Today was another wonderful windy day, especially atop Wide Open Hill which marks both the half way point, and the highest elevation reached on Saint Cuthbert’s Way. It was a short day of walking, only 11 km, and as I entered Kirk Yetholm at the end of that distance at only one o’clock in the afternoon, I wished that I could keep on going to the next destination. It was such a beautiful day of mixed sun and cloud, with a bit of wind-blow rain, and so much wind on the hilltops I had to fight to keep my balance. And the views were stunning!
I set off from Morebattle climbing up and away from the town on a paved road. Here’s a view looking towards Wide Open Hill, zoomed in.
The section of paved road was short and I soon turned onto a field and the path started to zig zag up a hill, and then it climbed straight up the grassy slope steeply. There were cows directly in my path, and a sign at the bottom had said that mother cows can be unpredictable when they have calves. Also, the young Dutch hiker that I had met had told me that he had been chased by a bull on this trip, and I had a strong feeling that this was the place! I surrounded myself with an aura of calm and serenity (that was barely masking fear!) and proceeded at a slow but steady pace past the cows without making eye contact. Phew! No running away needed!
Here’s a view looking down after I’d climbed higher up the hill.
And here’s a view looking west, and my last sighting of the Eildon Hills, centered on the far-distant horizon, before they were obscured by the fast-moving clouds.
The path continued to climb steeply until it reached this ladder over a stone fence. From atop the ladder, I took photos of the views to the south and the west, looking back from where I had travelled.
And this is the view to the east, as the path continued up towards the summit of Wide Open Hill.
And here’s the summit. It was so incredibly windy!!
After the summit, the path descended steeply until it reached another ladder over another fence, and after that it began to climb again, up towards the top of Crookedshanks Hill.
After crossing Crookedshanks Hill, the path carried on along the ridge, the views pulling me forward and the wind trying to knock me sideways!
I didn’t want it to end! Sooner than I wanted, I was starting the last descent off of the ridge, onto a steep farm track, and finally onto a paved road, still with lovely views in every direction, until I arrived at Town Yetholm.
Walking into Town Yetholm, I came across the my first thatched cottage on this trip, and then in Kirk Yetholm, a half mile further on, there was another, with a red telephone booth beside it!
It was too early to check in to my accommodation, so I visited the Kirk Yetholm church, had my lunch on the grassy village green, and then spent some time in the Borders Hotel chatting with some other walkers and enjoying a cola and some fries while I got caught up on email and started on my blog for yesterday’s walk. The hotel bar was crowded with walkers as Kirk Yetholm is also the terminus for the very popular Pennine Way.
After my afternoon at the Border Hotel, I walked the short distance to the Mill House bed and breakfast (so nice!), where I relaxed in the lovely room, skyped with Daniel, and did some reading and blogging.
I’m so looking forward to tomorrow’s walk to the beautiful College Valley, with more hill climbing, and hopefully more of that wind! Sadly, I’ll have to say goodbye to Scotland as I cross the border into England, but I’ll also happily say hello to Northumberland. Goodnight from the Borders!
