Middle Earth

Oh no, we woke at 11:00am again today.  These late nights and late mornings need to cease.  I prefer an earlier wake-up call so we can do more with our day.  Gordon and I have discussed this need to go, go, go and have come to the conclusion that it just takes time to unwind.  Unless of course, we are in Maui where our days are dictated by the rhythm of the ocean and the soothing sounds of people shuffling along the beach path while we bask on lounge chairs.  But here in Scotland there is so much to see and do we don't want to miss a minute!

A quick breakfast of berries and Greek yogurt and I was gearing up for our first, BIG, official walk.  Thin under layer, check; sweater, check; leggins, check; socks, check, waterproof jacket, check; wellies, check, check.  Add sunglasses and a layer of lipstick (I AM from the U.S. where apparently we are all "glamorous" says Maureen) and we're good to go.  We headed up from the house and down through the "schemes", as Gordon calls them,  a development of homes for lower income residents.  They are beautifully kept with quaint gardens and statuary, laundry and strollers and children playing in the streets (when school is not in session).

A gray day to head out.  The view of our front garden and wee car.

And Gordon heading up the driveway.

The many, many chimneys!

Think that laundry might dry?  The far hill is where we are headed.

Gordon looking for our plumber in "the schemes"!

The Moffat waters.

That stone structure about 11:00 is our first goal.

We turn off the Selkirk Road and along the Alton way.

Along centuries all stone walls....

.....over the boggy soil...

....through cattle gates.....

.....past feed storage barns....

to the Peel Tower.

Gordon and I have tried to get to this Peel Tower in the past but between cows and wet conditions we just haven't been able to.  I only have spring-like hiking boots here which equate to NOT waterproof but last year I bought Wellies so we are down for trudging through anything to get to the Tower.  Peel towers (also spelled Pele Towers) were usually three-storeyed buildings. They were usually constructed specifically for defensive purposes by the authorities, or for prestigious individuals such as the heads of clans.  Peel towers and bastle houses were often surrounded by a stone wall known as a barmkin, inside which cattle and other livestock were kept overnight.  The Peel Towers were built in the 1430's.  No wonder they are crumbling away.  Wish someone would save them.

This Peel Tower is unfortunately crumbling away.

A tree is growing right up in the middle.

 

Here's an old print of a Peel Tower with Reivers in the foreground.

Gordon is squinting because the wind has picked up and it's beginning to rain.

We headed away from the tower and across cattle fields toward Jenny's View.  It's a good thing I had on Wellies because the going was rough.  In fact, at one point my foot sunk all the way down into the earth up to the top of my boot and as I tried to get my boot out my foot started to come out of my boot and my other foot began to sink!  Crap!  Visions of Frodo, Middle Earth and Mordor came into view and I was expecting Gollum to come up and give me a push into a Peat Bog at any moment!  My brief panic as a wobbled and almost fell was alleviated by Gordon literally pulling me out!  From there on out we looked for higher ground and trampled through meadows and edges of forests till we came to the upper Moffat waters. 

Fall is happening here!

Um, er, think I'll stick to the path.

Up Archbank and back toward home.

A little poser!

We walked down Old Well Road all the way into town where we stopped into the Balmoral for a pint and fish and chips negating any benefit from our hour and 1/2 walk!  But it was delicious and part of vacation eh!

Back at home we had baths and caught up on our technology and much later made another fish dinner of Plaice with leftover mashed potatoes and green beans.

Trying for an earlier evening tonight in hopes we wake up earlier to head out for another exciting day here in Middle Earth.