Day 62: Towford to Jedburgh (11.8 miles)

I indulged in a lie-in and late breakfast before Chris picked me up at 9:40 leaving me at Towford at 10:00. With a lighter backpack as I could leave most things at my Airbnb I really felt the difference - I was floating!

I chatted for awhile with farmer who pulled over on his quad bike with 2 beautiful and good natured dogs - one who offered his paw to shake (a gold/brown and white shaggy sheepdog and a smooth coat black and ginger one). He commented on the weird weather - in the 20’s during the day, below zero at night. But lambing was going well. 

Walking was straightforward today following the Roman road of Dere Street. Not long after leaving the farmer, I was confident of seeing and hearing a whimbrel for the first time on this Walk. Similar to a curlew but not quite as big, a less prominent beak and a more soulful call not developing in full like a curlew’s.

The early part of today was largely through farmland, gradually leaving the Cheviots behind with the higher summits in cloud. I arrived at Whitton Edge and a tempting stone surround bench at 12:00 so stopped for elevenses. I’d not been able to get a Mars Bar or Snickers (now a standard snack for me) the day before and I reflected on the empty shelves at the Co-op last night - a result of the cyber-attack. I’d remembered to change my password with M&S this morning.  

Further on, the May and gorse were in flower. And then joined by oak and beech in fresh leaf. I wondered how far ahead Cornwall would be - I could really sense how spring was following me up the country.

I wondered how an uncle and his nephew in law who I had passed going to Byrness and then chatted to at Forest View Inn were getting on - they would be going across the Cheviots on their second day to Kirk Yeltholm and I looked back to see if it was now clear of the cleg - not totally but better than a couple of hours ago. I hoped they were ok and the conditions hadn’t been too bad. I was relieved I had decided to descend down Dere Street. Martin and I had had a superb last day on the Cheviots in 2020, and I hadn’t wanted to sully that past memory.

The walk today brought back memories of earlier parts of the trail: the coconut scent of the gorse - the SWCP; the beech lined Dere Street - the Quantocks. I was pleased to make those connections - I had now been walking for 2 months. As I continued between farmland and woodland I listened to the usual medley of birds but today there was the welcome addition  of whitethroat and yellowhammer.

I was very taken by the beech trees lining the walk - some must have been very old - and helped to remind me of the ancient history of the road I was following. 

I needed to leave Dere Street to arrive at Jedburgh, the Jedburgh circular trail, and for a while this took me through a narrow path of what would have been heathland but was overgrown with birch saplings - I was glad to emerge to a wider track. I decided to follow the more straightforward end to end trail route rather than this circuitous path - I wanted to get back and find a tea shop open! This I successfully did by 15:30. I’d covered a good distance and could now relax and look forward to my rest day.  

There will be a day’s pause with the blogs - that will give Maria a break from having to post them everyday! But I will say that I have used the time to explore the village, wander around the old abbey ruins and sit in the gardens of the house of  Mary Queen of Scots, enjoying the sun.