Galashiels

Popped over to Galashils to look at the bridges we'd built, the hardcore we'd bought, and agree a route with the farmer.

The bridges have stood up to their first test: a field-full of cattle has wandered over them (you can tell, there is cow-shit on them), with zero damage :)

We need more hardcore, but he's going to source that from stuff he already has, and dump it in place (for a fee, of course)

We have a 3 mile route... with almost a mile lost due to politics (the farmer is going to stop renting to one of his tenants, and doesn't want to give them a bargaining chip by asking them to move cattle for the weekend)

Dunning Glen

Went over to Dunning Glen (site of the "Fanny Hill" [now called "Burnt Hill"] stages), on Sunday - to look at the state of the ground after the rains have washed away the worst of the marks, to determine what groundworks need to be done, and to look at potential new route... and I took a man with a digger with me - just the man, the digger will come later - once the Forestry people have looked at my proposed groundworks.

Edit 18/9/08: The forestry are going to look at my proposes, and come back to me.

SCCC, Round 6 - Cancelled

Due to deteriorating ground conditions, and unharvested crops, Round 6 of the Scottish Cross Country Championship has been cancelled, with no intent to postpone or replace it.

Lombard Recce

On Saturday I went down to Newcastleton to meet the Selectif Commander for that stage (from Spadeadam motorsports club), and to have a drive through and see if there where any problems we could identify.

After dropping him back at his car, I went off to Castle O'Er (being run by the Scottish Off Road Club)to do the same checks there.

A wonderful drive in the country: the roads from Jedburgh to Newcastleton; from Langholm to Castle O'Re; and up through Eskdalemuir & Middleton Moor are all true glen roads: mostly single-track or narrow, and following the old cart/horse routes...
The lashing wind and the horizontal rain detracted a bit... but still an amazing drive!