Postcard from the Borders

Yesterday we ventured into the Borders, up the A7 and off up into the wilds. Driving up past Langholm towards Eskdalemuir, our first stop was the Girdle Stanes & Loupin Stanes... two stone circles quite close to each other. They are linked by a possible avenue... there are certainly a few stragegically-placed boulders dotting the route between. A few of the Girdle stones have been chopped off by the river.

The weather was not kind. As we got out of the car it started spitting and then by the time we got to the Loupins it was bucketing!! A quick retreat meant that these are now on our list for return visits, together with the Buddhist monastery a bit further up the road.

Back down to Langholm for a visit to Pelosi's for a takeaway baked tattie (too cold for icecream yet), consumed in the little carpark near the river, complete with ducks and oystercatcher audience (until a mad woman let her weimaraner chase them all off)

Up the A7 again, past the Celtic Goldsmith (drool) off right towards Cashmere land. It was very odd seeing the Cashmere (from Kashmir!) goats - one in particular was stark black against the landscape and really stood out.

Through another downpour we climbed up a lungbustingly steep hill to see another circle - the circle itself was a bit waterlogged but the view was brilliant! So was the rainbow.

There are lots of settlements and forts in this area. Lots of reasons to come back.

Next was the very impressive Hermitage Castle - one of my favourites.

Wolfy got a chance to try his smart new camera with some sepia trickery.

They're doing some work on the castle at the moment, so some was cordoned off. We went to see the Chapel to compensate.