Day 39 - Sneaking into Scotland

 

Despite the worrying warnings about the terrain for today's walk from Byreness, it turned out to be one of the best morning sessions of my journey so far. After a mile, the path rose extremely steeply as I climbed up onto the Cheviot Hills, with a bit of scrambling to reach the ridge at the top. I did wonder how long I'll be able to take on that kind of challenge but decided (perhaps a little too quickly) to just start worrying when I fall off.

The climb, however, was undoubtedly worth it: it was a lovely sunny day without a breath of wind and you could see for miles around. As with yesterday, this did include a lot of moor but there was plenty besides and, in any case, the sun makes everywhere look brighter. The path was remarkably dry, interspersed with the familar paving flags that appear randomly on the Pennine Way, not always in the places you would expect.

Stopping after 90 or so minutes for my blood sugar reading and a quick coffee, a competitor in the forthcoming Pennine Spine race/walk came by, undertaking a recce. She is going to be walking, rather than running, in the event but there is still a time limit of 6 days. So that's 253 miles in 6 days, an average of 42 miles per day - that doesn't leave much time for fairly important things like eating, sleeping, etc. Her stage today was 'only' 25 miles and I contemplated walking with her for the next few. However, I'd only just poured the coffee and was fairly relieved when I saw her disappear into the distance at a fair rate of knots that is a distant memory to me.

I wasn't alone for long, though, as Charles from Grenoble in France joined me at my makeshift cafe. He travels over to England every year and has walked many of our National Trails. He has been wild camping his way up the Pennines and poked his head out of his tent this morning to be surrounded by deer in the forest. I did ask if he had come across any bears (one of Rachel's fears) but, thankfully, the Scottish borders appear to be a bear-free zone.

As I've said before, the miles fly by that bit quicker when you are walking with someone and the chat must have been good because it was over an hour before I mentioned football. That is a new personal best for me and provides evidence that LEJOG is turning me into a deeper person. Well, less shallow. Anyway, he's a Metz fan, his home town team, and they currently lie third in Ligue Deux, with a chance of promotion. I will be watching my new favourite French team closely over the next few weeks.

As Charles continued down the Pennine Way, we said our au revoirs as my route to Jedburgh diverted me over the border into Scotland. The border was just a fence, even less impressive than Offa's Dyke. I was now following Dere St and will continue to do so tomorrow. Dere St originally ran from York to Edinburgh via a fort at Melrose and was 'built' around AD80, 40 years before Hadrian built his wall. As is tradition, Dere St was deadly straight for the rest of the journey, with no consideration given to diverting round things, such as great big hills. That did make the afternoon a little less pleasant than the morning.

Indeed, when I had my second coffee just over the border in the picture at the top, I decided this should be another place I would like some of my ashes to be scattered. There are now quite a few of these places and I need to be careful not to lose any limbs before my demise, or else there may not be enough ash to go around.

So, I've made it to Scotland. I still find it difficult to think any further than the next day's walk and, fortunately, after today's 22 mile climby marathon, tomorrow looks an easier stroll down St Cuthbert's Way to Melrose, as I start to work my way over to Loch Lomond and the West Highland Way. I might even work some more stats out.

Doing my bit for Anglo-France relations with Charles

                                    More than just bears for Rachel to worry about round here