by regedmunds » Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:01 pm
Date walked: 28/04/2019
Register or Login free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
On the 14th of April 2019, I started to hike and camp from Keswick to Edinburgh. I walked to Caldbeck the first day, small campsite in the village, £5. So very windy and bitterly cold on the fells and this weather continued for the next four days. I then walked to Dalston and caught a bus to Carlisle (I was on a schedule to meet my son and his wife in Edinburgh) and then walked along the Hadrians Wall route. After two nights I reached the point where the Pennine Way goes north. I then walked to Bellingham. What a very nice little place. I camped on the Caravan site just before entering the village, very nice and only £8. By now the weather was much warmer and I only had to worry about a breeze.
I then moved on to Byrness and then to Kirk Yetholme, that stretch is very demanding on the feet, legs and shoulders!
From there I followed the St Cuthbert's Way to Melrose. I really enjoyed this particular walk. A very nice campsite there, I was charged £5 and I really like the town as well. I recommend the 'Apples for Jam' coffee and cake shop, great cakes, cream, jam and coffee.
When I walked into Traquair I was planning to wild camp but I was so hungry so decided to wander into Ancrum the most local village nearby. What a let down, the local pub was not serving food, their kitchen had caught fire a few days before and all they had for me to eat was crisps. Luckily a local man and his wife took pity on me and they invited me to their home, just a few doors away for an evening meal with them. Just proved to me that there are still kind people about. I camped next door on a patch of grass outside the village hall.
I like Peebles, very attractive town and I had a very good meal there. The next morning I walked the old drove road to West Linton where I ended my walk. I celebrated the end of my journey by visiting the local coffee and cake shop, excellant! I then caught a bus to my son's flat in Edinburgh. The next morning I caught the bus back to West Linton and then walked all the way to my son's flat thereby completing my walk.
I came home by train on the 27th April. I really enjoyed the hike, especially the St Cuthberts Way section and the drove road to West Linton, the weather was at its best by now.
