retraced their steps back to the starting point. www.bigarramblers.org

On the 2nd March sixteen members of Biggar Ramblers met just east of Carronbridge in Dumfries and Galloway for a new 5.5 mile walk on the Buccleuch estate, the centre piece of which was the ruined shell of Morton Castle. The sun was shining as we meandered up through the wood with views across the Nith valley looking south over Thornhill. As they emerged from the woods they caught first sight of Morton Castle, one 

of the few ‘Hall Houses’ built not simply for defence but as a dwelling or as a Hunting Lodge. The castle sits overlooking the man made Morton Loch on three sides. Although the castle is fenced off for safety reasons it remains an imposing structure. Coffee was taken with a view across the Loch before continuing the ramble on the path around the water giving views of the castle from all angles. Heading away from the castle and the Loch and passing the impressive Morton Mains farm buildings they took lunch on the edge of a stream facing north towards the golf ball transmitter on the Lowther hill peak. The sight of a Red Kite giving us all a magnificent flying display was certainly one highlight of the day. The final leg of the walk tookthem back into the woods following the tracks downhill and back to the redundant quarry where we had parked our cars. www.biggarramblers.org

Having not done this 8 mile route around Mendick Hill for a while, Biggar Ramblers decided to start from the southerly end. The group picked up a track along the route of the old railway line towards Garvald. Once through Garvald Farm the track is signposted to West Linton and following a right of way heads slightly up hill past Medwynbank and Ferniehaugh and onto the moor. The track passes several large Cairns to the left and a deep valley to the right called The Garral, where Covenanters gathered in the 18^th Century for worship. Reaching North Slipperfield Farm athey joined the track from West Water Reservoir towards the Golf Club and the knoll where there is a Bronze Age Cist Cemetery. On the return to Garvald, the route uses the old Coach Road from Edinburgh to Biggar, a right of way that largely follows the course of a Roman Road. After crossing the bridge over the West Water the group took a lunch break at the point where the track opens out to views across the valley to the Tweeddale Hills and Broughton Heights. The name Mendick may derive from ‘menyie’ a group of followers or troops and ‘dicht’ a blow or defeat. So it was perhaps the site of a defeat – but not on this occasion for the Ramblers. www.biggarramblers.org

Despite a rainy start a group of 14 Biggar Ramblers enjoyed a pleasant walk into the pentlands, from Carlops. There were good footpaths and farm tracks from the town up to the reservoir where the group enjoyed a coffee break on the bank beside the water. Then it was uphill with some lovely views over the North Esk Reservoir. The track then descended between Paties Hill and Spittal hill. The clouds cleared for lunch and the return leg back into Carlops. This ramble was approximately 5 miles and took around 3.5 hours. If you are interested in coming along to one of our walks please visit our website at https://biggarramblers.org.uk/

On Saturday 28 th January five members of Biggar Ramblers met in Innerleithen at the foot of Lee Pen, a 1200ft climb direct from the town. Although the walk started on a tarmac track, giving

access to the radio mast, this soon changed to a rugged well trodden path onto the heart of the hill. Although short in distance, the difficulty of the hill is deceptive as the ascent steepens consistently. Many opportunities were taken by the group to enjoy the landscape views over the Tweed valley overlooking Innerleithen and Traquair. A coffee stop ensured that sugar levels were restored for the final steep and craggy trek to the top. As the peak was within our grasp a view northwards was revealed over a dry stone wall looking over to Peebles with Tinto hill in the far distance. To the south the Eildon hills could clearly be seen with the Cheviots behind them. The weather had been kind with negligible wind and no rain. The real challenge of this climb was negotiating the stony and heather strewn descent to the lower slopes, which was conducted safely. The achievement of conquering this modest but challenging peak was celebrated with a fine lunch in a local café. The small group of ramblers enjoyed a great day out in the hills with the satisfaction of successfully conquering the peak known as Lee Pen. www.biggarramblers.org.uk

18 members of Biggar Ramblers met at the Big Red Barn on the A702/A721 junction on Thursday 9 th February for a short walk which started at the South Lanarkshire and Borders council boundary on the A721. The walk headed out on a good forestry track which gave lovely views over Dolphinton and the Pentlands beyond. At the end of the track there was a short downward section which led to the return leg of the walk. This was mainly along grassy paths, but parts were very rutted which tested everyone’s walking skills. Despite a forecast of showers, the walk was completed in dry weather and there were even some short sunny intervals. After the walk, the group returned to the Big Red Barn where a well deserved lunch was enjoyed by all. www.biggarramblers.org

