The idle ramblings of a wandering Scotsman
Alwinton is a remote village in Upper Coquetdale on the edge of both the National Park and the nearby Otterburn Ranges. A short trek along the ancient Clennel Street leads to one of the Cheviots’ hidden gems – the picturesque valley of the River Alwin.
Continue reading “The River Alwin Ramble”
Venture forth from Bowhill to find a crumbling castle, scheming nobility, and bloody murder.
Continue reading “Bowhill and the Duchess’s Drive”
A gentle woodland wander in the heart of Edinburgh; follow canal, river and railway to reach a childhood haunt of a famous Scottish author.
Visit the largest 3D map of a country in the world near an unassuming village in the Scottish Borders.
Continue reading “The Great Polish Map of Scotland”
St Cuthbert was an Anglo-Saxon monk who took up residence on the island of Lindisfarne, where he would one day become bishop. After his death, he was said to be the cause of many great miracles and was venerated as a saint. For this reason, the island he once called home became a popular pilgrimage site — but not one accessed by boat. Instead, when the tide recedes, it is possible to walk across the sand to reach this most Holy Island.
Continue reading “The Pilgrim’s Path to Lindisfarne”
High on a lonely hillside stands a stony herd – the Norber Erratics. These great boulders, deposited by passing glaciers during the last Ice Age, have dotted the landscape for thousands of years. Being made of sandstone, the weather had affected them differently to the surrounding limestone pavement – rain erodes the limestone at a much faster rate, leaving the erratics perched atop narrow stone pedestals that look rather like legs. I can’t help but feel that they might just wander off on some new adventure.
Continue reading “The Norber Erratics”
A circular walk that rises high above the Heatherhope Valley along an old drove road, taking in ancient standing stones and no less than three iron age hill forts, before descending to the valley floor to visit a picturesque reservoir.
Continue reading “Heatherhope Valley Circular”
A gentle introduction to the Pentland Hills that is easily accessible from Edinburgh.
Continue reading “Capelaw Hill”
A short walk reveals a rocky haven for bandits and clansmen hiding from the prying eyes of the law — join me on the hunt for MacGregor’s Cave.
Continue reading “The Hunt for MacGregor’s Cave”
The Minch Moor Road is one of the oldest in the Borders. Once a drove road between the Tweed and Yarrow valleys, it has found a new lease of life as a popular walking route as part of the Southern Upland Way. Journey along it to find a royal castle, imposing cairns and a hideout used by William Wallace.
Continue reading “The Minch Moor and the Three Brethren”