walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Jedburgh to Kelso post-Storm Arwen

Jedburgh to Kelso post-Storm Arwen


Postby jembo1963 » Sun Dec 05, 2021 10:42 am

Route description: Borders Abbeys Way: Kelso to Jedburgh

Date walked: 04/12/2021

Time taken: 4.5 hours

Distance: 21 km

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

I wanted to see what damage Arwen had caused and whether the walk was currently viable. The short answer is yes, but not without a considerable amount of scrambling and crawling. The fallen tree before the railway viaduct was the main obstacle, though several others towards the end force you to duck under them. The route is clear until Dere Street where a large tree collapsed at the bottom which you can walk around fortunately. I found my trusty old Lidl poles essential for negotiating the river where you first come down from the railway embankment when heading to Roxburgh. I was very much in two minds about following the Borders Abbeys Way at this point and the churned up bank made walking treacherous: it looked as though a team of cart horses had been through. On reflection I’d say keep to the railway line. The mud paths along the river were fairly tricky: with the poles it felt like a slalom. I reckon I could have done this route normally in under four hours. Nonetheless a great day: the route engages more with the river than the way from Melrose to Kelso whose last third along country lanes is wearisome. The constant sound of running water is soothing. You got three seasons in a day with the bright winter sun until you left Jedburgh, then cloud and finally a steady rain and occasional biting wind, and snow on the outskirts of Kelso.
Attachments
D8433E31-E928-4F24-A3A2-28D2DC6DC9F4.jpeg
What starts in sunshine…
FE1CDDA0-55C0-42A6-9547-D8B4681E8CC1.jpeg
…. ends in snow
256D2839-0174-43DD-A2B8-A062A876382C.jpeg
At the bottom of the hill along Dere Street
DA792AAC-8CD3-4085-92F6-F0E116A2F35D.jpeg
One of half a dozen collapsed trees across the route
59F213D0-65E1-4EEB-A4DF-F7AEDB4E774A.jpeg
The uprooted tree before the viaduct
jembo1963
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Jul 14, 2016

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: nigheandonn, Pammie1mac, PeteR, ppeters, sherinedeakin and 75 guests