Dean and Gillian's Scottish Adventures: Dean and Gillian , Dumfries and Galloway Odyssey

For this years "adventure for our doorstep" we decided to head south and explore a bit of Dumfries and Galloway and the Lowther hills. Our trip would last 4 days covering 30-40 miles per day which felt a good distance considering the hills we would be cycling up.

Day 1 - Peebles to the Samye Ling Buddhist Monastery.

We started out from Peebles on a sunny Saturday morning. Our route took us to Traquair the over our first climb over "Paddy Slacks" then down into the Yarrow Valley. Sadly the new look Gordon Arms doesn't to coffee (or beers) so we were straight into our next climb up and over Berrybush before a cracking descent on a brilliant road surface into the Ettrick valley. Both climbs although long are very gradual and we could establish a good climbing pace. We stopped for a wee coffee and cake break at the Beehive Shop and Cafe just before the village of Ettrick.

Coffee and cake at the Behive

Ettrick

After our refreshment we had a quick look around the village of Ettrick, birthplace of the poet James Hogg the Ettrick Shepherd.

Ettrick monmunent

Ettrick Kirk

James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd

We then cycled through the beautiful Ettrick valley, along past Loch Tima before a lovely descent into Dumfries and Galloway to our first nights accommodation at the Samye Ling Buddhist Monastery.

Loch Tima

D&G crossing into D&G

D&G roads

They have a hostel and provides vegetarian breakfast, lunch and dinner. The grounds of the Monastery are stunning with amazing gardens and Buddhist statues. There is temple which you can look around and join in a teaching if you like !!!! A very quiet and tranquil spot in the Eskdale valley.