Cairndhu

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Retirement! Huh!

I took early retirement from Chemistry teaching some five years ago.

We have a Border Terrier Dog, Duncan, and we often go on walks around Langholm. (There's a site for Langholm Walks.)

Researching my family tree takes up a bit of my time: one branch comes from Langholm and I've traced them back to the 1600s. Along with Brenda Morrison, we published a book, The Ewes Valley, Just press your browser's back button to look at the information. A similar book covering the three old churchyards of Langholm parish is in preparation.

I also decided restart horse riding - weather permitting, I try to go out for a hack once a week.

I still have my interest in Border Railways and have started the slow process of getting some of my collection on to a web-site. Amateur radio, however, has taken a back seat - there's not enough time for that just now. With a struggle I can come on 80m through to 10m and also have 2m and 70cm.

Our house, "Cairndhu" situated in Langholm in the beautiful Border Land of Scotland. 

A cairn is a pile of stones, and "dhu" means black. At first, I thought that the original owner, the local grave digger in the 1930s, had a sense of humour. Perhaps, however, possibly, the reason is that the house is built from "black bricks" which were produced during the depression years.

The "Monument" on Whita Hill is visible from many miles away.

This double rainbow, viewed from "Cairndhu" occurred in September 1999.

This is an aerial photo of Langholm taken in June 2002, on one of the few dry days in the month.

The view is looking to the south and the Esk is joined by the Ewes Water from the bottom left, and the Wauchope from the middle right.

Langholm High Street runs N-S in the middle of the photo: the High Street is part of the A7 trunk road from Carlisle to Edinburgh.

Langholm Bridge, at the confluence of the Ewes and the Esk has the mason's mark of Thomas Telford on it who was an apprentice during its construction.

Hugh MacDiarmid, an acknowledged 20th century poet, lived for a while in Langholm Library at the Town Hall.