Biggar Ramblers

Nine of us met at Craigmead Car Park, Falkland, to walk in the Lomond Hills Regional Park. We followed a short, steep slope before joining a broad grassy path, which led to a steeper climb to the summit of East Lomond (448 m), also known as Falkland Hill. Interestingly, the trig pillar is not at the top but stands on the southern slope, 10m below the summit, in direct line of sight with other triangulation pillars. Due to the shape of the hill, the southern slope provided the best angle for visibility across the surrounding landscape. Sheltered from the wind, we stopped for our coffee break.

Along the route, the group noticed an excavation area, where recent discoveries have provided new insights into the remains of an Iron Age fort.

The descent was steep and a little rocky at first, but the path soon became easier as it continued south-west. There were fine views ahead towards West Lomond. We continued along the track until we reached a gate that led to a well-preserved lime kiln. From there, the route crossed open farmland before we reached our lunch stop. After lunch at the café, we followed the road back to Craigmead Car Park.

A well-maintained path then led towards West Lomond. The path climbed gradually before the final short, steep ascent to the summit. At 522m, West Lomond is the highest point in Fife, and from the top we enjoyed spectacular views across Loch Leven and the Ochil Hills, and East Lomond. The descent was fairly straightforward and less steep.

This superb walk offered a variety of landscapes and experiences, from challenging climbs and windswept summits to extensive panoramic views across the surrounding countryside.

Six of us today, including my nephew Will, walked a 13-mile route through magnificent scenery visiting seven of the reservoirs in the Pentland Hills. It was a beautiful walk through some lovely glens with spectacular views across stretches of surprisingly different water, each reservoir having quite distinct characteristics.

Climbing steeply uphill from the Bonaly car park to the Bonaly Reservoir, the oldest in the Pentlands built in 1851, we descended through Phantom's Cleugh, such a great name, to the shores of Glencorse Reservoir. Following the road alongside Glencorse Reservoir and Logan’s Burn, we soon arrived at Loganlea Reservoir for a welcome pit stop at the little fisherman’s cafe. Who would have thought you could get coffee and cake in such an unexpected location.

Passing the Howe, our route took us through Green Cleuch, a narrow valley between Black Hill and Hare Hill, before heading across a grassy area towards Bavelaw castle, a privately-owned 16th-century tower house which disappointingly is hidden in the trees. A lovely avenue of gnarly beech trees provided welcome shade as the sun’s strength intensified and channelled us across Redford Bridge which splits the upper reaches of Threipmuir Reservoir. The northern shore of Threipmuir led to Harlaw Reservoir, our fifth and a contrast to its neighbour, deeper, narrower and surrounded by trees. After walking along the top of the dam to Harlaw House, we stopped for lunch. It’s such a shame that the visitor centre is still closed but the benches in the little garden behind the centre made an ideal location for our picnic.

Our route then headed back towards the Pentland Hills through fields of wheat, Pentland Javelin potatoes and a field of what we identified as purple tansy or Fiddleneck used as a cover crop. After negotiating Middle and Easter Kinleith farms, our route led to Clubbiedean and Torduff Reservoirs with unfolding views of Edinburgh on the skyline. Crossing the end of Torduff via the dam, we returned to the car park.

A good day’s walk finishing in blue skies and bright sunshine.

On a bright sunny morning, nine members of Biggar Ramblers set out on a 7-mile circular walk to the Covenanter's Grave. Starting in the small village of Garvald, the walk headed west for about half a mile before turning north, through Easton Farm and up to the end of the track below Black Law, which involved crossing two fords, the 2^nd one providing a pleasant stopping point for a coffee and cake stop. While enjoying their coffee, the group heard some of the history of the covenanters, and how the national Covenant was drawn up in 1638 in order to resist Charles I's attempts to enforce royal control over the church in Scotland which resulted in over 50 years of persecution and bloodshed. In 1666, 1800 men attempted to enter Edinburgh to present their grievances. However, they were refused entry, and while retreating to the Pentland Hills, were attacked in what is now known as the Battle of Rullion Green. The covenanters received savage treatment which included the removal of heads and arms which were then displayed in an attempt to dissuade further unrest from the covenanters.

