Twelve Strollers met at Morrisons at Hunters Tryst for a walk up past Swanston golf course, to Green Craig water pump and then on to the Polo Fields and back through Dreghorn Woods to the start.
Similar to last time we did part of this walk, it was a scorching day.
At least this time everyone got past Swanston golf club without deserting to
stop and get drinks.
We followed the path between the golf course and the ‘old’ farmhouse
where Robert Louis Stevenson once stayed. The area provided the inspiration for
several of his books.
Passing horses and goats on the way we passed into the Pentlands Country
Park, which is still used by the army for training exercises, and made our way
to the Green Craig pumping station where we stopped for lunch. The area here
and down to the path under the bypass has been planted with trees to
commemorate the lives lost in the First World War and a grove has been
dedicated to soldiers from Leith who lost their lives in the Quintinshill Rail
Disaster.
Passing the houses on what was the site of the Polo Fields we entered
the ‘old’ Dreghorn/Redford woods where there was once a castle and house before
the army and air force blew it up in the 1950s. We then hugged the fence of the
barracks, startling the guard at the gate, and made our way back to the start
of the walk. For some a stop off for a shandy, for others a cake and coffee.
Our thanks to Drew for the walk, though some suggested his puff factor
ratings left a bit to be desired.
The July walk will be to Peebles and not as hilly!
