Happy New Year and welcome to our blog

What's this? A bridge over a bridge? Well, actually, yes, and it's at a place called Rumbling Bridge in the county of Kinross-shire.We walked here yesterday, the last one for 2009, access to the hills being almost impossible with barriers of frozen snow blocking off-road parking places.

The Lower Bridge, built in 1713 for horses and carts, crosses the narrowest part of the River Devon and, with a 24 metre drop to the river and no parapet, it's not the best place to be on Hogmanay! The higher bridge, which carries today's traffic, was built in 1816. The Devon itself rises in the Ochils some 6 miles from where it enters the River Forth - a short distance you may think - but its actual journey there is about 30 miles as it flows east then takes a sharp turn (the 'cruick' or bend) west at Crook of Devon. A trip from home to the source will make a fine 2 day backpack in Spring.

At Rumbling Bridge the river rages in waterfalls and swirling pools as it rushes through the enclosing rock walls, potholed on both sides. After heavy rain or thaw, or as now in the grip of hard frost, it is a fine and awesome sight.