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It was a good start to the day. Porridge for breakfast and away by 6:45. It was going to be another hot day but it was cool this morning and I climbed a hill and through some woods until I joined Saint Cuthbert’s Way just above Harestanes. I’d be following Saint Cuthbert for the rest of the day to Melrose where he started his walk which finished in Lindesfarne, Holy Island, on the Northumberland coast. A walk for the future. In the distance, I could see two hills which I assumed were two of the three Eildons, the hills that I would need to cross before Melrose. There’d be a lot of good walking to enjoy first.

The good walking began along a pretty river and then over a very wobbly wooden suspension bridge,  then on a winding path through woodland past an impressive turreted house, lots more woodland and to the top of a hill. From there you could see the line of Dere Street straight as an arrow ahead for several miles on a green pathway through woods. 

I passed the Lilliard stone on a ridge where the English and Scottish had attempted to make peace, but failed on countless occasions. Lilliard herself was one of many Scottish women who took to arms. According to the poem by Walter Scott, the maiden Lilliard had her legs cleaved from under her, but she had fought on “on her stumps”, until she was eventually slain.

About 11 o’clock, I was getting hungry. Maxton the first place I came to had no amenities of any kind, but I saw I could cut the corner off the walk and get to Saint Boswell’s within an hour or so. At Saint Boswell’s, I had a really good lunch of minestrone soup and a ploughman’s at the Main Street Bookshop and Cafe.

Leaving Saint Boswell’s, I was soon walking along the very pretty river Tweed. At this point I bumped into a backpacker who was walking from Iona to Lindesfarne. He gave me a spare Smidge, the best midge repellent in existence, which was very kind of him. I told him about the lunch place in Saint Boswell’s and he warned me that camping along Loch Lomond, when I reached the West Highland Way was not advisable. Midges again, many, many midges. Best to camp on higher ground.

Leaving the River Tweed I cut across pretty country lanes and stopped on a sward of green grass just before a wood. Both T-shirts and my socks had all dried on the back of my pack, so I hooked up my solar charger and laid out my tent to dry the previous night’s dew, I had a rest and some water and aired my feet. It was 2:30 and I had a little under 4 miles until Melrose. It has already been a fabulous walk and it looked as if I’d have plenty of time to explore the town, a tourist hotspot in this part of Scotland.

The path then took me gradually upwards through a magnificent wood until eventually I arrived at the top of the col between two of the Eildons. Melrose was no more than a mile below me. Behind me, I could see all the way back to the Cheviot Hills. A fitting end to a fabulous days walk.

In Melrose, I had a good meal at the Ship Inn and bought provisions for tomorrow which would be remote walking and wild camping with no towns or villages after I’d left Melrose.

Day Summary

Loving the Scottish Borders. Loving the Scottish weather. Long may both continue.