St Mary’s Loch : Feb 2009

Knowing the club has visited this area for their monthly coach trips in the past, but I never had, we weren’t sure what to expect. Although we’d visited the Tibbie Shiels pub for a few hours in the summer of 2008 when based at the Broadmeadows Youth Hostel with our grandchildren, from the outside it didn’t look that appealing. How wrong could we be!

Booking this had been a last minute thing (the day before) – we’d been looking at doing last minute internet bookings for Edinburgh where 3 and 4 days 3* hotel deals were looking good for what was on offer but, when my sister-in-law said that they were planning to stay at the Tibbie Shiels inn on St Mary’s Loch near Easter, we booked 3 nights almost immediately.

The drive up the M6 from Helmshore was about 3.5 hours, and we arrived around 2:00pm. From the outside, the Tibbie Shiels Inn looks like it’s in need of a lot of TLC and that it had seen better days. However, as soon as we walked through the door, we felt at home. The bar area was cosy with a good selection of beers and whiskies, the food menu whilst basic, looked comprehensive enough for our 3 day stay, and our room was comfortable and just how we liked it. To cap it all, our hosts were from London and Longridge respectively, having only taken the place over in the summer of 2008.

As we still had a few hours of daylight, and being about 15 miles from the nearest big town, we decide to take a short walk over to Ettrick Shepherd monument we’d seen above the popular café near the turning to the inn. The monument was to James Hogg, a local shepherd poet in the 18th century who’d been friends with Sir Walter Scott in a long distant past – what a view it gave across the Loch.

Seeing a diagonal track leading up the hillside, we decided to walk up as far as we could and see what was on offer – the walk ended up being 2 hours, bringing us back along a secluded forest track to the back of the café which had, by now, closed due to winter hours.

Arriving back in the bar we settled down to a few beers and got introduced to our hosts and a few of their regulars. Over the next 2 nights, we couldn’t believe how welcoming everyone was – from our hosts, to several shepherds that seemed to live in the bar, to George a large black German shepherd. If our first night was anything to go by, the remainder of our time there would be good. Each night we’d start our conversations with John (serviced boilers for hospitals and distilleries) and we had a good rapport by the end of our stay with a common interest in where was good to stay when travelling and whiskies.

Day 2 saw us checking the weather from the moment we came down to breakfast and deciding to do a walk from an old Cicerone book we’d borrowed – on part of the Southern Uplands Way and the Captains Road, via various fire breaks and forest tracks, on old green lanes by old farms, and up a long but gradual road climb of about 5 miles. The final route was about 12 miles and we completed this in about 6 hours.

The only real mistake we made was to rely on the book for details, and not have an up-to-date OS Map of the area. Again, the map had been borrowed but, as it was 30 years old, the landscape had changed somewhat, e.g. new reservoirs where there hadn’t previously been any. Arriving back at inn, the bar beckoned us immediately and we stayed there until late after enjoying a good meal and several bottles of wine, some local brews, and even a few whiskies.

Day 3 saw some light drizzle but nothing to stop us walking. Driving upto Megget Reservoir (not on the old map), we stopped and did a small circular walk across the top of the dam; our only company was an RAF Tornado on low flying exercises (something we got used to whilst there, though it sent George the dog mad when they roared up the loch at what seemed like very low level). From Megget we drove over to another reservoir – Talla – down a 20% hill, something the wife wasn’t too comfortable with. For here, we drove down to Moffat for a lunch stop.

Driving back along the A708 towards the inn, we came across the Grey Mare’s Tail, something we’d tried walking the previous year, but had been defeated by the atrocious weather at the time. This time, as there was only a slight drizzle, we knew we’d manage okay.

For those that haven’t done this before, whilst the path is distinct and easy to follow, it is a sharp ascent at first and has been strengthened by steps and slabs. From the car park to Loch Skene, it’s about a 300m climb and, in the drizzle, the path was slippery in parts. Looking across to the waterfall, you can clearly see the 60m waterfall – the only noise we heard on this walk as no one else was about. Apparently, a classic ice climb on the rare occasion that it freezes.

Upon reaching what you think is the top, you have to follow a half mile winding path that follows the river, until you come upon what looks like a small valley entrance. As you round the corner, there is Loch Skene – it was worth the effort just for this view. As the waterfall walk has only been a 2 hour diversion, up and back, we arrived back at the inn around 5:00pm, and headed straight for the bar.

We had been forewarned that Friday and Sunday was when most of the locals came in, including a lot of the shepherds. The night started slowly, allowing us to eat another hearty meal – 3 courses for around £15.00 each – and then the wine started to flow. As the locals arrived, everyone was very welcoming to us, and included us in a lot of their conversations. There had been some other guests in, as well as some regulars who visited every 2 weeks and stayed in a camper van in the car park. Conversation was varied and was getting boisterous too, as though we’d know these people longer than the 2 days we’d been there.

After the wife had gone to bed early around 9;30, I decided to stay up for a while longer, and got roped into playing darts as part of a team of shepherds. Although I hadn’t picked up a set of darts for nearly 30 years, it didn’t matter as we were all as bad as each other. I think I eventually got to bed sometime after midnight and it was still going strong. The last people left in the early hours.

After settling our very reasonable bill for the 3 days B&B, with meals in every night and copious amounts of wine, we headed off home knowing we’d be heading back again as soon as we could arrange something. Whilst the inn currently has only 5 bedrooms, there are plans to create several more, as well as convert a barn to an 18 bed bunkhouse. Camping is very cheap in their field (£3 pppn), and there is even a 7m tee pee for hire (sleeps upto 26).

On top of all this, the location is excellent for walking or just chilling out – we did both. We’re making plans already for our return……

Stuart McDonald