Waterloo Monument, Peniel Heugh

A few inches of snow fell last night. This morning the sun shone out of a clear blue sky and a very rapid thaw set in.

We decided to make for the top of Peniel Heugh for a view of the Borders covered in snow for the first and probably last time this year. 

It's possible to  climb to the top of the monument, 150 feet high, if you collect the key before you set off. We didn't. I'm not sure I fancy the spiral staircase with only a rope balustrade. It has occasionally had a zip wire slung from it to raise funds for charity - you whizz through the air for 1500 feet. I don't like the sound of that either - I'm not great a heights.

The tower was built in the decade after the Battle of Waterloo to commemorate 'The Duke of Wellington and the British Army', and was paid for by the landowner and his tenantry. The building of it was a job creation scheme to employ returned soldiers who could find no other work.

It is quite a landmark, and very useful for finding your way home through the mass of little roads round here - we just aim for Peniel Heugh.