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There was a lot of heavy rain
overnight and it was still raining just before I packed the tent
away. I delayed my start so not to be packing away in the rain. It
was very misty with low cloud as I wheeled by bike down the muddy
grass path back to the road. I freewheeled down the lane then turned
right on to B6461 towards Ednam, The road was flat and with no wind
it was an easy ride. Some undulations followed as I continued to the
A697 which I crossed to Leitholme. At Swintonmill I turned left
towards Duns. Shortly after I reached the A6112 and the Blackadder
Bridge. A sign said that it would soon be closed for repairs. I
stopped to have a look and was surprised that it hadn’t been closed
already. Two sections of parapet had collapsed completely and I
would have expected the authorities would have restricted the
carriageway to one lane and reduce the traffic weight. |
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Crumbling Bridge over River Blackadder |
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Bridge
over River Blackadder |
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Bridge
over River Blackadder |
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One person |
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I reached Duns and followed the ‘Town
Centre’ sign. I couldn’t see anything worth photographing so cycled
up a narrow street to the Co-Operative store I called at last month.
I picked up a banana for now and an apple for later. I left the town
in a northerly direction on the A6112. Then left on to the B6365. I
soon joined the B6355 which I was on during my ride last month. It
is an interesting ride by the river in a deep valley. I didn’t get
much chance to enjoy it as after a couple of miles I’d reached the
right turn up towards Abbey St Bathans. I stopped for some chocolate
before tackling the long steep climb. I had to push the bike up the
first bit then managed to ride for a while before pushing again up
the final stretch. Over the summit I had a pleasant ride then long
descent to Abbey St Bathans. I was disappointed that I couldn’t see
any sign of an Abbey anywhere. I turned off left to follow a lane
along the bottom of a valley by Monynut Water. A farm of the same
name was originally owned by the famous geologist James Hutton
(1726-1797). |
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After a couple of very steep climbs
where I had to push the bike again I got my first view of the sea in
the distance. At Oldhamstocks I rode along a fascinating valley with
a ford which I rode through to try and wash some of the mud off my
wheels. |
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A muddy road followed so it was all
replaced. I reached the A1, crossed it and rode to a closed caravan
site at Thorntonloch. |
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First
view of Torness Power Station |
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I found a water tap and a couple of
ladies said it was OK to fill my water bottles. A sign pointed to
the John Muir trail along the coast. I followed it to an amazing
concrete route by the coast and around Torness Power Station, It
headed towards Skateraw Bay and when I reached the top of the old
lime kiln I decided to stop and camp for the night. |
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The old
Kiln at Skateraw Bay |
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Night
view of Torness Power Station |
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Return to
Whittle Wanderer
