Edin’s Hall Broch
This 10km circular walk was topped and tailed by stops at the Riverside Bakehouse in the tiny hamlet of Abbey St Bathans. The café and bakery is run by Aliona who first came to Scotland from Russia in 1999. As well as serving light lunches, she bakes and sells bread on the premises using locally grown flour. This is one of the many small businesses throughout Scotland that we’ve used and loved over the years that we hope against hope will survive the current crisis.
Our walking guidebook instructed us to return to the road, turn left to pass the timber yard and arrive at “Toot Corner”. What? Well, we knew it when we saw it!
From here, a signpost directed us through woodland to the lower slopes of Cockburn Law. The unusual Retreat House, a circular late 18th century hunting lodge, could be seen below.
Brochs are Iron Age drystone roundhouses unique to Scotland, but Edin’s Hall is one of only a few found outwith the Highlands and Islands. Its central space is also unusually wide with relatively thin walls, suggesting that it is unlikely to have been roofed. Perhaps more of a small fort than a broch?
Descending the hill on the other side of the broch we came to the Elba Footbridge across the Whiteadder Water.
The rest of the walk was on minor roads and farm tracks until we arrived back at the Riverside. Sheep were abundant!
This was the second last day of our 2019 Berwickshire break, so just one more post to go. This one is linked to Jo’s latest Monday Walk post.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Such a beautiful landscape, sheep included. It’s great that the drystone walls of the broch have survived all through time to this day. The history around us elicits hope for future continuity.
Jude
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Yes, it does. And this too shall pass.
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Broch is one of those words I’ve heard but never known the meaning of — so thank you Anabel. Fingers crossed for the bakery’s survival — and that of other small businesses.
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It’s such a worrying time for the self-employed. We are lucky to be stable because of John’s work at the university.
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Toot Corner made me laugh – any idea how it got its name?
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I don’t know for sure, but it looks like a very old road sign so I’m assuming at some point it was advisable to toot before you drove round the corner!
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A beautiful walk Anabel – I’ve never heard of “brochs” before so found the historical aspect very interesting. Riverside Bakery and cafe sounds lovely – do hope it can survive the current economic downturn too and stay open! 🙂
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I hope so too, it has kept going so far on takeaway so fingers crossed.
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What a great idea to begin and end at a bakery! You had some beautiful views and interesting history for this walk.
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Well, it might have influenced our choice of walk!
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😊😋
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So pretty! And I do hope some of those quaint little shops and restaurants survive. Only time will tell.
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I hope so too. I think this one is reasonably safe, but who knows?
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