The Borders

This line of trees beside the A701 created amazing shadows on the immaculate white snow. Taken in the winter of 1978/9 with a 24mm lens.

I stopped at the side of the road in the winter of 1978/9.

Not far from Pathhead on the A68 road south of Edinburgh. I think I originally did a sepia-toned print of this, in which the castle stonework resembled a bar of chocolate.

The A707 road from Selkirk to Caddonfoot follows the River Tweed and crosses it here on this old but serviceable stone bridge beside the Yair estate.

The winter of 1978/9 has left its mark in the form of snow-drifts along the dry-stane dykes on the hillside at Galashiels.

This used to be a favourite slow drive home, for me, after a day as a field engineer in the Borders.

Same road as above, the B709 - but further north and nearer Edinburgh.

Soutra Hill on the A68 driving south towards Oxton. The morning sunshine is melting the snow.

There used to be a railway in the Borders and this disused viaduct carried trains across the River Tweed between Earlston and Newtown St Boswells.

This is how it looks closer up, near the back road to Melrose.

The Gordon Arms Hotel showing the hill behind.

A closer look at the Gordon Arms Hotel.

These young trees beside the Leader Water will have grown since the '70s.

These trees beside the Leader Water won't be like this now.

These hills form part of Scott's View. They are situated just south of Melrose.

I think that's probably Melrose in the top left corner...

Goes on about 'the proprietor', the burning of heather, and the Scottish Rights Of Way Society. The three Eildons pictures were taken a few years ago.

A view from the Eildons showing the old railway viaduct.

So called after Sir Walter Scott. The Eildon Hills are in the distance near Melrose. The River Tweed is down below.

Autumn sunshine on the disused railway viaduct.

Another shot taken from further down river.

Continuing the theme, this shot is from the old roadbridge as seen in the next picture.

The last one in this sequence. Photographed from the main road bridge where the A68 crosses the River Tweed near Leaderfoot. The Leader Water is a tributary of the Tweed.

An early view of Galashiels.

Dazzling winter sunshine.

Mist lingering in a hollow, high up on the hills between Lauder and Stow.

The B6397 Earlston to Smailholm road at the Mellerstain house junction... the road actually turns to the right mid picture with the remaining seen part being the access road to Mellerstain House itself.

A popular beauty spot beside the Selkirk - Moffat A708 road. There are two footpaths, a short one to near the foot of the waterfall, and a long, steep one up to the top. Walking boots are advised for the latter. A red warning notice is at the end of the lower path on the left.

At the top of the path is Loch Skeen. To its left is a ridge which affords this view of White Coomb, the highest hill in Dumfriesshire at 822 metres (2697 feet) above sea level. Midlaw burn drains the valley.

Further up the ridge, looking back down towards the southern end of Loch Skeen. Down below, the footpath winds its way up between the glacial moraines. Extra clothing should be carried if venturing up here, in case the weather changes.

At the top of the ridge the view opens out to reveal distant hills including the Eildons near Melrose, visible here as two triangular bumps on the horizon, just right of centre. The patterns visible on the middle distance are cause by the peat being slowly eroded.

By circling to the left, around the watershed of the Midlaw Burn, you can return to the path at the head of the falls. This route takes you over White Coomb and down its ridge following the remains of this dry stane dyke.

Further down it gets steeper but a rough, intermittent path leads between the craggy areas. The path between Loch Skeen and the head of the falls can seen in the distance, about a third of the way down the picture.

From the ridge (left side of the first White Coomb picture 5 up) is this view of Loch Skeen and the end of the path which leads up to it. Unnoticed by walkers on the path is a tiny blue lochan situated only yards away.

Getting nearer to the foot of White Coomb and the footpath across this landscape shaped by the ice age. Two people can be distinguished on the path near the large moraine on the right of the picture.

Lochcraig Head is the scree-covered hill at the end of Loch Skeen. In front is the ridge we climbed up earlier. The path is clearly visible beside the craggy area. Further down, nearer the loch, it's less obvious and tends to get lost in the boggy areas.

Back down near the bottom of the falls, level with the short path on the other side of the gorge. Part of the high path can (just) be seen at top right.

A wider view showing more of the footpath favoured by the less adventurous.

Not in sequence because it was photographed later. Loch Craig Head is the hill at the back of Loch Skeen. Photograph taken from Mid Craig ridge.

Looking towards the north end of Talla Reservoir.

The Tweedsmuir to Saint Mary's Loch road follows the side of the reservoir to Talla Linnfoots before the steep climb that leads to Megget Reservoir.

At the south east end is the steep single-track-road-with-passing-places referred to above. A car is coming slowly (and carefully) down the hill.

2007: The view back down to the car park at the Grey Mare's Tail. This is from part way up the first and steepest part of the path.

On the path up above the waterfall was this toad. Loch Skeen is surrounded by lots of pools in which toads can thrive.

If you intend to climb the ridge it's probably a good idea to rest a while beside the loch - because you've already climbed quite far to get here.

A different foreground in this picture. In the middle distance is the rocky promontory from which the previous picture was taken.

The path up the ridge to the west of Loch Skeen. Paths (if any) tend to be intermittent. Some walkers can be seen half way up and at the top of the steep slope.

Having climbed the ridge and crossed some rough ground with no discernable path, walkers are rewarded by this view. This is looking toward White Coomb from about half way up the western slopes of Lochcraig Head, the hill at the back of Loch Skeen.

Once on the top of Lochcraig Head, it's a short walk to the cairn and fine views down to Loch Skeen and the surrounding landscape. On the right of this picture is the ridge referred to above. The way back down to the waterfalls and the car park is at the top left.

Zooming in on the southern end of Loch Skeen shows more detail. You can see the outflow from the loch as it heads towards the series of waterfalls.

A dry stane dyke meanders across the hillocks and peat bogs. Beside it is a rough path which often disappears as the footsteps which make it wander to avoid marshy areas.

At the bottom of Lochcraig Head looking west towards the northern end of Loch Skeen.

Another view showing the scree slopes of Lochcraig Head.

If you circle the loch in an anticlockwise direction you'll end on this path which follows the dry stane dyke and the fence. There is no path around the loch lower down. Good walking boots are essential for all the hills.

Empty Megget Valley Reservoir

Megget Valley Reservoir

Megget Valley Reservoir

St Abbs

St Abbs

St Abbs

St Abbs

St Abbs

St Abbs

Near Romanno Bridge

Near Romanno Bridge

Near Romanno Bridge

Near Romanno Bridge

Near Romanno Bridge

This and the next few from Galloway December 2018