Introduction
At last, the big moment: the opportunity to complete my last national
trail. I had hope to finish the nineteen LDWA-designated trails by last year
but everything was put back because of the pandemic and its restrictions on
travel and accommodation. Last year Mike & I finished our second section of
the Southern Upland Way (SUW) on the banks of the River Tweed opposite
Abbotsford House near Galashiels. To complete the trail, we needed to return to
Tweedbank and walk to the North Sea coast, a three-day trip. So we had the
opportunity, in our week-long expedition, to wander down the 30-mile Berwickshire
Coast path, one of Scotland’s Great Trails that links in with the SUW at its trailhead
in Cockburnspath.
All we had to do was get back to Galashiels, in principle a
straightforward affair of taking a train to Carlisle and jumping on a bus. But
it did not work out to be that simple. Our various train connections worked
well but we just missed the bus in Carlisle and had to wait for two hours for
the next. I had not twigged that, since the pandemic, the hourly bus service
had been reduced. Then a set of road works delayed us by another half hour.
Sheep on the road and Hawick diversions added to the nightmare so we final
dismounted at Kingsknowle roundabout at 3pm, some 2½ hours behind schedule,
still with 13 miles to walk to our overnight accommodation.
Monday 9th May 2022 Galashiels
– Lauder
Crossing the Tweed
From the bus stop, we walked back
along the A7 and down to the river passed a couple who were grooming a huge
black dog in their garden. We quickly reached the car park where we had
abandoned our trip last year and at last were on our way. Down the road and
over a footbridge alongside the railway, the route was well waymarked passed
Tweedbank railway station and along the river to Gattonside suspension
footbridge . After crossing the Tweed, the route ran westward along the north
bank until we reached a road. A took us uphill on what appeared to be an old
drovers’ route heading northwards for more than six miles. In places it was
stony, sometimes tarmacked and some sections crossed grassy fields but its line
was straight and true.
A light shower of rain came through. It was getting late and I was increasingly concerned that we would not get to the pub before they finished cooking. I rang our b&b and asked if they could contact the pub and tell them we might be late. It was nearly 7.30pn, the time the kitchen was due to close, when we pulled over a grassy ridge and saw the village of Lauder below. Running down the finally grassy slopes, we decided to forego a check-in at the b&b and go straight to the pub. Apologising for our late arrival, we were told that they were so busy and short of kitchen staff that we would have to wait 15 minutes before ordering. So we had plenty of time to quench our thirst whilst studying the menu.
GPS 13.39 miles in 4hrs 28mins 06secs
walking time, plus a 10-minute stop.
We went straight to the Black Bull
and downed a couple of pints of Black Sheep Best Bitter (3.8%) from the Masham
brewery. Chicken Balmoral was on the specials board. This came with haggis and
mash with whisky sauce. We finally checked into our b&b, Lornebank
Homestay, at 9.30pm. It was far too late to have a shower and I went straight
to bed.
Tuesday 10th May 2022 Lauder – Ellemford
The Operatic Hills
Before setting off, we went up to
the general store and bought some sandwiches and cakes for our lunch. Then we
picked up from where last night’s finish and set out on a bright morning towards
the Lammermoor Hills. Pertinent since the opera Lucia di Lammermoor is being
streamed from the Met in two-week’s time. Crossing the cattle-filled fields, Thirlestane
Castle loomed austerely over us. A friendly farmer told us a story about how
one of the pubs in town was called the Dipper by the locals. Allegedly the beer
used to taste like sheep dip. Up on the hills w found much forestry damage. Storm
Arwen last November caused much havoc in the area. On Scoured Rig an entire
strip of pine plantation had blown down across the SUW path. A deviation across
a field took us round and then through the devastation and down to the farm at Braidshawrig.
As we climbed towards the day’s
high point, a sharp shower came through, blown on a cold north-westerly wind.
By the time we crested Twin Law the sun was out but it was far too exposed to
stop to eat our butties. So we strode out downhill towards Watch Water
reservoir. Eventually we found a sheltered spot for our lunch stop near Scarlaw
in an undamaged woodland of deciduous trees. Our native trees seemed to have
avoided the storm damage. As we circumnavigated the reservoir, the fields
leading down to the water were full of bird-life, in particular families of Greylags
and their goslings. Amongst all this activity stood one solitary Barnacle Goose
looking lonely and lost.
