Habbie's Howe

Today's walk took us from the carpark in Carlops, along the Kitleyknowe Road alongside the Carlops Burn as far as the gateway to Newhall House, signed for Amazondean.

Crossing a fragile stone bridge, we walked up a muddy track lined with beech trees then cut right (east) through trees, above a steep-sided gorge and the river North Esk. The gorge was created by glacier melt and cuts through different rock types. Over on the opposite bank we caught sight of Newhall house and around here we followed a small flock of chaffinches. Our path gradually narrowed until we descended to the river, partly on good steps, walking upstream on the south bank, passing exposed sandstone rock heavily eroded as it is so friable. There is also a cave, appropriately called Sandy Cave, not deep but with a wide opening on the upstream side.

We briefly crossed a bridge to see one of two panels carved into the rock, with excerpts from The Gentle Shepherd, by Alan Ramsay, who set the play in this area - where the gorge opens out and little rivulets tumble down the slopes - we then continued on the south bank.  We crossed the river to the north bank, watching the river tumbling as it descended the gorge, now through blocky limestone; climbed higher to another bridge but went beyond this on a path overlooking the waterfall and Peggy's Pool, spending some time taking photographs (main photo from the waterside). Recent rains have swollen the waterways and the fall the more impressive, although the height is little more than 6 feet.

So we crossed this last bridge to ascend to the path below the trees, stopping for a brief rest before re-joining the path down to the gateway, to watch several house sparrows, tree sparrows and blue tits which were attracted to bird feeders at the pretty cottage. Then it was back along the road to the car, to enjoy our picnic.

The weather was clear, sunny and bright but with a very cold north wind; much of the way was wet and muddy - sometimes claggy, sometimes slippery, being wooden, the bridges were slippery, even on the handrails. But on a summer day, or after a dry spell, this would not be such a problem - though the waterfall would be a mere trickle.

Extra collage, clockwise from the top left: the little stone bridge with the path leading off left, and the trees at the top of the field; the Sandy Cave; the gateway; view of Newhall House.