A Walk With The Dogs

Well its been quite a while since we have had limitations due to coronavirus. For many of us life has became a new normal, there are folk that listen to radios and watch the news on the tv in the hope for lifted restrictions. In the passed weeks restrictions have been gradually relaxed to allow us to see one another, within certain restrictions. I’ve been at home with my dogs and what I have wanted most is A Walk With The Dogs.

In Scotland this is our advice for now https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/

We are blessed to live in the country. Surrounded by beautiftul country side and not see a person, shop, house, or car for miles or hours. You may think that after being cooped up in the house you are desperate to talk to someone, alas no. The beauty and tranquility of our surroundings brought the most fantastic memories flooding back. Such wonderful thoughts and recollection of amazing trips with the boys, paddling our feet in the water and building a dam. For this walk I had the perfect company; my beloved husband and faithful labradors. They were just what I wanted and needed on this midweek evening.

We took a drive to St Mary’s Loch and Megget Reservoir. One of our favour places to walk the dogs in the evening , not a person in sight. At St Marys Loch there is a lovely cafe, that is usually open during the day, serves not only a great cup of coffee and cakes, but does great lunches too; fills the belly of many a biker with delicious homemade macaroni, curry, lovely sandwiches.

St Mary’s Loch is a lovely spot to sit and have a rest after a walk or drive. The drive to the loch is pleasant whichever way you are coming from, either Edinburgh, or down south. The loch is the largest natural loch in the Scottish Borders, its 5km long and 1km wide. It lies on the south side of the A708 between Selkirk and Moffat and is only 45 miles from Edinburgh, well worth the drive. The loch was created by glacial action during the last ice age. Why is the loch called St Mary’s? There was once a church dedicated to St Mary which once stood on its northern shore. Unfortunately only the burial grounds are now visible.

St Mary’s loch is fed by Megget Reservoir. The Reservoir is in the valley in Ettrick Forest in the beautiful Scottish Borders. The 259 hectares reservoir is held back by the largest earth dam in Scotland. The reservoir collects water from the Tweedsmuir hills.

The drive to St Mary’s loch was a fun packed one. Steve and I were singing songs in the car like a couple of teenagers, the dogs were panting in time to the music. They look out of the window and you know they remember every last stop and treat they had the last time they were in the car. As we drove through Innerleithen they got excited in anticipation, thinking we would stop at the ice cream shop and treat ourselves to a cone. No such luck, shops closed. Buddy’s face fell like a sulking child getting the wrong toy, However, the elation when we opened the boot and they got out into the open space. They ran about 10 yards, both of them came right back to me, Buddy gave me one almighty slobbery kiss so hard on the lips he almost knocked me over. Their way of saying we love you guys. You could see the happiness on their faces. Buddy my ever so handsome Fox Red Labrador and Bella, Golden Labrador; she is sensitive. Both dogs are very loving.

On the road from the loch to the reservoir it is narrow and somewhat uneven. It is a fairly steep incline to get up to the reservoir. As you are driving you pass some beautiful scenic landscapes. The road can get a little hairy at times and you have to remember what goes up usually comes down. Lets just says we were going slow enough to take in the enjoyable scenery.

The dogs reluctantly jumped back in the car and we too grudgingly took our seats in the car and made our way on the scenic five and a half mile journey to Talla Reservoir, just one mile from Tweedsmuir in The Scottish Borders. Talla Reservoir is an earth-work dam fed by Talla water. And is supplemented by water from the Fruid Reservoir nearby. It was opened in 1905. To assist in bringing the materials for its construction, the Talla Railway was built.

Second exercise of the evening and the dogs were very happy, tails wagging franticly. Big labrador grins on their faces; all labrador owners will know exactly what I mean. And if they could talk they would be saying thanks ever so much for coming here, we know you love it, so do we. There was a bird chirping its head off and yes it though Bella was going to go chasing it and have it for dinner. Bella wouldn’t. She would be more inclined to go get it some food or give it a cuddle. She has such wonderful mothering instincts, but the bird didn’t know that and it was quacking its head off so we moved on and left it in peace.

We had a wonderful time, it was peaceful, the dogs really enjoyed. Scenery was beautiful. Weather was dry what more could you ask for.

Time to jump in the car yet again. One last pit stop to do. It has many childhood memories for me, lots for my children. Was the route my uncle Allan took me on when I was learning to drive. We did many charity cycles, predominantly The Borders Push for Testicular Cancer. We were now travelling the 22 miles Talla Reservoir to The Meldons. As we took the right hand turn, signpost “Eddleston via The Meldons” and started climbing the narrow unmarked road. Buddy couldn’t contain his excitement, tail wagging, and his quiet panting sounded like an anonymous heavy breathing caller on the telephone. “Nearly there sweetheart” I said to him. Bella licked his ears. At last we arrived.

The drive down to The Meldons was more than a pleasant one. Looking out of the car window as Steve drove and we chatted, there was so much going on. Sheep in fields, birds flying in the sky, so many different hedges, trees, etc. Various crops growing in fields, an array of different colours. We didn’t pass one car on the road. But then it was midweek and after 8pm by this time.

The dogs jumped out of the car as if they had never been out all day. Bella loved the water and paddling around, Buddy not so by this time in the evening he didn’t want to go in the water. Instead he was on a rabbit trail, nose to the ground and sniffing around and around very happily.

As I gently plonked my bottom on the heather and sat down to check how much feed I had left in my backpack, after all we had been out for quite a while. Great I still have at least over an hour on my pump feed to run. Sitting on the cushioned purple heather I looked around. Such happy memories came flooding from over the many years, lots of fun and many trips to this lovely location with family and friends. Sadly some people that are no longer with us but the reminiscence carries on and I will always have wonderful thoughts and memories. This is one of our happy places. For us a go to place.