Continuing the theme of my last three Tuesday hikes, once again this morning re-tracing the steps of James Hogg, The Ettrick Shepherd (1770 to 1835), this time along the Captain's Road, an old sheep drover's track over the hills from the Ettrick Valley at Hopehouse to the Yarrow Valley at Tibbie Shiels Inn. On the Ettrick side the road will have changed little since Hogg's time but on the Yarrow watershed the hillside has been planted with trees and the old road has become silted up and boggy in places and now only offers close up views of tall conifers. Ettrick Hall, monument to James Hogg at the site of the cottage where he was born in 1770. The Captain's Road Looking back down the valley of the Hopehouse Burn towards the Ettrick Valley. Here the modern access track which goes up only as far as Shepherdscleuch shares the valley with the traditional route. Shepherdscleuch, the last habitation before climbing up to the watershed. The eastward view along the Captain's Road, high in the Ettrick hills, will have changed little since Hogg would have tramped this way.
Last edited by cessna152towser; 8th August 06 at 10:03 AM.
Regional Director for Scotland for Clan Cunningham International, and a Scottish Armiger.
Previous threads in this series:- Three Brethren Kilted Hill Walk (18th July) http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...light=Brethren St. Mary's Loch and the Grey Mare's Tail (25th July) http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ighlight=skene Smailholm Tower (1st August) http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ight=smailholm
Great photo essay C152T . The biggest thing I miss about the Borders is the hills. Not too many in North Germany. M.
Thanks again!
Makes me want to go there. My Hall ancestors lived not far from this walk...
All I need to complete the picture is some fresh country air! So are these pics of what was once the tenant farm the Hogg family worked? I'm curious too about the Tibbie Shiels Inn... I think we just catch a glimpse of it behind the Hogg monument. It doesn't strike me as your average Holiday Inn Express! .
Beautiful landscape. Wow.
I'll also request a little country air! Stunning.
Blu wrote:- I'm curious too about the Tibbie Shiels Inn... I think we just catch a glimpse of it behind the Hogg monument. It doesn't strike me as your average Holiday Inn Express! The building glimpsed behind the monument is Ettrick Hall. Tibbie Shiels Inn is at the other end of the trail on the other side of the hill around five miles away and provides accommodation for hikers. Here is a link to their webiste http://www.tibbieshielsinn.com/
Last edited by cessna152towser; 14th August 06 at 06:08 AM.
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