Our fourth outing of
the year was on 23 August.
61 of us left an
overcast Edinburgh a bit late, as someone was held up due to their train being delayed. By the time we were in the Borders, it was drizzling. Our coffee
stop was at a very busy Woollen Mill in Moffat. When we reached Carlisle,
the heavens opened and it poured, however by the time we found the car park for
the Castle it wasn't too bad but there was an uphill walk to the Castle
and its entrance.
Our party was split
into two groups. The first going immediately on the tour and the
second either going for coffee at the cafe in the Castle or going into the
centre of town which was about 5 minutes’ walk away. We were in luck as
there was a market on that day.
We then switched over.
Unfortunately we had to wait in a blustery wind for the 1st group to finish. A
very interesting place and we needed more time to see everything. We then had a
long walk back to the bus which took some people with walking difficulties a
while. An interesting fact our guide was Scottish and he made the comment that
the English had entrusted the Keys of the Castle to him!
It was then time to make
our way to the Dryfesdale Hotel outside Lockerbie up a very narrow tree lined road
- just as well there was nothing coming the other way as there were no passing
places! We had to phone to say were going to be late but that did not detract
from a lovely high tea in pleasant surroundings.
We
were obviously late in getting back so some did
not manage to be dropped off nearer their homes as Douglas Austin had
brought a car up from the Borders to Waterloo Place for the driver and he took
the bus away.
