Glentress

Why we have never explored Glentress I don't know but that was our destination today. Mainly known for the excellent cycling trails, there it is ample provision for walking. 

Having sampled the Peel Café as the only customers in a huge space (though, if you go, check the seats for evidence of muddy feet before you sit) we decided to take the simplest trail to The Ponds and duly set off back up the hill to the car park, from which we thought the trail began.

After wandering round various ways, clearly wrong, we walked up the made track a little way, then decided to drive up to the top carpark at Buzzards Nest. On the way a squirrel ran across the track, Mr Flum swears it was a red, I'm less convinced, but in all honesty, it was the only beast we encountered. At the car park there is dense evergreen planting  for the longest trail but mixed deciduous heading back towards Peebles; this is where the photo was taken, where I liked the view of the branched beech tree among its tall, straight companions.

As we drove back down we could see the ponds that we had been aiming for, in the opposite direction from that we'd  expected. While there are good route markers, the start was confused by the ongoing improvements, involving Heras fencing, large earth-moving vehicles and wide, muddy tracks. 

This was all very interesting but we decided that we could return, perhaps when the 'improvements' were finished and, perhaps, on a slightly warmer day, as, though fair, there was a snell wind. Instead we went to potter round Innerleithen then came home the pretty way, over the Granites.