The 2011 Challenge, day 11: Suie to Lumsden (4)

As I descended beside Burn of Glenny, the line of the path was always apparent and gradually improved until it was a regular sunken road; and I was certain that this must have been a military road. Good drainage had been laid in, too, and was evidently still functional: for although the grass was wet and a steady rain was falling (again!) it was not in the least bit boggy underfoot.

There is a ruined house at NJ 451233, and an impressive amount of it remains so I took this photograph. It once had quite a range of outbuildings, too - so evidently a farmhouse of some importance. Presumably, however, with the coming of motor transport and the need to upgrade the roads hereabouts, this old military road fell out of use in favour of the road via Craig Castle and over Peddie's Hill; and as other houses gained mains services and water, but this one did not, its attractiveness waned until finally it was abandoned - another casualty of the central heating revolution!