With Nature Reserves and ruined manor houses this is a short section through pleasant farmland and woodland.

As you leave Lockerbie you will pass Eskrig Nature Reserve. An old curling pond this site is now a haven for ducks, swans and red squirrel. There are also many more rare and unusual things to be found like the Willow Tit and the Adders Tongue Fern. After enjoying the wildlife you will continue through the woods surrounding the nature reserve.

Upon leaving the woodland a mixture of small roads, tracks and finally path across farmland takes you onto a hill. From here you can look across the landscape down to the River Annan. On the other side you will see a stone spike on the top of a hill. This is Joe Grahams Monument that the western route of the Annandale Way climbs up to.

You will now start to descent on small roads that take you to a forest track through another bit of woodland. It is here that you will come across Milkbank House. Still standing and remarkably intact this ruin is a large country house with towers turrets and carved stone details. It was de roofed in the 60s and is now gradually getting engulfed by ivy and trees.

Milkbank house is appropriately enough on the banks of the Water of Milk. As you leave the woodland you will come down to this small river and follow it for some time along a small track. Turning away from the river the track takes you up to Sorrysike moor where this route and the western route join up again. When you get to the signpost showing the Annandale way in three directions you turn left. This heads back down towards the Water of milk and it’s confluence with the River Annan.

As you continue along the riverside path there are a series of wooden sculptures. At the end of the sculpture trail you cross a bridge and will enter the grounds of Hoddom Castle. There is a campsite here and a café to rest and refresh yourself ready for the final stretch tomorrow.