SCOTTISH Borders Hillwalking Club met for its latest walk on Sunday, December 14.

This walk was down to be known as the “Cavers Circular”, however, owing to the inclement weather prevailing on the morning, the leader decided to make a few alterations.

Instead of going down Mansfield Road to Hornshole via the riverside, having walked this stretch two days previously and having found it to be too slippy, he decided to reroute the walk up the Trinity Steps and onto the Miller’s Knowes to Ormiston. Another change was deemed necessary the idea of going to Cavers Old House was abandoned and the group headed up towards Sunnyside. There was still evidence of last week’s snowfall on the farm track which made walking quite treacherous in places. Lunch was taken in the shelter of the barn just below Whiteacres Hill. Pleasantly replete we continued up over Bleak Law to pick up the track for Adderstone Lee. It was here we were faced with the full brunt of the strong wind and rain which made for quite unpleasant walking. Following the Hawick horse riding circular route the 15 walkers joined the old drove road going over Hummelknowes Moss down to Lovers’ Lane.

It was just a short walk down the hill and along the road to the former five arches railway bridge (no longer there). It was here that there was dissent in the ranks and a breakaway group of six ladies decided that they did not want to walk along the railway line but headed for coffee in the Heart of Hawick instead. Meanwhile, the rest continued the walk following the old Waverley route all the way back to Mart Street where we started this morning. A total of 9.5 miles was covered and being flexible on the day enabled us to enjoy what we could given the weather conditions.

The “B” walk, reduced to two in number, meanwhile had a saunter up around the Violet Woods and Wilton Burn and decided to visit Hawick Museum before retiring to somewhere more comfortable for a coffee or two.

The next walk is on Sunday, December 28, starting in Melrose at 10am for a circular walk around Sorrowless Field. Any queries should be directed to Evelyn Horsburgh on 01750 76214.