A Romans and Reivers ramble

*pulls up a chair*

Next leg will take us from Beattock over to Eskdalemuir

Prepare for the 20 minutes hike a bike after Garrigill (beyond Moffatt). Great though and some lovely tracks through Castle O'er. Good community run cafe down the road from Sam-Y-Ling too.

Samye ling is interesting but to be honest the cafe ain't great but it's interesting for people/monk watching, the ones on vows of silence aren't a good source of gossip.

If you want a reasonable coffee or tea then the community centre at eskdalemuir is better.

Thanks for the heads up re. the cafe.
We were planning to park at the Community hall for our 3rd leg (Eskdalemuir <> Craic) so will check out the offerings.

Its been a few years since I last went over that route and the big hill from the Moffat side over to Eskdalemuir was covered in wind-blow and badly eroded, it was meant for horses but it would be a brave rider attempting the descent down towards Moffat. We started to take a route via Wamphrey through a forest which with a short hike takes you to the top of the climb. Have also done a hikea bike from Pawhope bothy via, not advisable!!!!

It's fine, so long as you don't mind pushing/carrying your bike for 20 mins. That section is part of the Frontier 300 event -  https://off.road.cc/content/news/the-frontier-300-gravel-race-is-back-on-the-cards-for-2021-6893 and is shown on the third pic (of folk carrying bikes - handsome chap in white helmet.......). The bit where they mention windblown trees is further along the ridge towards Craic - I do remember bits of that being troublesome.

Thanks @Trekster and @boxelder for the info. We enjoyed riding the Southern Upland Way in both directions last year including the nearby climbs/decents on Gateshaw Rig and Croft Head so we don't mind a little "testing" terrain. Weather will decide when we get back to the area. Looking forward to it.

The first 11 km of leg 2 saw us on familiar territory as we head away from Beattock following a chunk of the Southern Upland Way we rode last year.

The forest road ends as we reach Garrogill and the "unrideable climb". Thanks to the heads up from @Trekster and @boxelder we opted to bring our (half-fat) eebs for this day and so up we went. It is definitely a steep tricky climb but only a 30m stretch of baby-head rubble defeated our skill and 40nm of electrical assistance.

We picked up an estate track climbing onto Dun Moss were we stopped for flapjacks and clear 360 views to Arran, Skiddaw and the pointy Eildon Hills. And then it was a long forest road descent down to the icy Garwald Water and the colourful Tibetan Centre at Eskdalemuir.

Suitably calmed it was about turn and reverse, except a detour climbing back up onto Dun Moss via alternate forest tracks. And then that corker of a descent back down the steep singletrack to Garrogill.

We extended our 3rd leg of the R & R (Romans and Reivers) route into the R & R & R (Romans and Reivers and RAF).

Parked up at the Eskdalemuir Community Hub (too early to get a pre-ride cuppa) and headed out though Eskdalemuir forest on frozen double-track. Eventually hit singletrack pointed upwards and lined with young (but spikey) conifers all vying to catch our bars.

Climbed onto the ridge and started following the roman road along the tops and down into Craic Forest. Somebody has been busy with the chainsaw as the trails were cleared of storm windfall (thankyou).

After a flapjack refuel, we headed up onto Muckle Knowe to try and find the resting place of Halifax JP190. We had some clues but it still took some careful searching to find the small piles of wreckage marking the spot and now being swallowed by the forest.

It was then a case of retracing to Eskdalemuir Hub in time for a warming coffee and slice of cake.

Great write up. On a D&G FB walking group, they took a number of pics recently of crashed aircraft wreckage (all small bits, but identifiable), that was on a barren hillside, would that be the same plane?

@alanl the wreckage we found was well hidden inside a thick (but youngish) connifer plantation so I doubt it was same. There are quite a few sites across the D&G area. The "Blue Peter" spitfire is an interesting story if you google it.

There's a memorial to the Halifax at Craik forest car park, always appreciative of the folk that place poppies.

It used to be a great bit of "forest" to mtb in but now there's massive potential for gravel.

Weather looked great for Saturday so managed to finish off our little adventure along the Romans and Reivers Route with a loop out from Hawick to Craik Forest and then back again - and this proved to be our favourite leg.

We were unsure what the trails or ground conditions might be like so opted to take quiet back roads out to Craik first and then return on the R and R trail proper. The section from Craik to Muselee was on enjoyable forest singletrack following the Borthwick Water.

The route crossed the minor road and climbed up from Muselee until meeting what looks like an old drovers road across moorland. This eventually took us past the back door of the mysterious Chisholme Institute (anybody know what this is - education centre? religious centre? cult?).

And then more quiet tarmac before a final push around Borthaugh Hill and back down to Hawick.
Another enjoyable journey along one of "Scotland's Great Trails" that took us and our bikes into areas we have never visited before.

Cheers
Vince and Jill