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May

route

Route

 

Walk leader

Lance

Route

Minto – Minto House – Lilylaw – Spital Ford – River Teviot – Craigend Burn – Minto Craigs – Fatlips Castle – Minto Kames – Minto Hill – Minto.

Weather

10/10: Sunny and warm for most of the walk. A bit breezy higher up. Clouded over a bit in the late afternoon.

Walkers

Lance, Julie, Ron, Sandy, George, Diane, Richard, Ken.

Excuses

Bernie - family 21st birthday

Ashley - in Thailand

Comments

It was the biggest turnout for a while. Joined by Martin and Jeanette. We started at the pretty hamlet of Minto, with its nice church and war memorial. There were some attractive buildings on the estate. We passed a herd of cows with curly dark brown coats. We had to climb across a fence when our way was barred by a padlocked gate. We came down to the river Teviot and walked along the bank passing a solitary white horse before being met by about half a dozen friendly horses who had to be shooed out of the way so that we could get through the gate. We climbed up through the woods around Craigend Burn to Minto Craigs.

Lance disappeared to the castle as the entrance key was required by other people visiting later. After a stiff climb up, we reached Fatlips Castle. On the way up we passed a group of children, one of whom was screaming his head off. We went up the spiral staircase of the castle to the dark main hall and then on to the parapet. There were comprehensive views of a large part of the Scottish borders as well as into England. Notable were the Cheviot with traces of snow remaining on it, Eildon Hills and the Waterloo Monument on Peniel Heugh. There was a wooden gun carriage in the castle's cellar. Lance passed on the key after receiving the correct password.

We found a lamb that had got on the wrong side of the fence from its mother and Ken mended a metal gate using a stone as a hammer. We crossed the disused route of the Waverley line. Ruby sent some curious cows crazy.

Lance, Julie, Martin and Diane climbed to the trig point on Minto Hill, where a couple of black and white dray horses were feeding. There were good views of Ruberslaw Hill.

Note: Fatlips Castle.  An earlier pele tower was built in the early 16th century by the Turnbulls of Bedrule, when there were no trees on the hill. This was destroyed by the English in 1545. The current building dates from 1857 for the Minto family. The origin of the name is uncertain, but one idea is that it derives from the look of the Turnbull family. Other stories include that of a goat on the Dunion which warned of the approaching English, or that gentlemen were traditionally allowed to kiss one of the ladies on entering.

Wildlife/Flora/Animals:

Buzzard, wagtail, sand martin and dead grey squirrel. Forget-me-nots, dandelions, bluebells, primroses, violets.

Meal

Auld Cross Keys, Denholm. Lance was impressed with the rare steak. Nice Black Forest trifles and other desserts. Helpful staff.

Photo Gallery

walkers

May walkers

 

minto

Preparing for the off - Minto

house

Interesting house

avenue

Down the avenue

ruby

Ruby finds a scent

teviot

By the River Teviot

 

 

horses

Horses

 

castle

Approaching the castle

 

top

Julie and Diane on top

 

top

On the parapet

 

inside

Inside the castle

 

gun carriage

Gun carriage

 

fatlips

Fatlips Castle

 

view

View from the tower

 

Trig point on Minto Hill

 

primroses

Primroses

 

pub

Auld Cross Keys

 

denholm

Denholm Green

 

 

 

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