Remote
lochs glitter amongst the gentle hills of Annandale and
Eskdale, south of which lie the fiat Solway marshes, where
sea birds gather on a huge nature reserve. The turbulent
history of the borderlands haunts this stretch of countryside.
Fortresses and castles stand in ruins after endless raids,
and the memory of Robert Bruce -- hero king of Scotland
-- lingers on in the places he visited.
Annan
Victorian
red-brick houses over-look banks of River Annan, where anglers
try for salmon and trout. Dismantled railway, now over-grown,
once led to bridge across Solway Firth. Locally born historian,
Thomas Carlyle, taught at Annan Academy in the 19th century.
Barr's
Hill
Network
of ditches and huge bank remain from Iron Age hill-fort,
built on narrow ridge between Annandale and Nithsdale.
Beattock
Hill
Narrow
road leads to top of Beattock Hill. Iron Age fort lies near
summit, with extensive views over Annandale. In days of
steam, trains laboured to climb dramatic 10 mile incline
of Beattock Bank.
Bruce's
Cave
Steep
footpath leads to cave above Kirtle Water where, according
to legend, Robert Bruce hid from the English invaders in
1306 and, inspired by a spider trying again and again to
spin its web, carried on his struggle for independence.
Burnswark
Iron
Age defences extend 17 acres on windswept hilltop, looking
out to Solway Firth and Cumbrian coast. Remains of two Roman
siege camps on opposite hillside date from AD 155, and small
Roman fort dates from AD 140.
Caerlaverock
Castle
Triangular
fortress on shore of Solway Firth has mysterious origins.
Built during 1290s, but whether by English or Scots is unknown.
Largely destroyed 1320, rebuilt a few years later and demolished
again by Scots in 1357. Pink-sandstone gatehouse survives
from castle rebuilt 15th century, reduced to ruins in 1640.
Finely carved panels remain from mansion added to building
in 1630s by Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale.
Caerlaverock
Nature Reserve
Barnacle
geese from Spitzbergen and large flocks of pink-footed and
greylag geese make this 13,000 acre area of salt marsh and
foreshore a notable bird sanctuary. Wild ducks and waders
haunt creeks and reed banks. Hides and observation towers.
Comlongon
Castle
Well-preserved
Great Hall, dungeons and fine bedrooms create medieval atmosphere
in 15th-century castle on Scottish border. Picnic area and
nature trail in surrounding woodland.
Craigcleuch
Scottish
Baronial mansion, 19th-century, houses Craigcleuch collection
of curiosities found by early Scottish explorers, including
carved coral and ivory, African sculptures, Chinese jade
animals, prehistoric ornaments and implements. Set in parkland
overlooking Esk valley, with views north between 'Gates
of Eden' hills.
Devil's
Beef Tub
River
Annan flows down this 500ft deep hollow among four barrett
hills which look, according to Sir Walter Scott in his novel
Red-gauntlet, 'as if they were laying their heads together
to shut out the daylight from the dark hollow space between
them'.
Dryhope
Tower
Ruins
of stout 16th-century tower stand by northern shores of
St Mar/s loch. Once home of Mary Scott, ancestor of Sir
Walter Scott.
Ecclefechan
Historian
Thomas Carlyle born 1795in 'Arched House' built by his father
and uncle, master masons. Restored as in his day, containing
papers and personal belongings.
Ewes
Hamlet
lying at foot of Eskdale hills. A 300-year-old bell hangs
in churchyard tree; put there for safety when old church
was demolished, stayed when the new church was built 1867.
Fine views of Ewes Water and Teviotdale.
Forest
of Ae
Road
and waymarked walks wind through woods and hills thick with
grass or bracken, some-times under trees bent over to meet
one another. Picnic site beside stream fringed by spruce
and alder.
Gretna
Green
Village
close to the border with England where runaway couples could
seek quick marriages under easygoing Scottish law at the
old tollhouse or smithy, until the custom was banned in
1940. Old Blacksmith's Shop, where wed-dings were performed
by an 'anvil priest', now a museum.
Grey
Mare's Tail
Path
leads to foot of this spectacular 200ft waterfall formed
by Tail Burn dropping from Loch Skene to join Moffat Water.
Area rich in wild flowers has herd of wild goats.
Hoddom
Castle
Sturdy
16th-century watchtower built by John Maxwell stands on
hill above site of 16th-century tower castle. Visitor centre
is start of riverside and woodland walks.
Langholm
Thriving
mills surround this textile centre where River Esk meets
Wanchope Water and Ewes Water; spanned by several bridges.
Narrow, twisting streets of old part contrast with 18th-century
houses of 'new' town across river. Ruined peel tower was
home to the Armstrong family, ancestors of astronaut Neil
Armstrong -- first man on the moon.
Lochmaben
Nature
reserve surrounds the creeper-clad ruins of a 14th-century
castle, reputed birthplace of Robert Bruce. Both James IV
and Mary, Queen of Scots visited castle. Look for greylag
and pink-footed geese in Castle and High-tae lochs. Statue
near the town hail recalls local man William Paterson, co-founder
of Bank of England in 1694.
Megget
Picturesque
valley transformed in 1983 by reservoir, stocked with trout.
Picnic areas with good viewpoints. Visitors can walk along
top of dam.
Moffat
Sheep-farming
centre, symbolized by ram statue in high street. Spring
discovered 1633 made it popular spa. Robert Burns among
those who came to take waters. Baths Hall of 1827 now town
hall. Local crafts thrive at woollen mill.
Powfoot
Resort
created late 1700s at mouth of Pow Water. Sand yachting
on beach. Golf course. Kinmount gardens with lakeside walks
and resident geese.
Rammerscales
Manor
with Palladian frontage built 1760 for Dr James Mounsey,
physician to Tsarina Elizabeth of Russia. Annandale views,
picnic site, woodland walks and garden.
Ruthwell
Church
has late 7th-century cross, 18ft high, carved with figures
and runic verses from Anglo-Saxon poem The Dream of the
Rood; possibly written by Caedmon, a 7th-century monk and
poet from Whitby in Yorkshire. Small museum commemorates
Henry Duncan in cottage where he founded Scottish Savings
Bank. Displays include bank archives p.' and room settings
of late 18th and early 19th centuries.
St
Mary's Loch
Sailing
and angling centre. Statue of local poet James Hogg (1770-1835)
stands above Tibbie Shiels Inn. Single-track road to beauty
spot of Talla Reservoir.
St
Mungo's Church
Shell
of church lies above River Annan. Mungo was 6th-century
'Apostle of Strathclyde' who became Glasgow's patron saint.
Telford
Memorial
Recalls
engineer Thomas Telford, born 1757. As an apprentice he
, worked on the bridge at nearby Langholm.
Teviothead
Hamlet
with a churchyard memorial marking mass grave of border
outlaw Johnnie Armstrong and 36 of his men, sent to gallows
with-out trial by James V, 1530.
Torthorwald
Castle
This
15th-century fortress of the Kirkpatricks and later Carlyles
is an unsafe ruin. View it from road.
Tweedsmuir
Good
walking country where Talla Water meets Tweed. Church built
in 1874 has war memorial from oak tree planted 100 years
earlier by writer Sic Walter Scott. Covenantor's stone of
1685 lies in the churchyard.
