Samye Ling visit

Naga house in River Esk.


New Gate at Samye Ling.

Driveway with Stupas.

Peace Garden.

Clouttie tree in Peace Garden.

Johnstone House at Samye Ling the first one when the temple was founded in 1967.

A glimpse of the temple from the river Esk.

I decided in the morning to make a daytrip to Samye Ling near Eskdalemuir in Scotland.
It was a treat for myself, after a very long winter I felt I needed a small break. Since I have been taking this Mindfulness course I have known I have to, want to make a trip to Samye Ling.
So I drove through the Northumberland National Park its huge forests and big dam. Hardly any cars on the roads and the sky was sometimes grey and sometimes bits of blue.
Crossed into the Scottish borders and the architecture changes immediatley. The roofs become more mansard like and the houses look more austere, a bit French also.
I drove and drove through forests and river valleys and sheep on the fells grazing. They would just look up and note the small blue car going by. I love sheep! They are such philosophers.
Finally I found this remote track over the fells above the tree line and drove for miles in this stunning landscape with vast views. As I drove I felt as though I was almost flying above the land. There were no other cars on the whole journey until at the very end when I was almost down off the plateau of fells and a very red Royal Mail van ran into me! My first ever car accident and luckily we were both unhurt! The only thing was that the cars were hurt and I suffered shock.
When I finally arrived at Samye Ling I made my way to the Tibetan Tearoom and sat down into the colourful cushions and relaxed and recovered from the ordeal. Sipping hot cocoa and resting my eyes on all the colours around me.
I then walked down to the river Esk, picked up a reddish stone to take with me and listened to the water flowing by. A sheep walked through the river to eat on the other side!
I then walked around the Samye Ling grounds, the Peace Garden, the Stupa drive way, the Prayer Wheels, and the temple plus a visit to the shop to buy incense and prayer flags!
It was a really good visit and although it is still winter it was beautiful.
It is the oldest Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Europe founded in 1967.