Annandale, north of Moffat

Gosh, what an adventure. Since February we’ve not been out of Kent. Not only did we leave Kent today we left the country after passing through many counties on the way to Edinburgh.

What a fine, enjoyable journey it was. Little traffic and great weather. There were great views from the A66 of the North Pennines and the Lakes. Just for a change we took a more scenic route off the A74(M) to Edinburgh via Moffat. It’s a route we often used to take but not in recent trips.

It really is a smashing ride, rising up from Moffat high up over Annandale until the pass where the road drops down into the Tweed Valley with more magnificent scenery all the way to the Edinburgh bypass with views latterly over the Firth of Forth, North Berwick Law and Bass Rock.

It’s the head of Annanadale that provides today’s blip in the crisp evening light with one part of the dale in shadow and the other lit by the setting sun. To the left, just out of view, it the wonderfully named chasm Devil’s Beef Tub.

We’re staying at Susan’s sister’s place in Balerno while she and David are with Doreen. Having time to ourselves after so many months caring for Doreen is very pleasant indeed and goes some way to assuaging the disappointment of not being in California with week visiting som and grandson.