Closed roads around Dumfries today saw me take a detour to get back on my route to the hills. An interesting detour as it turned out saw my attention caught by this roadside place of worship —

It reminded me of the tin or clapboard roadside churches I saw as I passed into Arkansas from Oklahoma State while on my way to Hot Springs and Little Rock. That really is the ‘Bible Belt’ with ‘happy clappy’ churches and wealthy preachers.

I have been looking at an interesting dam on my Ordnance Survey map for some time and today was the day for a visit. Not the clearest of days but warm and dry with the hint of clear skies —

Looks like an earth-fill dam under that grass —

With a few fishing boats in the water ready for the new season. But I wasn’t fishing today – I was out for a walk and was spoilt for choice with the Southern Upland Way passing right across the dam on it’s way to the east coast. Well that’s what it looked like on the map but the ‘ealth n’ safety jobs worths’ got here before me and locked the gate —

No worries – there was a decent road heading south along the lochside and off I went.

The tarmac turned to dirt by the time I reached the head of the loch but a lone stunted pine gave me something to aim for —

Next on the list was a lonesome alder beside a sad looking bridge – a picnic spot if ever there was one —

I reckon that’s a grey squirrel trap on the boundary of Dumfries & Galloway and South Lanarkshire. They were set on poles over each stream and river crossing in the area.

Time for tea —

With a view —

Then it was just a case of following the river back down to the loch —

I wasn’t even missing my bike which was all sorted – ready for a sunny Sunday but pushed into second place when I decided to get some exercise instead.

Until I stopped in New Galloway for tea and a scone on my way home and got talking to Wally from the Hillybilly Club who was down from Kilmarnock for a run round by Portpatrick and other places —

Nah – only joking – I will catch up with my biking soon enough. Got another meet arranged with my Glasgow surgeon mid-April —

So long as I stay fit and well I’m sure it will just be a formality 🙂

The Tin Tabernacle