Newbattle Abbey

After visiting a woodworking workshop in the WWII buildings at Newbattle Abbey College, we parked by a venerable Spanish chestnut, where a treecreeper was busy foraging until disturbed by a dog walker - indeed, the grounds appear very popular for exercising dogs. 

We took our walk by the river South Esk, passing through the formal gardens, where there is a pair of C17 sundials, the date 1635 visible on the column. They are described in 'Buildings of Scotland - Lothians' by Colin McWilliam as "a good deal restored, octagonal, with panelled steps (not in photo) and a pedestal on which four big-headed female chimeras stand to support a hefty octagonal block whose panels have dials in their lower parts, heraldry and curious shadow-casting profiles of mouldings above. [not in photo: [i]CAL stands for Ann, countess of Lothian[/i]] EWL for William, Earl of Lothian, finally, an obelisk carried by scrolls with male masks".

We walked along the south bank to the late C15 ribbed-arch Maiden Bridge, associated with Margaret Tudor (extra 1) where we were privileged to watch a female dipper collecting nesting material (extra 2, collage) and enter her nest close by; also a grey wagtail in the area.

We returned along the north bank, past the ice house with its stone carvings of a horse, boar and sun symbol.