Eskdalemuir & Samye Ling

Rob, Brock and I went on one of our regular walks in Eskdalemuir, up to Bessie's Hill Fort and through an area of forestry.

Here's Brock heading up the trail. It was a frosty day: about -3 degrees Celsius.

A view from the highest point of the walk.

 Ice 'rose' in a puddle.

Frosted tree.

Larch cones.

Brock in his winter coat.

The Green Tara Statue at Samye Ling. Set in the centre of the medicinal garden.

The Samye Liberation Gate. The Gate is dedicated to world peace and is decorated with carved mantras and figures that are said to help develop peace of mind in all those who see it or go under it. We had a lovely cup of cappuccino at the Samye Ling cafe and bought some notebooks in the shop. Well worth a visit.

Eskdalemuir and Samye Ling

Rob, Henry and I went for a walk to Bessie's Hill Fort, near Eskdalemuir today.

We saw a group of Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) at the base of some pine trees.

The Rosebay Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium) had all gone to seed and looked white because they had a misting of dew on them.

This is a picture of Henry taken on an earlier walk at the same location. The site used to be covered with forestry pine trees, but they have all been 'harvested', so it looks a bit bleak in places, but probably gives a better idea of the original view from the Hill Fort.

Another earlier view taken from the walk in August.

Afterwards, we went for coffee and a cake, and a look round the shop at the Samye Ling Buddist Centre. They have some interesting statues, prayer wheels, gardens, arch and temple, which can all be visited.