Day 32: Melrose to Harrietsfield
📍Distance: 11.36 miles / 18.28 km
🌤️ Weather: Dry, warm, with sunny intervals
🕤 Start: 09:29 | 🕒 Finish: 14:45
I followed St Cuthbert’s Way all day, beginning at the magnificent Melrose Abbey. Though much of it is currently covered in scaffolding due to restoration work, the Abbey is still awesome – centuries of history in stone. From there, it was a steady uphill to Rhymer’s Stone, perched on the Eildon Hills. This marks the legend of Thomas the Rhymer, a 13th-century laird known for his eerie gift of prophecy. Most famously, he predicted the death of King Alexander III
Continuing on to St Boswells, I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Bull and his brother Roger. In one of those serendipitous moments, I discovered that Chris is a vicar in High Wycombe – my birthplace. Even more touching, they donated to Alzheimer’s Research UK and unbeknown to me paid for my coffee and cake. Thank you, Chris and Roger – your kindness means a lot.
After that it was back toward the River Tweed, following it for a good stretch. Just beyond Moxton Church, I rejoined Dere Street, a Roman road I first encountered at St Boswells. It will take me close to the border tomorrow. Along the way, I passed Lilliard’s Stone, a memorial to a Scottish heroine said to have died in the Battle of Ancrum Moor (1545).
Soon after I was ambushed by our roving reporter Adam, who recorded an interview all the way to our campsite destination near Harrietsfield, where I caught up with my fellow travellers over a well-earned drink. As a result this blog might be a little blurrier than usual but a good evening was had reminiscing on the past months travels.
Tomorrow will be my final day in Scotland on this incredible walk.
