Lance

Wanton Walls (A697)- Snawdon Burn - Wheelburn Law - Dabshead Hill - Edgarhope Wood - Wanton Walls.

Cold, windy but mainly dry – some spells of sunshine and occasional snow flurries.

Lance, Julie, Ashley, Bernie, Sandy, Ron, George, Leda, and Ken.

Carol - too far to travel.

Evelyn - wanted a restful day.

Michael and Michelle - did not receive email due to new email address.

Comments

This was the first planned 10 mile walk for a while, and Lance didn't get us lost. Everyone arrived on time for the fourth month in a row. We were joined by Leda, originally from Oz but currently working with Julie at St. Andrews, and Ken, a friend of Ron and Sandy. We did not meet anybody en-route. Spotted a “capsized” sheep early on, which righted itself on seeing Sandy coming to the rescue. Bernie set a cracking pace resulting in the rest of us having to take frequent pauses to recover. There were sturdy Scottish stiles, and ugly sheep (Texel).

We took an early lunch stop on a sheltered sunny slope, where Ashley discovered that his apps would not work.

We passed a stone shooting butt. On Dabshead Hill, we inspected an Iron Age hill fort with a standing stone (just about) and a small (pet’s ?) grave with a laurel garland, overlooking Soutra and the hills to the north. There were good views of the wind farms at Dun Law. There were lots of grouse feeding points made out of hollow concrete bricks, partially covered with small wooden planks.

We discovered a wooden fishing lodge on the end of an artificial lochan created by damming the upper reaches of the Snawdon Burn. We decided that this was a good spot for the second stop, so we availed ourselves of the comfortable seats on the veranda. Lance had the chaise longue and Sandy tried feeding the fish with a Jaffa cake. Leda wanted to try out the hammocks and fantasised with Julie about the fishing hut being a a massage parlour serviced by nubile men in their 20’s. There were goods views of Cheviot, the top of which was covered in snow.

We entered the woods and picked up the required track leading back to the cars. There were lots of fallen trees which must have come down in the January storms, and which either had to be climbed over, ducked under, or walked around. We found a motionless meadow pipit standing in a pool of water, and couldn't decide whether it was alive or dead. Ashley poked it with a stick and it flew off. The typical red soil of the area was prominent in the forest. Our return to the cars was perfectly timed – just before a wintry shower swept in.

Wildlife/Flora/Animals:

Birds: Grouse, pheasants, skylarks, greylag geese and a buzzard.

Plants/Trees: interesting bracket fungi.

Mammals/others: nice horse, sheep and lambs.

Black Bull, Lauder - new menu with good food. The usual suspects abstained from the crumble on the grounds of recent “overcrumbling”. Super ice cream and delicious crème brulee.

April Walkers

Standing stone (yes, well...)

Centre Stage

Is it a...?

Hard Day

Lunch

Around

Over

Under