A road section took us along to
the hamlet of Longformacus where we stood for a few minutes watching a young
shepherdess training her sheep dog. As we climbed over our final moorland
section of the day, the rain and wind came in again . At least it was at our
backs and blowing us towards our haven for the night. A steep grassy descent
brought us to a road and the end of today’s stage. But we still had over 1½
miles of tarmac to reach our accommodation. It was a glorious moment when we
finally looked down onto the house at Green Hope in its idyllic forest and
valley setting.
Lauder dep. 09.03, Ellemford arr. 17.15
GPS 21.11 miles in 7hrs 57mins 17secs
walking plus 15 mins lunch break near Scarlaw.
We stayed at Green Hope, a lovely
house in an idyllic settling a mile from Ellemford Bridge. Alison and Bill
looked after us like royalty and catered for all our logistical needs for the
next two days.
Wednesday 11th May 2022 Ellemford – Cockburnspath
And What Did We See, We Saw the Sea valley
After a leisurely breakfast with much chat, there was always so much to
talk about with Alison and Bill, we set off up the valley to retrace last
night’s diversion from the SUW. Today, we travelled light because Alison was
coming out to collect us and bring us back for a second night in paradise. The
trail started with a steep climb along the edge of a wood, over a grassy field
where I nearly stepped on a hare and across a deep defile to reach a woodland
track that took us all the way to Abbey St Bathans. Here we crossed a
footbridge over Whiteadder Water and turned to follow its north bank until the
route turned north again and started to go uphill. Gaining higher ground we passed a magnificent cairn with a weathervane on
top, which commemorated a now non-existent airfield. By-passing another
storm-devastated plantation, we came out at a farm specialising in quad bike
activities. Then over more fields to Blackburn Mill Farm where the official
route was diverted into the most appalling rutted field imaginable. In wet
weather this would have been a nightmare.
Soon we were out onto smoother tracks
to Blackburn and along their newly tarmacked drive to the A1. After dicing with
the fast-moving traffic, we entered a roadside area of scrub and emerged onto a
bridge over the railway. Initially the track through Penmanshiel Wood runs
parallel to the road and railway through a steep-sided valley but then begins
to climb into the forest. Bill had urged us to consider a low-level short cut
but I was adamant that we would take the zig-zags to the higher traverse. It
was beginning to rain as we searched amongst the dark and dismal trees for a
dry and flat place for lunch. Eventually we just sat down on a bank beside the
track and ate our sandwiches. The rain had passed through as we descended to the Pease Bridge, a narrow
viaduct over an impressive drop to the railway. Then it was down all the way to
the sea, down step after step and through the verdant gorge of the Pease River.
We broke out onto the road opposite the Pease Bay Leisure Park. Our next two
miles were to be shared with the Coast Path. Ascending a steep road, the path
turned onto the headland above Cove harbour and then turned inland just before
the car park to pass back beneath the railway and the A! and into the village
of Cockburnspath.
There was a SUW notice board at the entrance to the village
but we thought that the official end of the trail was further into the centre.
So we passed the village cross, a memorial to Queen Margaret, and continued to
the community shop near the village hall. It was only then that I was happy
with another national trail completion, this my nineteen and last trail. After
a cup of coffee from the shop, we returned to the cross and sat waiting for
Alison and our lift back to Green Hope and another wonderful meal.
Ellemford dep. 09.10, Cockburnspath arr.15.30
GPS 15.81 miles in 5hrs 58mins 54secs
walking time plus a 20mins butty break in Penmanshiel Wood.
Thursday 12th May 2022 Pease Bay – Eyemouth
Berwickshire Coast Path
It seemed pointless to repeat the 2-mile section of the coast path that
we had walked yesterday so, when Bill offered to take us back to the start of
today’s walk, we asked him to drop us in Pease Bay. At 9.45am we were off on a
new trail, the Berwickshire Coast Path. The well-signed route was initially
onto the cliff tops but soon retreated inland up to a high lane and farm track.
We climbed even higher to a grassy plateau and then walked on a trod parallel
to the lane to Dowlaw. Just before the farm, the coast path joined the road. We
could not use the farm bypass due to tree wind-blow in the adjoining plantation.
