A mile or so out of Longformacus, the bare-chested man up the ladder at Rawburn farm looked happy enough as he painted his gable in the sunshine.
First published in: The Times Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window
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‘Morning! Beautiful day!’ he called to us as we went by, with all the joyful emphasis of an outdoors man freed at last from a week’s rain-induced incarceration. The Lammermuir Hills sparkled in sunlight today, washed clean of the summer’s dust, a multicoloured Brian Cook landscape of squares, rectangles and rhombus shapes in green and mauve, gold, black and brown. Grouse shooting is a staple economy hereabouts in the Scottish Borders, and the grouse need heather in every stage of growth from tender green edible shoots to tough old bushes for cover. Hence the patchwork quilt aspect of these low-rolling hills.
‘See the hooks on these water avens fruit?’ enquired our long-term chum Dave Richardson, musician and naturalist, bending low over a clump of nodding, bell-shaped flowers. ‘They’ll hitch a ride on some animal, spread the seeds more widely.’ The roadside verges were thick with summer flowers, the hedges bright with great purple bursts of wood cranesbill.
Up by Watch Water reservoir we sat laughing over old times and watching sand martins flickering over the water from their holes in the sandy banks of the lake. Canada geese crouched on the brink, cuffing the water over themselves with stiff jerks of their wings. A pair of lapwings took off to dive-bomb a marauding black-backed gull. From the open moor beyond there were huge views all round the patchwork hills – long empty skylines of the kind a walker craves as soul food. With a strategically hunched shoulder I found I could even blot out the distracting whirl of the inevitable wind farm.
The Dye Water winds down to Longformacus through a valley so beautiful you’d hesitate to put it on a chocolate box for fear of being thought fanciful. High over the river stands the ancient promontory fort of Wrunklaw. We climbed to the medieval farm ruins inside the horseshoe-shaped earthen ramparts and stood there, sniffing the breeze and taking in incomparable views around the rolling Lammermuirs. A last stretch climbing and descending along the snaking Dye Water and we were heading down into Longformacus, with the tall cone of Dirrington Great Law, quilted in green and purple, a beacon to guide us back into the village.
Start & finish: Longformacus, Duns, Berwickshire, TD11 3PG (OS ref NT692572)
Getting there: Longformacus is signposted on a minor road between Duns (A6105) and Gifford (B6355)
Walk (8½ miles, easy/moderate grade, OS Explorer 345. NB: Online map, more walks: christophersomerville.co.uk): From Longformacus bridge follow Southern Upland Way/SUW up signposted road to Watch Water reservoir. On past Scarlaw farm (653565). In ⅓ mile, right off SUW at fingerpost (647561; ‘Dye Cottage’) on track over moor, down to cross Dye Water (650581). Right through gate past Dunside Cottage; follow track along left (north) river bank. In 300m through gate; follow base of cliff. In 300 m, aim up slope, through gate. Follow fence on cliff edge for 2 fields; descend to riverside and on, following occasional blue Scotways/SW arrows. (Detour – steep scramble up to Wrunklaw fort.) Just beyond Wrunklaw, up bank and through gate (SW) and on with fence on left. Follow path into dip and up shoulder of Sinclair’s Hill. At telegraph pole with SW, bear right with plantation on left; follow SW down to Manse Road; left into Longformacus.
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Lunch: Picnic
More info: Eyemouth TIC (01890-750678); visitscottishborders.com; surprise.visitscotland.com
www.ramblers.org.uk www.satmap.com www.LogMyTrip.co.uk