From the centre of Annan this walk heads to the Solway Firth to explore the Merse, an expanse of tidal salt marsh with great opportunities for birdwatching.
Town streets with pavements, minor road, muddy path on salt flats (tidal flooding possible).
Bus to Annan.
Annan Town Hall.
There is parking at the Everholm car park, reached down Battery Street between the town hall and the bridge. Start the walk by heading back up to the imposing sandstone Town Hall with clocktower on Annan's High Street. Cross the High Street, note the distinctive pub sign on the Blue Bell pub. The building on the opposite side of the road, Bridge House, used to be Annan Academy where the writer Thomas Carlyle was educated - it is due to open as a museum. Follow the road that leads off to the right of Bridge House.
Bear right at a junction and continue along the semi-residential road and go under the railway line. Pass some old industrial buildings to reach Burgh Quay. This was once a busy port and ship building quay, but is now largely silted up. There was also a thriving fishing industry with an estimated 50 shrimp trawlers, 30 salmon netting boats, and 13 herring boats running out of Annan at the end of the 19th century. Do not continue to the far end; instead, opposite the start of the quay, cross the road and take the minor road between warehousing and the fishmongers that leads to a road with green space on the far side.
Turn right at this road and follow it out towards the Solway Firth, crossing the tidal river meadows that form the start of the 'merse'. Follow the road as it curves round to the mouth of the River Annan at Waterfoot, where many people emigrated to the new world from in the 18th and 19th centuries. A cairn commemorates the fact that Robert Burns work here as an exciseman in the 1790s.
Return along the track a short way until a footpath sign for Shore Walk. Here head out across the salt flats on the right. At very high tides this grassy plain may be impassable or very wet - if so you can follow a faint path around the back of the merse keeping near the fence. Otherwise pick a route which dodges the muddy creeks and pools - some detours may be necessary to outflank these on the left. The mudflats beyond the grassy merse are a haven for waders and other birds.
Pass a bench and on the far side of the merse look out for a footpath sign a short way inland and aim for it. This marks a gate, go through it. You can extend the walk from here to Seafield by bearing right but it leaves a longer road walk back to Annan. For our route, turn left and follow the grassy Summergate Lane between thick hedgerows. At a junction for a couple of houses bear right and then keep following the lane uphill towards some older cottages and a housing estate on the edge of Annan. Keep straight ahead onto the surfaced road until the road on the left marked Lovers Walk - turn along this.
Keep straight ahead where another road leaves on the left and at the crossroads turn right to follow Elm Road into Annan, with housing on your left; there's a cycleway on the left side of the road. The road leads past the railway station and Annan Academy and swimming pool.-Keep to the right of the imposing former Central Hotel building, then left onto Bank Street to pass some fine sandstone buildings on the way back to the High Street. From here head to the left to return to the Town Hall and the start.
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