Annandale Wayannandale Way
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
We took a walk on the We took a walk on the Annandale Way On the horizon the hills climbed so that the sun could nestAnnandale between them. Way We took a walk in Annandale and at the end we asked, The Annan ran softly and smooth its golden ‘Can we walk the whole way?’ cool waters rustling like leaves. t n c i n g h e S c o n h a t t e i s h d S a n o l w g a i n y t a C r o b a e l s e t C a n d r i v e r v a l l e y s w w w . s u l w a t h c o n n e c t i o n s . o r g ...For walkers after fairy tale dreams, there’s nothing like the Annandale Way... Hoddom Primary School ...Annandale Way, Annandale Way, What wonders lie within you today? Annandale Way, Annandale Way, There’s lots of things that we can say. ...For walkers after There’s your countryside filled with mystery. a life-changing There’s your paths filled with history. Annandale Way, Annandale Way, experience when will you cease to amaze me? Annan Academy there’s nothing better than the Annandale Way... Hoddom Primary School ...For walkers after Landscapes! Surprises! Nature! Fun! there’s nothing better than the Annandale Way... Hoddom Primary School ...The cows were ...I’ve heard the screaming prisoner cowering from rain. dying in pain, in the dungeon of Spedlin Tower! I have heard the fast The wind howled footsteps trip trapping of the Jardine- Pattersons running over my weary through the trees. bridge. I couldn’t hear the ghost, but I could feel the tickle of it! The buttercups are I’ve heard the footsteps, thudding over my bridge, day after day, night after like little lights in night, those were the thuddings of the Corncockle Quarry workers. They the grass... dirtied my water, washing each day, Annan Academy washing the sandstone dust away... Lochmaben Primary School ...Come and grow with me and I’ll never stop surprising you... Moffat Academy ...Every call, whistle and hoot runs like a river through my head... Lockerbie Academy Welcome to the Annandale Way Embark on a 55 mile journey have a choice, do you take the The guide has been broken into through Annandale with an Eastern arm through the fabulous easy sections which enable the opportunity to delve into some of Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Eskrigg Annandale Way to be covered the cultural and industrial history Nature Reserve, spending a night comfortably in five days. You may of this ancient border region in Lockerbie before continuing on however wish to extend some of whilst immersing yourself in the through the wonderful Gallabery your days and to run one section tranquillity and beauty of a little plantation or do you go for the into another choosing alternative explored corner of Scotland. more challenging route up over points to break your walk. Either The guide is designed to allow Joe Graham’s monument which way we have provided details of you to follow the Annandale lends spectacular views across local accommodation providers and Way from Source to Sea (north Annandale and past Castle Loch, transport connections but we would to south) or Sea to Source (south with its sculpture trail, for a night advise checking these in advance to north), which ever way you in Lochmaben? as new accommodation may be chose to go you will have the available or bus times change. Which ever way you chose you’re opportunity to experience the sure to encounter the warm Before embarking on the Annandale hospitality of the market towns of hospitality of the locals and have Way you should ensure you are Annan and Moffat. You will also experiences you’re unlikely to suitably equipped for inclement forget. weather and carrying the appropriate OS Maps 322 Annandale and 330 Moffat & St Mary’s. Some sections of the route do take in high hills and rough ground particularly the Devil’s Beef Tub and Joe Graham’s monument. Everyone has the right to be on most land and inland Enjoy Scotland’s water providing they act responsibly. Your access rights and responsibilities are explained fully in the Scottish Outdoor Annandale Way outdoors responsibly Access Code. Whether you’re in the outdoors or managing the outdoors, the key things are to: • take responsibility for your own actions • respect the interests of other people • care for the environment. Visit outdooraccess-scotland.com or contact your local Scottish Natural Heritage office. Moffat – Devil’s Beef Tub - Moffat Distance: 22km [13½ miles] Upland Environment Chalk Rig Edge The Devil’s Beef Tub section The Devil’s 500m of this walk involves steep Beef Tub Spout climbs and rough ground – Craig be prepared! 