Tarras Water and Whita Hill
A long circular around Whita Hill. It is pleasant walking with a good variety of environments as you go round. At the far corner of the walk there is a real feeling of remoteness.
Walk 10: Tarras Water and Whita Hill
Starting point : The Kilngreen Car Park.
Walk 1: Becks and Gaskells
Walk 2: Langfauld and Potholm
Walk 3: Duchess Bridge & North Lodge
Walk 4 : Potholm & Castle Hill
Walk 5: Warb Law
Walk 6: Arkleton
Walk 7: Jenny Noble’s Gill
Walk 8: Target Burn and Whita Hill
Walk 9: Calfield Rig and Mid Hill
Walk 10: Tarras Water and Whita Hill
Walk 11: Old Irvine
Walk 12: Canonbie
Walk 13: Moorland Walk
Walk 14: Meikledale
Starting at Kilgreen car park, this walk consists of roads and good tracks. From the car park, walk into the town centre and continue on the A7 heading south. Pass Ashley Bank House and take the next road on the left (Hall Path). Keep right at Hillside Crescent. Past the last house the road becomes a track. Go through a gate at a sign for Jenny Noble’s Walk. Soon walk up to the Round House to get a fine view back over the town.
Regain the track and follow it through several gates and across fields to Broomholmshiels Farm. Walk out to the road and turn left. The road climbs steadily and drops into the valley of the Tarras Water. There is a lovely open feeling about this area, and in spring and summer you will usually hear curlew, skylarks and other birds. The Tarras Water comes into view and the road drops to cross it by the entrance track to Rashiel.
Stay on the road across the bridge, as it climbs high above the river giving excellent views over Rashiels to Whita Hill. The tarred road ends at Cronksbank. Continue on a clear track through the farm and on up the valley to Perterburn, enjoying the spaciousness and the open air. Directly opposite the house at Perterburn, turn left through a gate and follow a rough track down. Where the track bends left to enter a field, go ahead to a small gate giving access to a footbridge over the Tarras Water.
On the far side of the bridge, turn right and follow the marked path below the house at Middlemoss to regain the track. Turn left at the gate and follow the track round to the right and through another gate, This part of the walk has a real feeling of remoteness, about it as you follow the track with the Tarras Water below to the right.
However, in a kilometre you reach the road to Newcastleton. Turn left on the road. There is a very extensive view to the left (southwest) in the direction of Carlisle and the Solway Firth.
From the crossing of the Little Tarras Water it is a steady climb of just over a kilometre to the MacDiarmid Memorial at the top of the road. Once over the summit, a whole new vista opens up, looking down into ‘Ewesdale. You can turn left at the MacDiarmid Memorial and follow the signs for Walk 8 up to the Monument and back to Langholm that way. Or, if you have had enough climbing, continue on the road as it descends steadily.
Shortly after passing under the main power line, turn left on a clear path (just past the entrance to the old quarry). This path leads across the hill past a stone sheepfold to reach the top of the Whita Road track by the golf course. Turn right here and follow the track down past the golf clubhouse. At the road, go straight across and descend on a very steep path to reach the centre of town. Turn right to return to the car park.
Please remember!
Leave gates as you find them – Keep dogs under close control at all times – Keep to paths across farmland – Take care on country roads
Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges, and walls – Respect farm livestock, crops, and machinery – Take your litter home with you.
Protect wildlife, plants and trees – Guard against the risk of fire – Make no unnecessary noise.
There is a guide to our walks in the format of a plastic folder containing details of our 14 way marked walks.
Each walk has an A4 OS map with details of the walk on the other side.
The pack can be obtained by post from The Langholm Walks Group, Ardlui, 63 Henry Street, Langholm, DG13 0ES. The cost is £5 plus £2.30 for postage and packing for the set of walks. Langholm Walks Group can be contacted by tel; 013873 80715 or by email at langholmwalks@gmail.com