A pleasant enough short walk from Lockerbie to the nearby Eskdale Nature Reserve set on the edge of Turnmuir Plantation. There is a waterside hide on the reserve which will repay spending some time watching for wildlife. The route includes sections along main roads and bridges over the A74(M) before ending up in Lockerbie town… Continue reading Eskrigg Reserve
Category: Annandale and Eskdale
St Kentigern’s Churchyard
A very short walk along the bank of the River Annan to visit the historic St Kentigern’s graveyard. Be aware that the road bridge is narrow and you will need to be aware of the traffic. Ignore the first three paragraphs on the D&G leaflet as they are from the Hoddom Castle walk. When I… Continue reading St Kentigern’s Churchyard
Repentance Tower
A short climb gives superb panoramic views including Criffel, the northern Lakes, and inland to the borders hill country. The tower (locked up) and small graveyard are an additional bonus. Note that the text on the D&G leaflet is rather garbled – ignore the first two paragraphs as they are carried over from the Hoddom… Continue reading Repentance Tower
Hoddom Castle
Much of this easy and enjoyable walk is through woodland along the banks of the River Annan and takes in Hoddom Castle, an imposing building around which a caravan park is based. The walk finishes up passing along the side of the golf course. The way markers from the car park seem to have disappeared… Continue reading Hoddom Castle
Potholm and Castle Hills
The extensive damage from Storm Arwen was very evident when we walked this route in January 2022, although the main trail has been cleared so the fallen trees don’t affect the walk. Sadly the cloud base was fairly low on the day so we weren’t able to enjoy the views from the top of Potholm… Continue reading Potholm and Castle Hills
Barnkirk Point
This route takes you out of Annan down the west side of the estuary, past various industrial sites which are largely still in use today. The views over the Solway may be spectacular but I’m afraid it was a gloomy day and dusk was falling when we were there so I have yet to see… Continue reading Barnkirk Point
Annan, Waterfoot and Summergate Lane
A walk through the industrial heritage of Annan and along the Merse salt marsh on the edge of the Solway. Despite having driven through and round Annan many times, I had no understanding of the scale of industry that took place in the town during the 19th Century. This walk takes you past the old… Continue reading Annan, Waterfoot and Summergate Lane
Quintinshill and River Sark
The Quintinshill rail disaster is the worst railway accident in British History, with over 200 dead, but is not widely known as it took place during WW1 and news of the accident was suppressed as much as possible. The details of the accident make for hard reading. This walk loops around the site of the… Continue reading Quintinshill and River Sark
River Annan
An easy walk up the East bank and down the West bank of the River Annan between Annan and Brydekirk. The paths are generally in good condition and much of the walk is through attractive woodland with plenty of birdlife to see. The last stretch includes some farmland to cross with cows and horses. Sadly… Continue reading River Annan
Calfield Rig and Mid Hill
A circular hill walk starting in Langholm, offering good views over the Solway (I would guess as they weren’t there when I visited) and northwards into the Borders. Once you have climbed up Calfield Rig the rest of the route follows a ridge of hills, just be sure to avoid the temptation of Naze Hill.… Continue reading Calfield Rig and Mid Hill