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Sunday wasn't looking to bad for a day on the hills, but with the amount of rain and floods about, plus Gill getting detoured around Scotland trying to return from Skye the previous day, we decided to stay local and head to Hamilton for a walk around the Avon Gorge.
As we drove into the car park we were being diverted around because of flooding here as well. We parked up and walked around the back of house to where the visitor centre is and from here, you can start numerous walks around the grounds. The Gorge walk is around 8kls, as we started one of the signs we came across was about a landslide, so access to the white bridge is closed.
- Warning sign
We walked over the the dukes bridge and stopped to watch the River Avon below, very powerful and way above its banks, turning the water white as it flowed through the tree's. We walked towards the old ruined castle, although some of the brick work looked newish. The day was clear with some clouds in the sky but not to cold, underfoot was wet, boggy in places, but the track was good.
- Boggy section
We passed by the Cadzow Oaks, these trees are over 500 years old, some of them hollow inside.
http://cadzowhistory.org/oaks.html
- Oaks, but no sign of the cows.
There was no sign of the Cadzow White cows, but plenty of birds and plantlife, and some unusual looking mushrooms.
- Spikey Shrooms
You can hear the river below but its out of sight through the steep woods leading down to it. Soon we were after dropping down to the green bridge, the river still raging, just after here we had to double back and make our way through the woods, with Gill leading the way, as the track ahead was flooded. We were soon back on the track again and were gaining height to top of the gorge, from here its about 3.5kls back to the car and it started getting busy with folk out walking there dogs.
A great walk to pass away a few hours of a Sunday morning. Some photo's below.