We apologised to the lady farmer and passed onwards down a grass track to a
delightful old bridge that is now no longer in use.
Up the other side of the burn the coastal views opened up as we crested
the next grassy field. Then it was a sheer delight to stride out over
sheep-grazed cliff tops with St Abbs head dominating the view ahead. One huge
drop took us almost down to sea-level, crossing a damp valley full of orchids,
primroses and cow-slips. Lunch break was declared at the top of the next climb
before another grassy descent took us down to St Abbs Head and its dramatic lighthouse.
The next section of clifftop paths was not near so exciting but it led to
St Abbs village and the great Old School Café. After a scrumptious slice of
Eyemouth tart, we walked down to the lovely harbour, then back onto the cliff-tops
via a devious path up a grass bank and along a cottage-lined street. Eyemouth
was now visible a few miles ahead but the panorama was spoilt by a huge holiday
park of static caravans. Weaving round the edge of this, we eventually reached
the old French fort and had a view of the beach and harbour of Eyemouth. Over
the end of the beach, we continued along the promenade and round the corner
into the inner harbour to find our accommodation above the Ship Bar &
Restaurant.
Pease Bay dep. 09.45, Eyemouth arr.17.15
GPS 13.98 miles in 6hrs 35mins 39secs
walking time plus 15mins butty stop above St Abb’s Head and 30mins in the Old
School Café in St. Abb’s village.
We stayed in the Ships Quarters on the harbour in Eyemouth.
We ate next door, at the Ship Restaurant, steak & ale pie, chips and
stramash of vegetables, with a dessert of apple tart with vanilla tablet ice
cream. Two Scottish words here that are new to me. A new beer as well: Pagan Queen (4.1%) from Firebrick Brewery,
Blaydon.
Friday 13th May 2022 Eyemouth – Berwick on Twee
Crossing the Border
No breakfast include, said the
booking. So we were out into the town at 8am looking for an early café. There
was a queue outside Loughs bakery and here we bought bacon and sausage baps
which we devoured seated above the beach. Then we walked round the harbour
looking at all the fishing boats and up over the golf course onto the cliff
path. A roller coaster route ran round the edge of the verdant fields, some
growing oil-seed rape that was not helpful to my hayfever. We emerged onto a
road that took us steeply down to Burnmouth. The climb out was quite strenuous,
first up some wooden steps and then zig-zagging up the grassy cliff-face and
final up a steep meadow to join a track running parallel to the railway. We
followed the railway for miles, on a so-called nature trail passed signs to
peregrine nesting sites. A wire fence eventually blocked
our progress and as we headed towards a kissing gate, we saw that it was the
English border. What this tiny gate might be like in a few years’ time, I dread
to think. A national crossing point and immigration control?
Industrial units
filled the land over the other side of the railway line. The character of the
landscape was changing rapidly as we approached Berwick. Then the perennial golf
courses and holiday parks pushed us back to the cliff edge. We paused briefly near
Brotherstone’s Hole to eat our butties and then walked on and on, bypassing the
town centre and across sandy beaches and dunes until, there in front of us was
the sea wall. Here was the mouth of the River Tweed and the end of the
Berwickshire Coast Path. Turning back along the wall and into the wind, we
struggled up river to the bastioned town walls which led us round to the beautiful
old Berwick Bridge, the end of our trip. We quickly retreated into a coffee
shop to await our train home.
Eyemouth dep. 08.25, Berwick upon
Tweed arr. 13.45
GPS 12.63 miles in 5hrs 03mins 10secs
walking time with a 15min lunch break near Brotherstone’s Hole.
Conclusion
We started beside the Tweed and
finished at its mouth, from Tweedbank to Tweedmouth in five days. We walked 80
miles and had a hell of a lot of fun. And somewhere in between, I achieved my
quest of completing all nineteen of the LDWA-designated national trails. We have
put ourselves in the perfect position to start the English Coast Path, itself
now categorised as a national trail. The trains worked perfectly and we had the
joy of standing briefly on York Station and the interest of looping round
Manchester on the link between Victoria and Piccadilly Stations. Wives were
awaiting us in Macclesfield and another adventure was over.
