182 Report of Meetings for 1888. By J. Hardy. 



Kirknewton, they formed a company sufficiently large to be 

 astonishing considering the state of the atmosphere. Breakfast, 

 provided by Mr Hall of Grlanton, was partaken of in a marquee, 

 on a plot of ground granted for the purpose by Mr Thompson, 

 and situate at the junction of the Colledge and Bowmont Waters, 

 close to Kirknewton Station, and the repast was very welcome 

 to those especially who had had to leave their homes not later 

 than half-past five o'clock. Having thus fortified the inner man, 

 the party began to think about carrying out their programme, 

 which was shorter than usual, but one of a really delightful 

 character. 



It had been proposed to form a party for a visit to Cheviot, 

 but indeed that king of the Border mountains, and most others 

 had their night-caps still on and drawn well down, and as it was 

 very reasonably considered that such a journey would con- 

 sequently be productive of no real pleasure, but more than 

 likely result in the party getting wet through, it was abandoned. 

 The whole company .therefore went in one direction, viz., towards 

 Heathpool Farm. In an ever lengthening procession they passed 

 Mr Borthwick's farm at West Newton, and proceeded from there, 

 with Heathpool Bell on the left, examining as they went the 

 baulks which remain to show that at some remote period the 

 hill side where they exist had been under cultivation of a very 

 primitive kind, to Heathpool Farm where under the courteous 

 guidance of Mr Eea of Middleton, who is one of the largest, if 

 not the largest, tenant farmers in the country, they inspected 

 the remains of the peel tower, which stood there in former and 

 troublous times for the people of the Border. Very little indeed 

 of the tower is left, and most of that is concealed behind an 

 extremely thick growth of ivy. The remains of an old spiral 

 staircase attracted much attention, from the size and raw condition 

 of the stones. By this time the sun had pierced the murky 

 clouds, and soon shone with great intensity in the valleys, though 

 the mists still, and throughout the da} r , lay heavy far down the 

 sides of the hills. Leisurely, and with due regard to the heat, 

 the company walked down the vale of the Colledge, viewing with 

 something like rapture the famous trout stream and its glorious 

 setting, to Kirknewton, where refreshments were partaken of. 



A move was next made for Coupland Castle. After a delight- 

 ful walk down the side of the water, they passed Mr Black's 

 farm at Lanton, and saw in the distance the Lanton monument, 