535m Viewpoint Route, described clockwise: Starting in the Station Park car park (OS Map 330 GR084,049), follow the youthful ANNANDALE WAY River Annan upstream from Moffat, and along the valley road turning off for Meikleholmside where you A701 Blue Cairn climb the old Edinburgh coach road. 584m Crossing the A701 takes you past a Roman watch tower and over Ericstane Hill, before you re-cross the road to begin your circumnavigation of the Devils Beef B719 R Greygill Head i Tub corrie. Climb onto Annanhead Hill and a range v e 474m r r e t that rims the upper limits of the Annan catchment. A A a n W n k spectacular view opens into the Beef Tub corries and a c n o rn down and down the green corridor of Annandale Bi towards the Solway coast. Gallow On the coll between Chalk Rig Edge and Spout Hill M74 Craig, you’ll squelch across the watershed between Moffat the sources of the tributaries that feed the Annan and Tweed. This is the official start or finish of the Annandale Way. After you have celebrated, turn south into the valley here, following the rapidly growing waters in a gully that will spit you out below Corehead G a rp Farm. Here you meet a minor road that leads you back o l W a to Moffat, where a welcome for walkers awaits. ter d oa R ed The Crook Beattock Come and grow with me and I’ll never stop surprising you. • Moffat Academy The Devil’s Beef Tub: “It looks as if four hills were laying their heads together to shut out daylight from the dark hollow space between them. A damned deep, black, blackguard – looking abyss of a hole it is.” Sir Walter Scott Black Knowe 549m My infancy started at the top of the abyss, rolling and gouging my way down the craig. As I reach the valley after carving my way down the hillside, I come to flat land. I babble my way down to the sea, sandwiched between hills like lions about to pounce. Every mile I go I get closer and closer to my destiny. To start the cycle again. Moffat Academy INDUSTRY • GHOSTS & STORIES • FAMOUS FAMILIES • ENERGY • TRAVEL & TOURISM • LITERATURE • GEOLOGY • FLIGHT ES • AC L P In hidden gullies of the Moffat Hills, small G The bare Moffat Hills were once cloaked with native woodland. The Borders N pockets of ash and hazel are survivors of I Forest Trust plan to restore such habitats. Currently only 2% of land in the D I Annan catchment is broad leafed woodland. ancient landscapes. H & S “Annan, Tweed and Clyde a‘rise oot o’ T U ae hillside” Border rhyme O Source of rivers Clyde and Tweed as well K O as Annan. At 49 miles, the Annan is the O L tenth longest river in Scotland, popular Chalk Rig Edge • for sea trout and salmon fishing. 500m R Classic U-shaped E T The Devil’s Beef Tub: “It looks as if four hills glaciated valley. A were laying their heads together to shut out W Spout R daylight from the dark hollow space between them. Hart Fell, a E The Devil’s Craig T A damned deep, black, blackguard – looking abyss high point in A of a hole it is.” Sir Walter Scott Beef Tub 535m Dumfriesshire W • (808m). S E Merlin said to have E R Stolen cattle taken refuge in a T Roman Watch Tower. Hartfell Spa, cave here & hidden here. discovered in D A pele tower built at N Corehead by Thomas 1748. Water A L Halliday. William containing D O Wallace was a Chalybeate O Peregrine, Merlin and golden regular visitor after exported to the W plover in the Moffat Hills. his sister married West Indies. into the family. Copper mining Hills created by also tried here action of glacier in 1760’s. and water over 10,000 years ago. The same route through Annandale (and Y e s by Evan Water) used by Roman Invaders t e was followed by Telford’s Carlisle to Glasgow road r d Look up for the vapour trails of 500 a built in the 1820’s, and now by the M74. The volume y flights a day over Annandale – a of traffic today can reach 80 decibels. The 1860’s I different kind of footprint. w railway development came the same way. a s ANNANDALE WAY n o t h i n g . Robin Jenkins was an evacuee to Moffat T Son of Moffat Air Chief Marshal Lord High h during WWII ‘Guests of War’ is set there. Dowding (1882-1970) was the architect i s of RAF victory in the Battle of Britain.