Dun Rig. The Glen. Tennant Estate. Peebles.

ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SIZE

When Graeme suggested a border bagging trip near Pebbles I didn't need a second invitation as the scenery is beautiful in that district at any time of year. This is Neidpath Castle just outside Peebles.

A post from springtime when a carload consisting of Graeme, David, Sandra and myself descended on Innerleithen then Traquair for a walk up Dun Rig, 742 metres. We opted to park in "The Glen", the Tennant Estate, as it's a fabulous start to any hill if you manage to include a walk through the landscaped grounds of a grand mansion.

I visited here a couple of years back for the first time with Alex but I'm always happy to go back to areas I really enjoyed and this is one of them. We parked near Orchard Mains then set off on foot. It's a perfect backdrop for film locations or just for a wander around the estate. Tennant History Here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Glen,_Scottish_Borders

This time we were able to explore the full length of this amazing landscape enhanced paradise.

Looking into the steep ravine containing Loch Eddy, a purpose built fishing pond complete with substantial wooden boathouse. Early morning mist just rising from the dew covered fields. The last visit was in the autumn so it was nice to see it from a different angle in spring.

Young swallow balancing on a wire in fairly breezy conditions.

Older, more practiced, swallows around the farm buildings.

Flowers on the estate.

The patchwork quilt scenery of the Border landscape. So different from the Highlands further north.

A typical Border view, with mixed woodland and rolling grassy slopes.

Yellow poppy, bright even in the shade of a large tree.

Water Aven. A beautiful lantern like plant that grows in wet areas, along clear running streams and ponds.

Walking back to the car with Sandra through the estate after climbing Dun Rig. Photographing the  estate was the fun part of the day obviously, for me, as I only took one photograph on the climb up the hillside. On foot, we were able to continue up this farm track until the last farm marked on the OS map, where a path ( marked on map) allowed us access up onto Dun Rig. Unlike the sheltered glen below, the upper slopes of Dun Rig provided us with a bleak, exposed summit so we didn't stay long up there in the wind and hailstones, admiring the views on the move as we hurried back down into warmer climes. In football terms it was a walk of two halves. Spring just turning slowly into early summer in the glorious depths of "The Glen" .... yet still a taste of winters icy breath up on the higher tops. A great day I really enjoyed.
A link here to the official Glen web site which has some great photographs taken within the grounds of this 5000 acre estate.
http://glenhouse.com/

Video is one Alex found a while ago of the infamous El Chorro Gorge and its crumbling, vertigo inducing, walkway in Spain. It's meant to be closed and off limits until a new, safer path can be built along it but folk still attempt it even in its current condition. Sensational when watched full screen.  
Reputedly, one of the most dangerous walkways in the world now so a big tick on adrenalin junkies lists. I think I'll give it a miss until the new path is constructed. Best watched with the music turned down very low at it tends to irritate rather than enhance. Astonishing achievement to build this concrete ribbon in the first place when most of it travels across vertical walls of rock held in place by rusting metal supports and occasionally, wooden posts hammered hopefully into deep cracks.