Walk on the wild side

THE Langholm Initiative will celebrate Community Land Week Scotland with two days of free guided walks this weekend.

The week runs from 9-17 October this year and is organised by Community Land Scotland, a network of community organisations that own land or buildings.

With the Langholm Initiative becoming a community landowner this year after buying 5,200 acres of land from the Buccleuch Estate in March for £3.8m. – the largest community buyout in south Scotland – it has managed to secure £300 from Community Land Scotland to help celebrate the week.

This money is being used to support their guided Tour o’ the Moor walks on offer on 9 and 10 October around the community owned land.

The Langholm Initiative’s chairwoman, Margaret Pool said: “At last for the first time since the official handover of the Langholm Moor last March, the Initiative feels able to celebrate by holding a ‘Tour of the Moor’ walks weekend.

“This will give local people and contributors to the buyout an overview of the land we have taken on and share with them the vision we have for its future development as a nature reserve and as a contributor to climate change mitigation.”

The Initiative hopes that people will join the walks and help to celebrate the week by joining staff and volunteers.

It was hard to celebrate earlier because of the pandemic and it is hoped that these walks give people the opportunity to do so now out of doors.

Five guided walks are planned over the two days with numbers limited due to the pandemic but another is planned for early spring next year.

The walking event is also supported by Dumfries & Galloway council’s community events fund and the volunteer walk leaders who are giving their time to support the event.