Walking about

Walking about


 An early May day takes us onto the heights above Thorinlee, our interest having been peeked the previous weekend when the view across the valley from Housebyres identified two previously unexplored hills. Close to Galashiels and above the small hamlet of Clovenfords the low woods a popular walking and picnic area. A warm sun but bitingly cold wind accompanies us throughout. A quick pull up through the forest, in the company of a very friendly mountain biker, takes us to open moorland and with our destination clearly visible. A stone dyke runs all the way to the top and what path there is runs alongside it. We gain height quickly and suddenly off to our left tucked neatly into the valley floor sit the towns of Walkerburn and Innerleithan. From height and distance and with a bright Spring sun, both pretty as pictures, sat within the valley floor, the new seasons growth adding colour and vibrancy to the scene. We quickly reach the first top, and hunker down in the shelter of a stone wall for lunch. Before us a vista of Borders hills runs for miles. We arch back from here to follow a line across two smaller hills than run almost parallel to our ascent. Throughout an abundance of wildlife. A gathering of hares enacting some courtship, a flock of Canadian geese sit resting in a field, and around about us, all the way down, the sharp fall and rise of skylarks. To our delight we uncover one of their nests when one suddenly rises from the ground before us. It contains two small dark brown eggs , the nest it self beautifully woven, sits within a light covering of vegetation. The long pull down across open moorland finds us back at the forest edge and close to the original path. A 10 kilometre walk, full of interest and variety, the day full of the promise of Spring.
View from the top

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