Duncanrig Rambling set off once
again to the Borders for walks
in the Cloich Hills between the
Pentlands and the Moorfoot
Hills. The main walk was a
9-mile route from Noblehouse to
Romanno Bridge Kirk with a
5.5-mile alternative which kept
to the same route for the first
two and a half miles before
heading east to finish at the
village of Eddleston. Although
skies were rather overcast the
Pentland ridge to the north-west
was clearly etched against the
skyline and the Moorfoots to the
east had the merest wisps of
cloud on the highest tops as the
ramblers climbed steadily up the
broad track for the first mile
to an early tea break. The
forest became progressively
thicker but never oppressively
so on the track to its edge
where the alternative group
continued east towards Shiplaw
while the main party turned
south onto the Cloich Forest
Loop. The rain did its best to
maintain a steady shower but
rarely managed more than a brief
drizzle and after the repeated
donning and discarding of
waterproofs the determined
defiance of the walkers paid off
and the rain fizzled out leaving
a slightly sticky, sometimes
uncomfortable, summer warmth.
Not much wildlife was in
evidence although someone
spotted a perfect wasp's nest
hanging from a small spruce tree
and a tiny frog and a fat toad
had to be removed from the track
for their own safety as the
booted hikers thumped past.
After a couple of miles on the
east of the Cloich Hills the
walkers left the forest to
follow the Flemington Burn for a
short way on the Old North Drove
Road into the open valley of the
burn. The good, grassy track
took them past shoulder-high
banks of bracken whose rich
green contrasted with the dark
blue-green of nearby pine trees.
A fresh breeze in the glen
cooled while the group made a
steady ascent onto the top of
Whiteside Hill for a pause to
take in the views of Mendick
Hill to the north and an
attractive patchwork of cropped
fields and meadows to the south.
The route high above the
meanders of the Lyne Water
provided fine views over the
strawy yellow of the summer
grass to the soft green of the
valley floor before the descent
to the fine kirk nestled in the
shelter of the glen where the
bus was waiting. The town of
Biggar, a short trip away,
provided the venue for a social
hour and refreshment before
setting out for East Kilbride.
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