Bob Jarmson leads the way
Peebles West station 1948
Beryl Thompson takes the lead
Dorothy Paterson first through the gate
Cross Manor Bridge
Carole Lough stepping out
Steep steps up to railtrack.
Ladies on track
Lyne Station
Crossing Lyne Bridge over the Tweed
Back on to terra firma
Rosie the dog and friends go for a swim
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| | | Sponsored
Walk - Saturday 18 June 2016 |
Report - Jim Paterson. Photos - Dorothy & Jim Paterson
The St. Mungo's team ready to go
This
year, we are returned to an old favourite; the figure-of-eight route
from Peebles, via Manor Sware, across Kirkton Manor Road Tweed Bridge
and along Tweed Walk (North Side) to Lyne Station, returning along
Tweed Walk (South Side), re-crossing Tweed Bridge and back, past
Neidpath Castle, along Tweed Walk (North Side), a total distance of
approximately 7½ miles. Organiser Ian Dickson also included a
'short' route for those finding the full route just a bit too much.
 We
gathered outside St. Mungo's church on a dry, if rather cool summer
morning, before jumping in a couple of cars to drive down to Peebles
for the official start. There we met some other walkers from Roslin,
who came along for the walk and to enjoy the fantastic Peebleshire
countryside.
The sun had by now broken through, and with our backpacks donned we set off along the south
side of the Tweed, under the Tweed Bridge, which dates back to the 15th
century, though much improved since then.
 The
first stretch leaving Peebles was over the tracks of the Peebles,
Broughton, Biggar, and Symington railway. The last train was in
1950, so we were too late to catch that one. However the path
passes the site of the old terminus station, now residential
housing.
We turned south, away from the river, by South Park Industrial
Estate to reach open countryside where we again turned west. Crossing
the fields we climbed towards Manor Sware, skirting South Park Wood.
Stopping at the view point we were able to take in the outstanding
views across the River Tweed, toward Broughton Heights, Manor Valley,
and Dollar Law.
 Downhill now toward Kirkton Manor, crossing the
Manor Water bridge, built in 1702, meeting some fisherman getting their
rods ready for a day on the river. Here we met the 'short walk' crews
who had driven over from Peebles to join us. Together we crossed back
over the River Tweed, being careful not to let Majorie's dog Rosie jump
over the side (30 foot drop), as did her previous dog Murphy! We
rejoined the Peebles Broughton railway track, long lifted and now a
walker and cyclists track. Hugging the River Tweed the track heads for
Lyne Station. An abrupt stop occurs just as you cross the Lyne Viaduct,
crossing Lyne Water which flows down from Romano Bridge. We took this
opportunity to stop for a bite of lunch, since the cast iron viaduct
offers a great place to sit.
 After lunch we headed through the beautiful Lyne Station village, where we could see where the railway had progressed,
and the old station building, now refurbished as a private dwelling.
Passing a group of kyak enthusiasts getting ready to launch into the
Tweed we crossed over the footbridge to the south side of the river, to
start our return route to Peebles.
Climbing up the
path to Kirkton Manor we came across Barns Tower, a peel-tower dating
back to the late 16th  century. Built by William Burnet the 4th
Laird of Barns and his wife Margaret Stewart of Shillinglaw - a family
related to the Stuart earls of nearby Traquair. The tower is now a romantic
cottage holiday let, popular with those seeking out the Peebleshire
countryside, just like us.
We cut across the fields before
reaching Kirkton Manor, returning downhill to the side of the River
Tweed, this time on the south side, to reach the bridge where the
'short walk' crew, finished and drove back to Peebles. The more
sprightly among us carried on over the bridge to rejoin the old railway
line, this time heading east toward Neidpath Castle and Peebles.
 The
results of the floods over the winter were noticeable by the amount of
river bank erosion and stone spoil deposits in the river, caused by
the fast flowing waters at the time. We came off the railway trackbed
just before the Neidpath Viaduct.
Designed by Robert Murray, a
local architect living in Peebles, the viaduct is unusual, with all
eight arches being semicircular, skewed and constructed with helical
courses, crossing the Tweed obliquely with four of the piers in the
water. The whole structure is built on a graceful curve of radius 440
yards (400 m) so as to align the route with nearby Neidpath Tunnel, at
the eastern end of the viaduct and to the south of Neidpath Castle.
 We
were now on the last leg of our 7.5 mile walk, passing Neidpath Castle
to reach Hay Lodge Park, crossing the footbridge to retrace our walk
along the railway trackbed to the Tweed Bridge. At last we spotted the
Heron that we had been on the lookout all the way alongside the river
during our walk. Sitting majestic on the Cauld Water, ignoring the deep
water signs to keep off. By the way Cauld refers not to the
temperature, which I'm sure it was, but the Scots word for a Weir,
in this case where Eddleston Water meets the River Tweed, over the weir
heading towards the North Sea at Berwick-upon-Tweed. .
Our reunited party called in at the Leadburn Inn for
well earned light refreshements on the way home to Penicuik. A great
day out under blue sky and sunshine. Warm but not too hot for walking,
with only the occasional attack from the dreaded midges.
The sponsored walk proceeds helps to fund the upkeep of our church buildings.
Lunch stop | 
Smiles all round at lunch | 
gosh its warm now
| 
cooler under tree shade |
Published 20 June 2016
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