Biggar Ramblers enjoyed a sunny wintry walk of just over 4 miles from the Logan Burn layby near Tweedsmuir. Last time they walked here it was to explore the historical routes on offer. This time, the walk route was round Worm Hill, with splendid views all the way. The route heads off up the East Grain valley to Macfumart Head on the slopes of Worm Hill. The track follows part of the old route from Tweedsmuir to Biggar with a steady climb to the saddle between Blakehope Head and Worm Hill, where the group enjoyed coffee looking south down the Tweed valley. Over the saddle, the group descended steeply to the trees above Mosfennan before joining a more level route round the base of Worm Hill. Here a fine spot was found for lunch looking east across the valley to Stanhope and Broadlaw. From there it was a short walk back to the start point, by which time the sun had faded and we had had the best of the day.

 www.biggarramblers.org

 

Biggar Ramblers first walk of 2023 was a five mile circular walk from Coulter on Sunday 15 th January. Thankfully there was a respite from the wind and rain, and it was a crisp sunny day. Six hardy walkers walked along the Chinese Burn and then up to the T.V. mast . The snow clad hills and in particular Tinto looked fantastic . The descent was by Unthank Farm and then past Nether Hangingshaw Farm where the walk was at a lower level. The last stretch of the walk into Coulter was impassible due to heavy flooding and knee high water. One of the walkers knew an alternative route and guided everyone back to Coulter. Throughout the walk there was visible evidence of the December floods. www.biggarramblers.org

During the very cold snap in December members of Biggar Ramblers had a walk through a real life winter wonderland. Starting from the watersports centre at Strathclyde park Motherwell, they crossed the footbridge and followed the path alongside and under the M74. they followed the Avon upstream to the old cobbled bridge and the up to Chatelerault where they enjoyed hot soup and coffee in the hunting lodge cafe. The return saw them zigzagging through the woods back to the old bridge. The combination of frost, snow and ice made for some stunning photographic vistas. www.biggarramblers.org  

 Traditionally the last walk of the year for the Biggar Ramblers is know as “The Mince Pie Walk”. On this occasion the walk was at Penicuik House. It was a beautiful day and they started the walk at Alderbank which is beside the South Kirk in Penicuik. They followed the track uphill and then along the ridge which gave them fantastic views of the Pentlands which were covered in snow and looking lovely in shades of pink. As they followed this track they saw the Penicuik Estate spread out below, the track then went downhill through some woods where the trees still had golden and rust coloured leaves and a rushing stream to the left.

At the bottom just before crossing the bridge they met some very friendly Highland cows who seemed to enjoy having their photo taken. Then it was uphill again passing the curling pond where only a few days earlier the walk leader had seen members of the Penicuik Curling Club preparing the ice for curling.

The Ramblers managed to find some seats in the sun overlooking the fields to enjoy some homemade mince pies.

They returned to the track through the Chinese Gate and down a slippery path which then returned to Penicuik.

Despite the path being a bit slippery in places they enjoyed the walk and wished each other a very Happy Christmas. www.biggarramblers.org

 On 1 st December 11 members of Biggar Ramblers headed up the A70 to walk the landscape of rich industrial archaeological history of the Muirkirk and Kames area. Starting along the River Ayr Way, initially on the old railway beds, the group then walked beside the remaining evidence of the canal. This preceded the railway carrying ore and coal from the local mines to the ironworks, built in 1787. On reaching the road to Auldhouseburn the ramblers had a big surprise, the sight of a parrot called ‘Blaze McCaw’ (search for him on facebook)

being taken for a walk by its owner. This beautifully coloured bird brightened up an otherwise grey day. The group proceeded passed the hillside farm poultry sheds before turning

along a track adjacent to the sprawl of old pit shafts and mounds of spoil. The second half of the walk passed the last remaining 3 miners’ cottages and the sad sight of the empty and decaying Kames Institute building. Walking up Furnace Road the ramblers were treading on the track which John ‘Tar’ MacAdam used for his road construction experiments. A large cairn commemorates his work on the site of the Tar Kilns established there in the early 19 th century. Down the hill the walkers took their lunch by Tibbie’s Brig, where Tibbie Pagan, a local poetess, had lived during that time. In 4 short miles much had been learned about the many different local mining industries which made Muirkirk such a prosperous, thriving community during the Victorian era. www.biggarramblers.org