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~Lee Pen~

6th May 2021

Seat with a view

Eastern View

Scroll down for photos and a description of the walk....

Stobo River Tweed

With the Scottish view on lockdown easing varying slightly from the English one and no legal restriction on movement around the UK for holidaying purpose, Peter R and I decided to take a few days north of the border. I failed to find just the right self-catering unit, so struck lucky with a B&B close to Peebles...more about this in the next report. On the way up, we stopped at Stobo for a walk along John Buchan Way (photo left). However, we soon encountered a flock of sheep at a gate we needed to pass through. The farmer was busy with the sheep and his sheepdog was on guard. We kept a sensible distance and after a short period of careful thought, we abandoned the plan and found our way to Peebles for a walk along the river (right).

River Tweed Cauld

Hailstorm at Peebles

A short, sharp hailstorm disturbed our circular walk following each side of The Tweed at Peebles. Here water tumbles over the Cauld, or weir. In time available before we met our hosts at the B&B, we had a look around the streets of Peebles for the cafe which would welcome walkers with their dog, but we failed.

Eddleston

Snow

Molly and I went for a walk before breakfast on the morning of Thursday 6th May and snow was falling.

Old Road to Shiplaw

A vociferous Molly wants the ball, but I've left it in the car. It's bleak...

Swiss Cabin Wood Traquair House

There's a wonderful line of beech trees adjacent to Swiss Cabin Wood near to the B&B in Eddleston. It must have originally been a hedge.

Later, as light rain persisted and low cloud shrouded the hills we wanted to climb, we went in search of Traquair House, near Innerleithen. This fine residence is said to be Scotland's Oldest Inhabited House; 27 Scottish Kings and Queens have visited here and it has been lived in by the Stuart family since 1491. They brew their own beer and at this time allowed visitors to enjoy the grounds and gardens, but the house was not open. In the interests of research, Peter bought some bottles of beer from the shop.

Lee Pen Bear Gates
Lee Pen
The Bear Gates

From our walk around the grounds, we caught a rare glimpse of Lee Pen and its prominent peak; the Bear Gates of Traquair House will remain locked and not be opened until the Stuart Dynasty returns to the throne, so all visitors now use the side entrance and will continue to do this for the foreseeable future.

Lee Pen Ascent

The Ascent of Lee Pen

After a cuppa and bite to eat in Cardrona, we decided we would tackle Lee Pen and hope the weather would be kind. We haven't come all this way to sit in or outside cafes or watch tv in the B&B. As we park in Innerleithen, the skies begin to clear and we set foot up the obvious path, what can possibly go wrong?

Seat For One

Twice we came upon these curious seats. One person gets a great view down the Tweed in an easterly direction. I like these direct ascents when the area is new, only a mad fool could possibly take the wrong turn. Having said that, I was all set to go up the small peak behind us at a minor junction of paths, two locals with their dogs suggested we turn right, not left; or north, not south if you prefer.

Caerlee Hill

Caerlee Hill

Looking back at Caerlee Hill which reveals the remains of a settlement. The aerial mast is more recent, I believe.

March Wood

March Wood

Lee Pen

~~~

Innerleithan

Innerleithan from Lee Pen

The top of this hill is dominated by fine stone walls and the views are good today, must be fantastic on clearer days.

Lee Pen Summit

Lee Pen Summit 1647ft asl (502m)

Well, that's Molly's first Scottish summit of note and our first since Ben Nevis in 2012.

North View

View North

Somewhere down there is "Lee" and maybe Lee Pen is named after such farmstead. Pen, as everyone knows, is a Welsh or possibly Gaelic name for a hill.

We walked the same way back down. The weather began to change and hail, followed by thundery rain arrived soon after we got back in the car. Fortune Favours the Brave!! Sometimes....

Walkers: Peter, Molly and Me.

Time taken: 1hrs 50minutes over a distance of about 4 miles.

Route: Up, down.

Refreshements: None taken in this vicinity. Cardrona Railway Station is now Nashy's Cafe and at the time of writing serves only takeaway food and drink. We'd like to visit again and spend more time looking at the collection of old railway photos and imagining how it might have functioned when trains ran along the local lines.

Weather and conditions: Dry and clear until the very end when it started to hail.

Nearly all photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2021 ©

Take me back to the start ....

Take me home....