The group now continued up the hill, eventually reaching the stone marking the covenanter's grave. One of the covenanters, by the name of John Carphin, managed to escape from Rullion Green and was found badly wounded by a shepherd called Adam Sanderson. Knowing he was dying, Carphin asked the shepherd to bury him in sight of his beloved Ayrshire hills. Sanderson carried out the covenanter's wish and erected a stone which is now in Blackmount Church. The present stone was erected in 1841.

Despite hearing of all the bloodshed, the group found this spot peaceful and tranquil. Skylarks were singing, and there were wonderful views in all directions, including over to the distant Ayrshire Hills, and even a hazy Goatfell in the distance. After a leisurely lunch, it was now time to return back to Garvald via Medwynhead and Medwynbank. However, there was a short delay on the way – a lamb was found stuck in a drainage ditch. One of the group managed to lift it out and it limped away into the bracken, hopefully to be reunited with its mother. Back at the cars, all agreed that it had been a good day to have been out in the hills.

Seven walkers from Biggar Ramblers enjoyed a cloudy but warm ramble around Lanark. We walked out to Cartland village, down through the Lee woods estate and into Nemphlar.  We then had lunch overlooking the Clyde valley before continuing along the 'ditches' path down to Kirkfieldbank before climbing back up to Lanark via Jookers Jonny.

We were treated to a number of interesting views of the town from different angles. 

6.5 miles in length, with clear views of the surrounding hills and some great company, it was approximately 4 hours enjoying some of our fantastic local countryside.

Despite a wet afternoon and a forecast of even more rain, 7 intrepid members of  Biggar Ramblers set out on an evening amble round the paths of Coulter Mains Farm. Amazingly, the rain stopped at the start of the walk, so the only problem was wet feet! It was lovely to be walking under some magnificent beech trees and then to come across some large bracket fungi, all part of a great ecosystem. Along the toppath, the group were investigated by a group of young Jersey heifers - very attractive animals.
Returning back to Biggar, it was into the pub for a couple of drinks which rounded off a most enjoyable evening.

On a sunny Sunday morning, after a week of rain, eleven Biggar Ramblers set off from the Water of Leith visitor centre, Slateford and took a leisurely walk to Leith along the path. As well as enjoying the pleasant weather, we had our coffee in the stunning Saughton Gardens, passed Murrayfield Stadium where they were preparing for a Zach Bryan concert and an interesting food market in Stockbridge - all very busy in the sunshine. On reaching Leith, we divided into two groups - ice creams for some and coffee for others. We returned to our cars on the top deck of a double decker bus for a free tour of Edinburgh. 

On a rather damp and cool morning, three members of Biggar Ramblers drove to Peebles from where they took the bus to Cardrona so that they could walk back to Peebles along the old railway route which has now been converted to a good walking and cycling track. (The line was operational for 98 years between 1864 & 1962.) Now in some light rain, the track passed along the side of the golf course, part of the McDonald hotel complex. As the group came to the end of the golf course, the rain stopped and the sun came out and the track now passed along the side of the Eshiels Community Woodland – recently purchased by the community, a lot of work is in progress here to increase biodiversity by replacing densely planted conifers with a mixture of deciduous trees. The track now took the walkers past the recycling plant (not the most exciting part of the walk!) before it opened up below the Peebles Hydro where notices warned dog walkers of free roaming alpacas! A short but enjoyable walk now ended with welcome soup and sandwiches in the Tontine Hotel.

The area between Tarbrax and Cobbinshaw seems a wild moor these days, but as our group of Ramblers discovered, it was a hive of heavy industry just 100 years ago.

Starting from the community owned tea rooms at Loanhead Farm, we made our way down an avenue of beech trees to reach the old railway which ran between the shale works at Tarbrax and Woolfords Coal mine. From the track we started to get glimpses of Cobbinshaw Loch ahead of us in the distance. As we passed the station for the now-disused mine, we spotted the skeletons of two frogs and a sheep's vertebrae on top of a fence post which left us wondering how they got there.

