Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Land's End to John O'Groats - 2010

Overview     Planning     Schedule     Map     Diary     Pictures
Day: 042
Date:

Sunday, 13 June 2010

Start:

Jedburgh

Finish:

Melrose

Daily Kilometres:

28.6

Total Kilometres:

1315.6

Weather:

Mostly overcast with intermittent light drizzle

Accommodation:

Youth Hostel (£16)

Nutrition:

Scottish breakfast (I mistakenly asked for English!); potato and leek soup for lunch; chilli con carne and ice-cream for dinner.

Aches:

Right knee sore (3/10), sore spots on bottom on left foot

Pictures:

Here

GPS Track:

Here

Journal:

I went down for breakfast and mistakenly asked for an English breakfast.  I was corrected (in good humour) and enjoyed my first Scottish breakfast of the trip, which was indistinguishable from most of the English breakfasts to date.

I was walking by 9am and expected a relatively easy day to Melrose, my target.  Early on, I took a shorter country lane along Jed Water rather than the guidebook footpath which didn't seem to have anything particular to recommend it.  It was rural, undulating and pretty, rather than spectacular.  There was a low overcast, and rain was forecast, though it was still dry.  Soon I joined the guidebook path which was to follow St Cuthbert's Way, a long distance walking path across the country, for the remainder of the day.

The path now wended its way through some woods and along field edges adjacent to the River Teviot before crossing the river on a long shaky suspension bridge.  Then it was back into the woods, which I really enjoyed.  A soft path, lots of big old trees, and scatterings of wildflowers.  Very pretty.  A couple of runners passed me going in the opposite direction on their Sunday morning run.  St Cuthbert's Way then rejoined Dere Street, the old Roman road, and for a while it was straight line walking along a fairly overgrown and rutted path between green fields.  It began to drizzle a little and I put my raincover on my pack, but resisted putting on my raincoat yet.  I was stung by a few nettles and found some ticks crawling up my legs when I stopped for a break, but generally the walking was easy and I was making good time.  It was going to be a short day.

I reached the village of St Boswell's in steady light drizzle around 1pm, still raincoatless, and spotted some signs that looked like they had been put out for a running race.  Later, I walked past the St Boswell's Gala Day set up on the village common.  On the schedule of events was a running race at 4pm.  I felt sorry for the Gala Day volunteers in the steady but light drizzle, as they started to get a smattering of kids sorted out for the obstacle race.

In half an hour I was in the neighbouring village of Newtown St Boswells and found a pub to get some soup for lunch.  While eating, I chatted to a mother and daughter who were on a week's walk in the opposite direction along St Cuthbert's Way.  They had lived in Australia at one point.

After lunch, my path followed Bowden Burn before crossing it and beginning the steady ascent to a saddle between the Eildon Hills which had been prominent on the horizon for much of the day.  The ascent was pleasant, passing through more woods and then some heather covered slopes providing excellent views across the rural Scottish borders countryside.  The drizzle had stopped and the sun even came out briefly.  The forecast for the next few days is good.

I descended from the Eildon Hills into the small town of Melrose and soon found the Youth Hostel where I had booked a room.  It's big and old and I don't think there are going to be many people staying.  After showering and washing my stuff out, I walked the few hundred metres into town and got my dinner at a pub.  I was finished in time to get back to the hostel, which had a TV room to watch the Australia v Germany World Cup game.  I was joined by a German, who knew nothing about soccer (football), and a Dutchman who knew a lot.  Australia got killed.

ADVENTURE LIST

 

Round Ireland
(2016)

Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)

Via Alpina
(2012)

Australian Alps Walking Track
(2011)

Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)

Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)

Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)

Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)

Three Peaks Race
(2004)

Appalachian Trail
(1986)

Alpine Track
(1983)

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