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Day 53 Jedburgh to Melrose (a real soaking of a day!)

 

The morning started off fine for the first quarter of an hour, walking along Dere Street and then... the rain started. 



         

To begin with, the main problem was the long grass soaking Garry's legs and feet. He went through this for 2-3 miles.

He reached the Teviot river, a less talkative companion than the Severn and the Ribble. Garry walked alongside the Teviot for a while and then crossed over a wobbly suspension bridge! 


As he crossed the Monteviot bridge and the nearby Monteviot House there were some good views of the ornamental gardens here. 

        

Garry continued on up through some woods, still in the rain, passed Ancrum Moor where there was a famous battle in 1545. Dere Street continued going very straight until it met the A68, when Garry turned abruptly off and followed a series of country lanes through to Maxton.

                         

                                                     

The route out of Maxton was along St Cuthbert's Way. However, after half a mile, Garry decided to take the option of lane walking as it was becoming slippery underfoot. These lanes led him through St Boswells and Newton St Boswells, via a small church, that he visited for 5 minutes to escape the incessant rain.

From here, Garry joined the Borders Abbeys Ways which took him along the last three miles into Melrose. There were a couple of hardy runners going the other way, one with his shirt off! Garry was getting quite cold at this point. 

      

Meanwhile, Alfie and I set off from Melrose to meet Garry, all prepared with waterproofs. However, after a short time, Alfie refused to walk on and turned to go back the way he had come from! We found a cafe for a quick coffee and coffee cake and then headed back to the car to dry off and wait for Garry.

          

Once we had met at the rendez-vous point in Melrose, we drove back with the heater on high and stopped for a takeaway hot coffee and Big Mac from McDonalds! A hot shower and a warm Garry has resumed! (I know this seems so far removed form the heat wave back at home!)

Just over 15 miles completed for Garry today, Impressive stuff in the pouring rain all day. 


Tomorrow's weather forecast looks better, ready for the journey from Melrose to Traquair along the Southern Upland Way. Hopefully, Alfie will be more tempted to walk tomorrow!


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