Tim's Tales: Path named in honour of tireless Joe

Not long after leaving Cousland village, by a twist in the road, I noticed a sign on a gate saying Joe’s Path.

The road took a long loop south then turned around again and, as I entered East Lothian, I wondered if I’d see the other end of Joe’s Path. . . and sure enough there it was.

It intrigued me, so I did a quick search and discovered who Joe was.

Thanks to the online Cousland community page, I was able to contact Joe Cardow and arrange to meet him.

It was a wonderful privilege, for we shared many values and interests. He is a wood carver, and his beautiful carving of a buffalo sparked a discussion on Native American history and the love of nature.

Joe's Path

He has had much personal loss recently and I thanked him so much for being willing to chat with me.

Joe arrived in Cousland village more than 30 years ago with his beloved wife Veronica.

They enjoyed what they called low level countryside walks and so he took the opportunity to explore the countryside around the village, which I have to say is quite beautiful and full of historic interest.

Joe told me about his discoveries, of old buildings now gone and local memories, such as the horse drawn fish and chip van which used to service local communities, and the now-lost well where the horse used to drink.

His interest in history and walking led him to explore possibilities to add to the existing network of historic paths from and around the village. Another local, Tom Paul, happened to say he thought there may be an old disused path that crossed the fields just beyond the eastern boundary of the village, creating a shortcut to Ormiston.

This set Joe into detective mode. The Cousland Local History Project, of which he is a member, has a fascinating and extensive collection of photos, records and old maps, and with the help of other members of the group, Joe investigated the existence of this path. Sure enough, it did seem there had been an old route across the fields.

Joe told me: “It was likely used by miners and other workers, travelling to and from their workplaces. It makes sense that people used this tree-lined path in days gone by, as otherwise they’d have had to walk the much longer way round the field to the south, or over the field itself, unlikely with livestock or crops.”

Tim's Tales looks at a recently-named path

The problem was it hadn’t been used for many years and was very overgrown. Joe assembled other interested folk, and they examined the route from the edge of the fields. They reckoned it was possible to restore the path, but the task was daunting.

The next step was to get the landowner on board. Discussions took place and it was agreed that the path could be restored, keeping its natural character.

“We were like tunnellers,” Joe told me, “working from both ends, and meeting in the middle. It took us about a week to complete!”

The council then provided gates at either end, and the path was opened.

But it had no name! And so, unbeknown to Joe, members of Cousland Local History Project had a plan.

They felt Joe’s efforts and his leading role in restoring the path should be recognised, and so they secretly named it after him.

Due to Covid restrictions, he unveiled the new name signs for ‘Joe’s Path’ at the end of 2020, whilst on a walk with a family member who was in on the secret, and took the photo of the moment!

He was surprised and honoured.

“It was really nice of them,” he told me, “however it was a community effort, it wasn’t just me, so I want people to know that.”

I realised this story is not just about the restoration of an old path. It’s about people coming together, helping and supporting each other for the benefit of the community. The path’s name is as much a celebration of this community spirit as Joe’s role in it.

And what of the path itself?

Well, of course I had to walk it, and I did so with some of my family. A word of caution: there is no nearby parking so care is needed if you walk on the narrow road to reach it. However, the eastern end is close to East Lothian’s Pencaitland Railway Walk and Joe says it can be used as part of a circular walk.

The path is narrow with trees on both sides, including ash, elder and hawthorn. We walked it on a windy day, and while the trees roared above us, they gave us shelter. It feels like a magical natural corridor across open fields, hidden by trees, in which you follow the footsteps of history.

Joe told me of an encounter with a young deer on the path when he walked it soon after its completion. We didn’t see a deer, but we watched two large hares running playfully in the field to the south. This was possible because the views from the path, viewed through the trees, are wonderful and extensive.

We walked both ways, and it took us longer than necessary, because sometimes a walk’s more than just a walk.