Thanks for your support.
We managed to complete the 100km challenge successfully.
2nd April: Final Preparations. It's not long to go now. Chris and Peter are sorting out travel arrangements. Last minute checks of equipment and visit to Millet's for the things that are still needed. Because we are staying at the Plough Hotel in Yetholm, who have kindly sponsored us by providing bed and board for the duration of the challenge, we don't need to carry everything around with us, but we still need to make sure we haven't forgotten anything.
Peter ended up buying a pair of Peter Storm Ascent Ultra Lite boots. They feel comfortable and light so hopefully they will do the job.
9th April - 11:30: Peter is already in Scotland. The weather this morning was clear blue skies though it is starting to cloud over now at 11:30 am. I've bought some last minute bits of kit, and soon I'll be heading south towards Melrose to have a look around, take some photos and visit the Abbey. I just need to visit Sainsbury and buy some of the snacks we'll need to keep us going, and some bottles of water.
Chris will be driving up later on today and we'll meet up at the Plough Hotel in Town Yeholm, who have very kindly sponsored us by providing accommodation.
Keep visiting this web page and we will try to post news and photos of the walk as it progresses. And if you haven't sponsored us yet then please consider doing so.
9th April - 18:30: I arrived at Melrose at about 15:45 and found a place to park by the Abbey ruins. Melrose is a pretty town and the streets are clean and tidy. I had a quick look over the fence at the Abbey and took some photos, but I planned to climb the Eildon Hills, the first part of the St Cuthbert's Way, so that I had an idea of the beginning of the route.
Chris was on his way up from Kent when I contacted him, but he is going to be on the road for ages. So I set off out of the town, under the main road and into the hills. I immediately ran into problems as the route marked on the Ordnance Survey map at this point doesn't seem to match what is on the ground.
Nevertheless I struggled across boggy fields at a rather steep incline. Wheezing and puffing for ages, until I reached a clear indication of the route. At least I could follow it back down after I had climbed up the Eildon Hills and see where it started. The ground underfoot was increasingly muddy, a red clayey mud that proved very slippery if I wasn't careful where I put my feet.
It was a long slog, but eventually I reached the top. I went over the crest of the saddle between the two hills which stand above Melrose and I could see all of the route that the Way would be following the next day. Looking back into Melrose I could see the Abbey ruins and even my car in the car park.
Coming down was a lot easier. Just as slippery, but I was able to follow the route all the way down and see where it joined the path I had come up. It will be another slog tomorrow but at least Chris and I will follow the better path.
I left Melrose and drove to Town Yetholm, where we are staying at the Plough Hotel. The double room I have is pleasant and clean. It looks like it has been recently refurbished. Chris' room is next door and we share a bathroom between our two rooms. I'm trying to arrange for some food to be saved for him, as he doesn't expect to get here until 21:00 and the restaurant closes at 20:30. And I need to ask for some sandwiches to be made for our lunch tomorrow.
Otherwise, there are no sounds except birds outside the windows. There is snow up on the higher hills, and it looks like we have an excellent base for our 100km challenge.
St Cuthbert's Way
April 10th - 13th, 2008
