This pleasant ramble explores part of the River Annan, farmland and woodland, passing a series of sculptures about salmon, Hoddom Castle (cafe) and climbs to the Repentance Tower with good views.
Wayparked paths and tracks, sometimes muddy in places.
None to start.
Hoddom and Kinmount car park off B725 near Hoddom Bridge.
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The car park is just off the B725 right near its junction with the B723 just south of Hoddom Bridge and the gateway to Hoddom Castle Caravan Park. There is an information board at the car park with details of other walks. Start by taking the path signed Hoddom Castle which heads through the woods passing to the left of the cottage. At the castle driveway turn left and very soon right onto a path signed Mainholm Farm Trail. Keep straight ahead to run alongside the river soon leaving the trees and keeping the golf course on your left.
Hoddom Castle can be seen over to the left. Once past the golf course go through a metal gate and walk with the fence and river on your right to reach a metal footbridge. Cross the Annan on the bridge to reach the Salmon Pole - the first of four sculptures illustrating the life cycle of the salmon. Don't take the riverside path instead continue straight ahead up the farm track passing Mainholm Farm and then some cottages as the lane bends to the left.
Keep left when another road is joined. The Repentance Tower, high on the hill on the far side of the river, can be seen on the left. Continue on the road past cottage and follow the road down to a converted mill building where the road bends right. Keep a sharp eye for a Annandale Way sign pointing left (it is unmarked coming from this side). Take this footpath to reach the banks of the Water of Milk, a tributary of the Annan. Here a stone wall with orange floats represents the salmon eggs in the gravel riverbed.
Follow the wooded path which soon passes the confluence with the River Annan and continues downstream passing a picnic bench and a number of popular fishing spots. Pass a wooden carving of a salmon and its predators, an otter and eagle, and later a sculpted salmon fly and then a salmon net before the path returns to the footbridge.
Cross the bridge and go straight ahead to the wood aiming for a farm gate. Once through the gate turn left immediately signed Hoddom Castle and go over the footbridge. Hoddom Castle was originally built in the 1560s by Sir John Maxwell of Terregles, probably as a barracks and defensive structure against English invaders. In the 19th century the castle received a makeover in the Scots Baronial style, although following use by the army during the second world war and a period of disrepair, many of these Victorian additions were demolished and the old uninhabited tower can still be seen. Today a caravan park surrounds the castle and there is a cafe in the stables. On reaching the castle outbuildings keep left and then right to skirt the buildings and then turn left to pass the camping pods and reach the front of the castle.
Here there is a seasonal cafe/bar, shop and toilets. From the front of the castle keep to the right side of the divided entrance track and head slightly uphill to pass a play area on your left. When the track forks keep straight ahead and then near the top of the slope bear right at a fork to eventually reach a toilet block on your right. Here turn right after an avenue of trees on your left and at the top of these trees and in a grassy top corner of the caravan site look for a sign (Repentence Tower) heading up through the trees. Take this path which climbs to emerge on a minor road, turn left here and after a short distance look out for steps and handrail on the right. Climb these and then turn right through a gate into a field and climb directly uphill to the Repentance Tower.
The tower was built at the same time as the castle as a watch tower and also as an act of repentance by Lord Herries who had betrayed his kinsmen in order to make an advantageous marriage bringing land and wealth. There are good views from the tower and burial ground in all directions. Retrace your steps down to the road and turn right, eventually returning to the car park at the start.
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