Cafe of the week for me this week is Eskdalemuir Community Hub & Old School Cafe which once again gave much needed food and shelter on yesterdays cycle adventure, an oasis for cyclists/ travellers.
Open Tues to Sun 10 till 4.30pm (Sunday lunch 12 till 3pm) Eskdalemuir is not on any main roads but on some less travelled B roads through some remote countryside which can make a great excursion by car or by bike and not too far from Innerleithen and very little traffic. Eskdalemuir’s biggest surprise.is the Samye Ling Tibetan Centre was founded in 1967 and remains the largest Buddhist Monastery and Tibetan Centre in the western world. At the heart of the centre is the spectacular temple built during the 1980s., but there is also some interest in the grounds .Visitors are welcome to visit the temple and grounds at Samye Ling; there’s more information on their website.
Some great walks nearby and the Southern Upland Way passes nearby
The Prehistoric trail is a circular car/ bike Tour to some historic sites around Eskdalemiur and a great way to find out about the history of the area . Nine Prehistoric Sites to visit with walks from the car. (Forts are usually on the top of steep approaches.)
1. Boonies: A Romano-British farmstead
2. Bailiehill: A Magnificent hill citadel
3. The Knowe: A fortlet, farm or fortified croft
4. Castle O’er: The most superb of the Esk Valley hill forts
5. Over Rig: A unique and perplexing site – fascinating but mysterious
6. Bessie’s Hill: A fort and enclosure
7. The Loupin’ Stanes: A small but impressive stone ring
8. The Girdle Stanes: A large stone ring
9. King Schaw’s Grave: A burial kist, once buried under a vast cairn
Checkout the web site for the Eskdale Prehistoric Tour for more infor
Find out more about Cleikum Mill Lodge