St. Boswells to Ancrum
The day started with a lovely section along the golf course at St. Boswells with the River Tweed flowing beyond the course. We were able to look back to see the Eildon Hills, which we’d traversed in the mist the day before.
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| The Eildon Hills- we’d passed between the two right-hand summits the day before |
We passed the very fine sandstone Merton Bridge and followed the Tweed- rather more open than yesterday, which was good. Along the way, we passed a grand house where the inhabitants, the Elliot Family, had engineered a donkey-driven water pump to spare the maids the effort of carrying pails of water up to the house from the spring.
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| Plaque describing the Elliots’ donkey-driven pump |
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| Spring, source of the Elliotts’ water supply |
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| The spring is just behind Jacinta and donkey chamber on the higher level |
We stopped for some crisps from our packed lunch at an Information “Bus Shelter” in Maxton and followed a section on the road. The
Harvey Map offered an alternative route which had far less road which was a bit of a bonus. The general tone was set by a warning notice:
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| No problem as we weren’t in a hurry |
We rejoined the “official” route where the alternative met Dere Street (better known as Watling Street). We were both very excited to be walking along the route of a Roman Road. Halfway along the section of Dere Street we stopped for lunch at Lillard’s Stone, a memorial to an extremely fierce and brave Scottish woman.
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| More recent plaque with text from Lillard’s Stone |
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| Lillard’s Stone |
We finished the day with a very pleasant section of Dere Street, through ancient woodlands on wide and pleasant paths.
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| Woodlands at the end of day two |
We reached the road and made the detour to Ancrum, our base for a couple of nights, stopping for a welcome drink at the Ancrum Pantry- the only shop in the village.
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| A floral welcome! |
A good day- and the sections through the woods were less tedious than the final section of yesterday’s walk.
C. 9.1 miles.