After crossing the West Coast Main Line via a footbridge, we entered Fairy Land - not Woolfords, but a Fairy Path heading towards Cobbinshaw with several fairy houses and even a fairy castle. From Cobbinshaw we crossed the Loch, which was constructed in the 1820s to provide a water supply for the Union Canal, via a causeway which gave good views across both halves of the loch and then pulled up the hill to South Cobbinshaw Farm where we paused for a snack overlooking the loch.

Continuing on along a disused tramway, we passed an old drift mine and then reached the remains of an old paraffin refinery, a relic of the times when the now-sleepy hamlet of Tarbrax had a population of over 2000 working in the oil shale industry and boasted tenement houses, several shops, a social club, two churches, and various sports and recreational facilities. The return towards Loanhead Farm was flat, but it involved some areas of tussocky moorland where the former trackways seem to have disappeared. Undaunted, the Ramblers plodded on, motivated by the need to reach the tea shop before it closed! (This also meant that an ascent of Tarbrax Bing "The Ayres Rock of South Lanarkshire" was left for another day!).

On reaching Loanhead Farm, we were delighted to find that not only was the tea shop still open, it was offering hot soup and other snacks at very reasonable prices! It was also interesting to see old photographs of Tarbrax back in its heyday and realise how much this seemingly timeless landscape has changed.

Eight walkers met near to Coalburn on a bright but chilly Sunday morning to walk to Wallace's Cave on a new pathway created under the auspices of Make Your Way. After climbing up to look at the cave, a coffee stop was taken at a picnic bench. The cuckoo was heard in the distance, and many other birds were also heard or seen.   

At a T-junction, a left turn was taken onto the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Road, with lots of wind turbines to be seen but also lovely views of the countryside towards Tinto Hill. The predicted shorts and t-shirts weather didn't quite materialise and warm jumpers were required on a sunny, blustery day. The walk was considered to be Grade C and totalled four-and-a-half miles.

It was the day before good weather arrived and the forecast was not promising. The magnificent seven met at Biggar Corn Exchange, for a perennial favourite walk (and with good reason). Mostly flat, with bucolic views along the river, and Spring is the time for lambs, wildflowers, and (hopefully) better weather. The intention was to take a steady walk from Lyne along the south side of the Tweed Walkway through to Manor Bridge for coffee by the river.

The Tweed did not disappoint, and a short diversion to the Barns Walled Garden, now  swanky new wedding venue, made the first leg to Manor Bridge a breeze. Sadly, no one joined us here for the half route to Peebles and back, so we consoled ourselves with coffee and flapjacks as the sun shone on the righteous walkers.

We crossed to the North side of the river and joined the old railway route into Peebles via Hay Lodge Park. As the skies were darkening, we scooted into the Tontine for a pub lunch. The folk who had volunteered to drive looked on in envy as non drivers took a pint with lunch.

Replete, we returned via the south side of the river where the little bit of up and down and a short rocky part close to the river bank proved no problem for Team Biggar.

Arriving at the top of The Sware for fantastic views across the valley (more flapjack), before descending down to the Old Manor Brig and New Manor Bridge. The final stretch along the North side of the river is flat and easy, with much chattering before we descended steps back to Lynesmill and the cars.

Around 8.5 steady and beautiful miles in excellent company- and no rain despite the forecast!

The weather gods smiled on nine Ramblers for a walk over Turkey and Lamington Hills from Culter - the sun stayed out and the rain kept off!

Starting from Coulter Hall the group followed the minor road for a short distance before heading up a track towards Turkey Hill. After passing a small pond, they descended slightly, enjoying great views across the Clyde to Tinto Hill and north to the Campsie Fells, the Lomond Hills, Ben Lomond, Ben Vorlich and Stuc a,Chroinn. A haul up past some shooting butts took them to the top of the hill where they paused beside the track for a snack taking in with panoramic views of Coulter Fell and Hudderston reaching to Broughton Heights in the distance. Continuing, refreshed, they descended slightly before a final climb to the trig point on Lamington Hill for lunch where the view to the west opened up.

From there it was all downhill! After a gradual start, the steeper section of the descent gave thighs and calves a workout before they reached flatter ground and the road leading to Culter Allers and then back to Coulter.