Annandale Way Day 2.
Distance today: 21.9 miles.
Total distance: 499.8 miles.
Accommodation: campsite.
The second day of the Annandale Way and I think there was a bit more landscape diversity compared to yesterday. Loch-side, river-side, road-side, hillside and forestry, in no particular order. For anyone interested, this is a good day to compare my pre-planned route with where I actually walked to see just how many times I managed to veer off track.
The first annoying moment of the day happened somewhere near Rammerscales Georgian mansion. A grand looking building which I only saw in passing but will be remembered as the nearest landmark to where I lost my precious merino wool beanie. Here’s the thing. My waterproof jacket doesn’t have pockets and so when I was on the move and my head got too hot, I would stuff the beanie inside my jacket to save me having to stop and put it somewhere sensible. Consequently, when I do stop and unzip my jacket, unless I am paying attention, it’s very easy for the beanie to drop to the floor without me noticing. So yes, just my own stupidity to blame.
The trail just past Rammerscales takes you along a very muddy and hilly forestry access road and continuing the theme of me not paying attention, I missed one of the waymarkers. It was only when I’d got to the bottom of a particularly muddy hill that I guessed I was going in the wrong direction. Backtracking I then struggled to work out which of the various roads on offer was the one I had walked down. It was all just trees and mud. After finally finding the missed turning, I escaped the claustrophobia of the forest and was a happier man as I made my way out onto the open moorland. Just me, the hills, a few long-since deserted buildings, and a lot of sheep.
After stopping to admire the lovely panoramic views from the top of the Almagill Hill (home to Joe Graham’s Monument), it was time to thread my way slowly down to the River Annan. It took a while. I guess there are always good reasons why a route insists on taking you a long-winded way but at the time, it’s difficult to see what those reasons are. You can see a direct line to where (you think) you need to go but the route inevitably takes you a different way. Maybe it is just the deal that has been struck with the landowners.
Time for some more incompetence. When I got down to the B7020 near Dalton, I couldn’t work out which direction to go. Left took me back towards Lochmaben and that definitely felt wrong. Right took me through Dalton with no obvious trail that could get me off the road. The waymarkers were telling me to go left but it just didn’t make any sense so I went right. I should have gone left. Added to which (and not helping my decision making) my phone was running on empty. When I got to Dalton, I saw a woman outside her house and cheekily asked if there was any chance I could charge my phone. Happily she agreed and led me through to the conservatory. What’s more, she asked the magic question: “would you like a cup of tea?”. Perfect. I think her name was Julie and she lived there with her husband David who came and joined the conversation. By all accounts, Sir Ian Botham had passed this way on both the occasions he walked from John o’ Groats to Land’s End. David reckoned the most famous walking cricketer had waved to him both times. Something tells me I am not going to raise quite the same amount of money.
Back on the road and after a couple of miles I reached Hoddom, the place where I rejoined the official trail. From here it was riverside path all the way to Annan.
Annan seemed a bit … underwhelming. A place that looked like it had seen better days. At first glance, the Galabank Caravan and Camping site followed suit. There was no one in charge on site and the facilities were fairly basic but, as is becoming my motto, it would do. The woman who ran the place eventually turned up and charged me the princely sum of £5. I pitched my tent next to a guy called Mark who was travelling on his own this time because his wife didn’t fancy it. He was the proud owner of a Fifer campervan which amongst other things had power sockets. Cue the second occasion today for me to ask if I could charge my phone. Not only did he agree to let me do that but he also gave me a £10 donation and, much more importantly at that precise moment in time, a cold Morreti from the fridge. What a star.
