Because the winds are predominantly from the east I planned my bike
ride to take advantage of it. I cycled to Preston Railway Station to
catch the 06:58 train to Edinburgh. It was a Trans Pennine Express
train so the bike carriage was mid train. At Edinburgh Waverley I
wheeled my bike to the lifts were I changed to platform 1 to catch
the 09:55 train to Tweedbank.
Tweedbank
I was on the new Borders line which was opened last year. Most of
the line in single track and we were delayed for a while as another
train hadn’t cleared the line yet. I arrived at the bland Tweedbank
platform where I finished my ride last month. It was just after 11am
when I set off along the roads heading SW. I followed the minor road
to Abbotsford, the former home of
Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). I had a quick look in the shop
area, photographed a bust of Sir Walter then left.
Sir Walter Scott
I continued to the busy A707 to Selkirk and joined the cycle track
on the opposite side of the road as soon as I could. I left the main
road into Selkirk to take the lower road. On my right was a large
impressive Industrial building converted to office units. The name
on the building was Ettrick & Yarrow Spinners Ltd.
Ettrick & Yarrow Spinners Ltd
Some roadworks had made my through route into a one-way & there was
a no entry sign. I used the footpath to get through to the bridge
and leave the Selkirk area. I was on the A708 to Moffat and after a
mile stopped to look at a stone and small plaque commemorating the
1675 battle of Philiphaugh in the adjacent fields.
Further on the road entered the trees and began to climb. The
weather was fine but overcast. To my right was a stone walled
structure with a stone inset saying ‘ Mungo Park 1771 killed Boussa
Niger Africa 1805’.
Mungo Park memorial
He was a Scottish Explorer. In the wall was a donation box but no
explanation to say what it was for. I continued up the river valley
and eventually got clear of the trees and in to open countryside.
At a bridge I saw a sign to Yarrow Kirk and went to investigate. It
was nice to find the church was open so I was able to go in and have
a look around. I continued up the wide valley and had nice views of
the hills ahead.
Yarrow Kirk
I reached St Mary’s Loch and at the road junction at Cappercleugh I
stopped to photograph the AA box. I don’t know how it is supposed to
be used as I don’t have a key and I’m a member of the AA. In a
grassy area adjacent was a stone War Memorial. Further along the
Loch was the Tibbie Shiels Inn and up a grassy slope I had a look at
a monument to a shepherd. I continued along the loch and came to the
steady climb up to the border between the Scottish Borders (which I
was just leaving) and into Dumfies & Galloway. There was then a long
descent to the car parks at Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfall, the fifth
highest in the UK. I wheeled my bike to the National Trust Cabin
where a man was looking after it. We chatted for a while and he
asked about my bike ride. This is where I’d planned to camp so I
wheeled my bike up the grassy slope to find a good spot then
wandered down to the river to collect some water.
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Whittle Wanderer
