Mist was visible in the valleys as we set off to walk to the Bore Stane in the Pentlands north of Carlops but the sky was blue above.  As we climbed along the very steep sided valley of the infant North Esk we followed the signs and wondered where the little footbridge was.  Eventually we realised that either it no longer existed or we had missed it.  The little footpath was very badly eroded and very tricky with areas of deep mud and bog and no way could we get across the river and then climb a barbed wire fence. A group of people followed us up and remarked that they too thought it was a dreadful path and they had not found the bridge either.  Eventually we reached the North Esk Reservoir which was built to regulate the waterflow of the river to power the paper mills in Penicuik, but is now a nature reserve.  We decided it was too hot then to continue further and walked down a former drove road where hundreds of cattle used to be taken many miles to markets in England and no doubt this flat area would have been an overnight stop for the herd of cattle on their long journey.
 It was then an easy track back to Carlops where we had parked beside the Carlin’s Loup  (Witches’ Leap)  According to legend, two local witches (carlins)  called Mause and Jenny Barry used to jump between this tall rock and another nearby for amusement!  When we arrived home it was 25c and were ready for a shower and long cool drink.