What a difference a day makes

Monday 18 June – Jedburgh to Melrose

Today we were to follow a part of the St Cuthberts Way, a walk that Peter had completed over four days a few years ago. As we left Jedburgh on our way to link up with it we passed the ruins of Jedburgh Abbey. It is one of four great abbeys established in the Scottish Borders in the 1100s, but partially destroyed during various wars with the English in the Middle Ages and in the 1500s. As we have walked we have been aware that many of these small villages and towns we are staying in have any number of places of interest that need exploring, that we were previously unaware of. We keep saying “We must come back here one day”. And “Maybe we should have allowed 2 years for this walk so that we could explore more” !

Anyway…  We walked out of Jedburgh alongside the Jed Water and then out in to farmland before picking up the St Cuthberts Way. This took us across the River Tweed and in to some lovely deciduous woodland and then along the Roman road Dere Street, which we had briefly met yesterday. Dere Street and St Cuthberts Way joined forces for several kilometres, tracking close to the River Tweed.  Dere Steet is now a protected “monument” and so the route remains very clear, at times a definite 5-6m wide pathway stretching ahead of you.

Eventually the two routes separated again and we stayed with St Cuthbert, following the River Tweed through to St Boswell and Newton St Boswell. It was a tranquil, lovely and very picturesque scene. Our final section in to Melrose followed a cycle route – easy walking. Late in the evening, a final surprise: a parade through the streets by a pipe band followed by dozens and dozens of riders on horseback, all clad in formal riding gear, part of a centuries-old festival originally designed to secure the town boundaries.

Overall it was a really enjoyable day’s walking.  An undulating gentle route with plenty of variation, and such a contrast to the last section of our journey, along the Pennine Way.  In the past 24 hours we have left behind the high fells, the vast moorlands, the ‘surprise’ boggy patches, the curlews and lapwings. We are returned to the world of deciduous woodlands, fields of grain, undulating countryside, rivers, woodpigeons and chaffinches. One of the joys of this trip has been the ever-changing landscape as we walk up the country. We are looking forward to seeing what the next four weeks brings us.

Distance:  26km / 16 miles

Dere Street:

River Tweed: