Hello, all!

[AZAndi]

Brief introduction.

I have just this year started rambling, with the specific goal of a hiking holiday in Scotland - specifically walking the Borders Abbeys Way (coming up in October!). "Training" for this has not been easy, as I live in Phoenix, Arizona and it gets really, really hot here during the summer. That makes training for a long-distance walk actually dangerous due to the probability of heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses.

But I am loving it and looking forward to being in Scotland. I hope this will be the first of many Scottish hiking holidays for me.

[Sgurr]

Have just looked at your forecast 40 degrees, that is horrendous. We almost managed that in Paris for grandson's graduation and were quite happy to sit and listen to long speeches and lists in French for hours as it mean Aircon. Scotland will be quite a shock to the system. Enjoy your time here, and if you aren't fit when you come, the hiking isn't overly strenuous and you will be fit when you return home.

[AZAndi]

Thank you, Sgurr. I’m hoping to be cold!!

[Caberfeidh]

Greetings and welcome! When you are hiking amongst the ancient abbeys you must take a detour from Melrose Abbey up to the three small peaks of the Eildon Hills; not far from the village of Melrose and its ancient abbey, a nice short walk takes you up to great views and ancient history. The ancient Britons had a fort here, the Romans invaded and had a look-out tower here, with a fort down by the river called Trimontium (three hills, geddit?). Legend tells that King Arthur and his knights sleep in a cavern under the hills, don't stop to speak to any fair maids lest ye be whisked off to Faerie Land, never to return. King Robert The Bruce's heart, preserved and encased in lead, is buried in the grounds of the abbey.

Eildon Hills from Melrose Abbey

[AZAndi]

Thank you, Caberfeidh!
I knew about the heart of Robert the Bruce, but did not know the story of King Arthur and his Knights hiding out in the hills, or of the Roman fort. Will definitely have check it out!

[weedavie]

Greetings and welcome! When you are hiking amongst the ancient abbeys you must take a detour from Melrose Abbey up to the three small peaks of the Eildon Hills; not far from the village of Melrose and its ancient abbey, a nice short walk takes you up to great views and ancient history.

There's also the bit about the devil bringing his hoof down and splitting the hill into three. I tried explaining this to some Germans whose English was as poor as my command of their language. They must have gone away wondering what the elderly nutter who kept shouting "Teufel!" at them had been drinking.

[AZAndi]

@weedavie - thank you - these are exactly the kind of stories and legends I love to hear when I travel!