We followed the River Esk up through Landfauld Wood,
where the bluebells were still flowering in profusion and occasional gaps in the trees gave us views down over the glen below.
On leaving the woodland we followed the contours around through lovely, peaceful rural countryside, with no towns to mar the solitude, just little farm settlements, sheep, horse and cattle who gazed at us with bemusement as we ambled past.
We rejoined the River Esk and continued to follow it up the Dale, sometimes by its side and,
sometimes climbing up the side of the Dale to gaze at it from above.
Because of Scotland's right-to-roam laws we could ignore "private" signs and follow the track through the gardens of a large country home; breathtaking with bluebells, azaleas and Rhododendrons in flower.
Continuing on, we past a cemetery containing Commomwealth War Graves in a beautiful, peaceful setting.
After lunch sitting on the wall of the bridge crossing the River Esk, we climbed again up through more forests, and rural land.
The original plan had been to stop short of the hamlet of Eskdalemuir but because our planned accommodation was booked we had decided to push on further past the hamlet and on to the Samye-Ling Tibetan Centre. This turned out to be providential, as tomorrow's walk was going to be a long one and walking further today reduced tomorrow's walk, and also it gave us the opportunity to check out the Budist Monastery and Temple... complex being the largest in the western hemisphere.
We arrived in the early afternoon along the drive lined with prayer flags,
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