Discovering the Scottish border country - on foot!!
Written: Jul 13 '02 (Updated Jul 13 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful quiet rolling hill country. Ideal for walking and exploring.
Cons: Bag pipes! Unpredictable weather.
The Bottom Line: Fairly undiscoved country. It may not be as dramatic as the highlands, but there is plenty to see and do, and think about!
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| cr01's Full Review: Scotland |
Ahh Scotland!
What images appear in the minds eye when one thinks of Scotland? Edinburgh Castle?, the dramatic locks and peaks of the wild Scottish highlands?, the beautiful western isles?... THE BORDER COUNTRY!?!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
If you travel to Scotland by road from England, then invariably your first sight of Scotland will be fairly dismal. As soon as you reach Scotland via any of the main road routes, the first sight will usually be a mucky brown sign bearing the legend "Welcome To Scotland". A few hundred metres further along, you will be invited to turn off the road to visit a litter strewn, wind swept, grey car park.
Amongst the coach tours and hire cars you will see a lone man, wearing a tartan skirt, and frilly shirt blowing into a phallic shaped instrument.
Perhaps it is the scratchy skirt, or the dismal surroundings, but this man will be very unhappy - he will try to make you miserable too, by producing loud harsh sharp penetrating noises from this instrument. This apparently is what Scots do best - Welcome to the sight of the traditional bag piper!
It is the thought of that sight and sound, that makes many a driver clench and cramp their accelerator pedal foot to the floor of the vehicle, not to be relaxed for another hundred miles or so.... in doing so, they miss exploring the border country.
ST CUTHBERT'S WAY
St Cuthbert's way is a fairly new long distance path of around 65 miles, constructed to link together places important in the life of the said saint. The trail begins at Melrose Abbey in the centre of the Scottish borders (and where Cuthbert started his ministry in 650AD), and trails east over the Scottish borders, to the holy island of Lindisfarne, where he became bishop. On the way, the route passes the cave, where his remains were stored in 875AD, as the holy order on Lindisfarne fled the advances of the invading Norsemen.
If the religious history isn't enough (and for me, I must confess it isn't), the route travels along ancient roman road, and bronze age hill fort, and past the sites of a number of historic English/ Scottish battle grounds (including Ancrum Moor). The route also passes through beautiful rolling, rounded hillside, and towards the English coast, windswept sand dunes and mud flats, home to many a sea bird.
The walk can be comfortably completed in four days, and unlike the rugged country further north, the walking is fairly easy, without too many daunting hills. As the route was constructed in 1995, it is very well signposted (we didn't get lost once), but it may be useful to have a map for comfort. We used Harvey's purpose made map of St Cuthbert's Way (www.harveymaps.co.uk).
Another useful website (www.st-cuthberts-way.co.uk) provides infomation on the history, as well as appropriate bed and breakfasts, eating places, and taxi's to ferry you back to the start of the walk once completed.
POINTS OF INTEREST
MELROSE - the route begins or ends at Melrose, a pretty stone market town, with fine views to the Eildon Hills - three rounded peaks, above the town. Melrose Abbey ruins are fairly complete, and for the practical Scots, are unusually ornate.
In the Abbey ground, the heart of Robert The Bruce lies buried - or perhaps I should say that one of Robert The Bruce's hearts lies buried here, as a number of places make this boast.
RIVER TWEED
After a steep climb over the Eildon Hills of gorse, bracken, heather and moorland, very impressive views can be had. A brisk and fairly uneventful walk, then leads to the beautiful River Tweed - one of Scotlands most fameous fishing rivers - famed for Trout.
It was here that we rescued a sheep, who had fallen into the river from the steep sided bank. Dipping with water, having done our good deed for the day, we continued onwards.
DERE STREET
The fact that Dere Street is very straight gives the game away - this is a two thousand year old road, built by the Romans. Although the history is breathing here, those expecting a pristine cobbled walk way will be disapointed - it looks more like a very muddy farm track.
Appropriately enough, one of our first sights on this path, was a young doe deer, eating under the oak trees.
Further along Dere Street is Lilliard's Stone, dated 1544.
The inscription reads:
Fair maiden Lilliard lies under this stane
Little was her stature, aut muckle was her fame
Ueon the English loons, she laid monie thumps
An when her legs were cuttit off, she fought upon her stumps
As a Celt by birth, it was pleasing to think that brave Lilliard would have been on my side! This whole area was the site of many a fierce battle, before the Scottish finally lost.
Further along Dere Street still, in the woodland is the Harestane's Visitor Centre, which gives some history about the Roman occupatiuon of Britain.
JEDBURGH
Our first night's stop was in dour and plain Jedburgh. Very plain unadorned stone houses, and in the centre of town the remains of huge Jedburgh Abbey, and the prison. Although, Jedburgh was nice enough, after Melrose, it proved to be a little disapointing.
CESSFORD CASTLE
Day 2 of our walk was very road based. Sadly one of the farmers on route has taken exception to the route crossing his land, and has developed the habit of leaving bulls on his fields, and strolling around his land with a gun. While the authorities struggle with the due legal process, walkers are left to meander down quiet country roads, with fairly high hedges.
Cessford Castle is a large square crumbling castle (do not enter, it is unsafe), originally used by the local landowners to keep the English at bay. It makes an imposing picture, standing on a slight hill, and surrounded by bright yellow field of rape (at least in spring).
It became a relief to leave the roads behind, to begin our steady drag up Wideopen Hill, at around 1200 foot, the higest point of the walk. This is beautiful farm country, and from the top our route back to the Eildon Hills could be picked out. Pretty and lively Town Yetholm was our base for the night.
Day 3 took us through some lonley and dramatic hill country, and across the border into England. While here, at the border, we caught some of our last glimpses of the Eildon hills, as we decended into the gentler and kinder sea plain of Northumberland.
GREAT HETHA
We crossed past a magical valley beneath the Great Hetha, with the knowlege at the top of the hill was a bronze age fort, complete with ancient farm buildings and boundaries - energy levels didn't permit us to take a closer view!
Just before our arrival for our stop for the night at Wooler, we came across an Aberdeen Angus cow giving birth - the mothers anxious licks and nudges as she pursuaded her calf to stand, was something quite beautiful to watch.
WOOLER
Woller is a fairly large victorian prosperous border market town, with a variety of places for eats and sleeps.
After a nights sleep, we rose for our easy flat stroll to the coast, at beautiful Lindisfarne. I just love the desolation of the dunes and marshes, and the stunning location of the Abbey. I have written about this area in its proper section, on Northumberland, so won't do so again here!
FOOTNOTE
St Cuthberts Way makes for an excellent introduction to the Scottish border country - the pace of travel gives you time to think about and absorb the history of this turbulent place with its layers of cultures and invaders.
The walking is easy, accomodation conveniently spaced apart, and the food choices varied and hearty. The area is fairly undiscovered and quiet from tourists. As always when walking, remember waterproofs, sun cream (yes, you may need it, for it can be blisteringly sunny in Scotland!), water and stout footware.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Epinions.com ID:
cr01
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Member: Chris
Location: Yorkshire, England
Reviews written: 379
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In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act -George Orwell
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