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Central Borders and Berwickshire
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Central Borders and Berwickshire
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| Small Tortoiseshell | Bird's Foot Trefoil, Gordon Moss |
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NewsLast updated: May 2010Stop Press: There has been a slight change to the times for the forthcoming Central Borders Group's Glenkinnon walk. It will now be commencing at 6pm, not 6.30 as stated on the Members Centre's syllabus. Berwickshire Members Centre committee has undergone major changes, and now has a new Chairman and a new Secretary. The recent prolonged spell of poor weather has resulted in pathways in the Pease Dean reserve becoming unsafe in places and in a footbridge on the Southern Upland Way (which passes through the reserve) being washed away. As a result, walkers using this part of the Way will be required to use an alternative route until the bridge is repaired, while stretches of the other paths will require to be closed off and re-routed. Meanwhile, drainage work on farmland surrounding Gordon Moss continues to have a significant impact upon the reserve. Unfortunately, with the SWT owning only part of the site (other landowners owning the rest), the issue of conflicting land use is a matter which is likely to remain unresolved in the short term, though the SWT is attempting to try and reach some sort of compromise with the farming fraternity. Work is progressing well on making the Haremoss reserve more easily accessible and easier to get around. Further planned improvements include improved signage, tree-felling and vegetation-clearing. A "tree corridor" between the Haremoss lochan and Dunhog Moss is in the process of being developed. Overgrown vegetation continues to be an on-going problem at the Bemersyde reserve, obscuring views of the site from the reserve hide. In the past, the large numbers of gulls (in particular the black-headed variety), for which the site had been renowned, helped keep the situation under control. For reasons which still remain a mystery, the reserve's gull population is now close to zero; the now almost total absence of gulls (and other natural means of vegetation control) has allowed the vegetation growth to take place unhindered and uncontrolled. The local SWT group is well aware of the problem and notices explaining the situation are displayed in the hide; however the actions it can take to rectify the situation are very limited as responsibility for maintaining the site ultimately lies with the site landowner. Following the landowner's recent death, the reserve is facing an uncertain future, at least in the short term. On a more positive note, there has been a slight increase in the number or sightings of red squirrels in the eastern Borders. Members Centre Newsletters Links are now available to the newsletters listed below. Central Borders: Feb 08 Berwickshire: Oct 07 Mar 08 Summer & Autumn 2010 Events Central Borders Sunday June 6th - Guided walk round Whitmuir Farm, near Selkirk. Meet at the farm steading (NT 495 267) at 10am. Bring suitable footwear and packed lunch. Whitmuir is signposted off the A699 two and a half miles from Selkirk. Thursday June 10th - Evening guided walk round Glenkinnon Community Woodland. Meet at the car park (NT 436 348) at 6pm. Bring strong footwear. Glenkinnon is across the Tweed from the A707, on road signed for Peel. Sunday October 10th - Visit to Holy Island. Meet at Beal car park at 9am. Bring packed lunch. Strong footwear and waterproofs recommended. Berwickshire Thursday May 20th - Rhododendron & lakeside walk (Easy grade). At Dundock Woods, The Hirsel, Coldstream. Meet at Dundock car park (Grid ref 819 398) at 6.30pm. Dogs on leads only. Children welcome under adult supervision. £1 (Childern & SWT members free) Thursday June 10th - "Seabird city" walk (Easy grade). Meet at Northfield car park (Grid ref 914 673) at 6.30pm. Led by Liza Cole. Wear suitable walking shoes for coastal path. Children (over 12yrs please) welcome under adult supervision. Steep cliffs. No dogs. £2. (National Trust for Scotland) Saturday July 3rd - Botanical walk, Eyemouth Golf Course & Nestends. (Medium grade). Meet at the new harbour (Grid ref 946 645) at 2pm. Led by Ron McBeath. Wear suitable walking shoes for coastal path. Children welcome under adult supervision. No dogs. £1 (Children & SWT members free). Saturday August 14th - Annual coffee morning, 10-11.30am, in Duns Parish Church Hall. Sunday August 15th - Natural history walk along the Tweed to Chain Bridge Honey Farm. (Easy grade). Circular walk led by John & Rose Kay. Meet at Horncliffe village hall at 2pm. Stout footwear & waterproofs recommended. Toilets & cafe at Honey Farm. Children welcome under adult supervision. Dogs on leads only. £1 (Children and SWT members free).
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| Bemersyde Moss
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