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I had a lovely breakfast at the Tontine Hotel, peaches and prunes with yoghurt, granola, smoked haddock and pastries. I’d have had toast as well, but was blocked by a party of 16 Dutch cyclists who were dominating the small toast making machine. 

It was a bright morning and time to make progress. I hoped to walk over 20 miles today and camp near Corston Hill which promised views of Edinburgh and Arthur’s Seat. All I had to do was enjoy the walk. My clothes were freshly laundered, power banks full and my blog was now only four days behind. If only I could work out how to configure my email and get the subscribe button working. Perhaps I’d get a mobile signal this evening and work it out then. Perhaps not.

I headed off at a 8:45 and before long started the first climb of the day up Hamilton Hill. This was quite steep at first but I managed it admirably. I normally find it takes me a while to get going in the morning, so my half day off must’ve done me good. I took photos of Peebles and the hills ahead and forged onwards.

For the next couple of miles, I walked through attractive hills and forestry and noticed that I was very gradually catching two women walking ahead of me. I caught them in due course and we started chatting. Alexa was on her seventh day of walking from Kirk Yetholm to Cape Wrath in the far northwest of Scotland, considered to be the most difficult to walk of the lot. It’s a very remote walk, famous for its beauty as well as its bogs and often impassable rivers. I was full of admiration for her courage and ambition. We talked a lot about kit and what lay ahead for us both as we walked on together for several miles. They walked on as I stopped for a much needed water break. Perhaps I’d see them again before we both arrived at West Linton, the only village on today’s route.

In fact I met them again 20 minutes later having their lunch,as well as a man who once rode from Lands End to John O’Groats with his wife on a tandem. Alexa, Dorothy and I had a lively discussion about Scotland’s two favourite beverages, whisky and Irn Bru and then we wished each other good luck and I continued on to West Linton.

The day had become a bit dreary and the last 2 1/2 miles to West Linton were along a straight road, also somewhat dull. However, things looked up as I arrived at the Gordon Arms where I ordered sea bream with capers and shrimp for a late lunch. 

Just as I was preparing to leave Alexa and Dorothy arrived with Dorothy’s husband. I was very tempted to stay and have a drink with them but still had at least 8 miles to walk to Little Vantage. So off I went. 

There was light rain now but I made good progress as the path rose gradually towards moorland. Before long, I was walking in a cloud, visibility poor, but not wet. As I thought about how many times this had happened already on my walk I also realised that this might be the last proper high moor I’d encounter. So I determined to make the best of it. Walking on the high moors had given me many of the highlights as well as the lowlights of my walk. I walked the remainder of the climb up Thieves Road and over the col at Cauldstane Slap (both fabulous place names). Happily as I descended the sun brightened, ever so briefly, giving me a view of the Firth of Forth bridge. 

At the bottom of the descent  the weather showed no obvious signs of brightening and I came across a good camping spot by a river sheltered by gorse bushes. Sunnier weather was forecast early tomorrow morning so I would climb Corston Hill then hoping to see Edinburgh and Arthur seat in all their glory.

Lying contentedly in my tent, I was interrupted by what I assumed were the noises large animals make when crossing a river. I poked my head out of my tent to see a dozen or so cows, with calves, looking back at me. This was not good news much though I’ve come to like cows. I stood up and faced them. They hesitated and then made off at speed, much faster than average cows might run. They were about 200 metres away, running for the hills, within a minute.

This left me somewhat miffed and in a quandary. I was miffed because there were no signs of any bovine activity where I was camped. No cow pats, no churned up ground. I was in a quandary because it was 9 o’clock by now and I really didn’t want to up sticks and go looking for another spot. I decided they’d probably leave me alone now and decided to chance it. 

Day Summary

Fleeting views on misty moors. Adventure loving Alexa and a close encounter with cows.