The dreaded beasties!

It is 8.45 a.m.! and I have just come in from planting some leeks - yes I know it is a bit late, but at least I won't have to water them - and I have been eaten alive by midges.
I am fast coming to the conclusion we need danger money for doing this walk next month (four weeks time in fact) if the midges are going to be as fearsome as the Teviothead ones. Maybe summer will have arrived by then and it will be too hot and sunny for them. Some of the team have even put themselves through the agony of doing trials with various sprays/creams etc but so far haven't come up with the winning formula other than midge nets. Yes could be interesting, maybe next time we decide to do a walk it will be pre or post midge time of the year. Hopefully fit in a walk over the weekend just to test the waterproofs again.

Day 2 & Teviothead circular walk.

Having survived a lengthy walk yesterday,( Saturday) today it was home territory and a Teviothead circular walk in Ian Landles & Alan Brydon's "Walking in the Land of the Reivers " book. Starting at Carlenrig Farm this takes you up along the road, past Hizzy's Cairn down to the road to Blackcleuch before you take to the hillside. Now this is definitely not one for dainty shoes, or the faint hearted as it is pretty rough going up on the hillside. Tussocks and bog by the bucketful! But we are on a mission. This was some serious training for the task that lies ahead and hopefully having conquered this, the West Highland Way will be nae bother. Up on the top of Rowantree Hill the views were fantastic with Skelfhill Pen in one direction, Hislop Farm down in the valley behind, The Wisp, Ruberslaw and even Cheviot looming in the distance. But it was watching the weather which was just as big a challenge as the ground underfoot. Once again the black rain clouds circled round about us and we seemed to escape the worst. While we covered a fair distance, Pat's wee dog Talla covered three or four times as much and was once again great entertainment. Right along the top past the sheep stell and mast we battled on before heading down to Falnash. There, consensus of opinion was to leave the second loop up round the Henry Scott Riddell Monument for another day. Another good walk under our belt. Different, definitely challenging, but well worth the effort. Nothing beats being at the top of a hill, blowing away the cobwebs, knowing you have made it and it is all going to be in aid of a good cause. Thanks to all those who are following our walks and supporting us by dipping into your pockets. We really do appreciate it. The support we have received from so many people has been amazing and we are well on our way to making it to £2,000.

Teviothead pics

Two days in a row!

Yesterday morning (Saturday) things did not look very promising when we set off from a rain drenched Teviothead for Hawick. Plan was to get a bus to Jedburgh with a view to walking back to the auld toon along the Abbey Way. But, someone was obviously looking after us, as the first part of this 14 plus mile walk saw us get very little rain and allowed us to take in some cracking views across the rolling Border hills or farmland. This is a really enjoyable walk which takes you along tracks, through woods and up onto hillsides - a real mixture - enabling you to see for miles in all directions. Up past Todlaw, Merlin Dean wood and onto Blacklaw Hill before Ruberslaw dominated the skyline looking very wet but thankfully the rain seemed to circle round about us and we avoided it. From the top it was down towards Bedrule where a welcome seat at the war memorial was the perfect spot for lunch. The next stretch took us up past Spittal Tower before Denholm and a tea shop awaited us. Refuelled by cake and tea, the final stretch was a case of coats and leggings on, head down and along the riverside and back to Hawick as it was very wet. The river was in full flow and pretty dangerous looking and not surprinsingly we never met a soul! Having done this stretch before it was good to know the end was in the sight rather than rain at the start of the day. All in all a really good walk.

Jedburgh to Hawick pics

It's raining!

Well, must be getting near Wimbledon judging by the weather. Another wet day looks to be on the cards but that isn't going to stop our weekend challenge. Fuelled by chilli, lasagne, delicious puds and other goodies, which we would prefer to keep secret, we aim to do a couple of walks this weekend. Just so we can prove we aren't a one day wonder. Last night we had a logistics meeting to go over one or two plans for five weeks time! Yes it is getting that close. I think everything seems to be falling into place and everyone is getting quite excited. Today we are heading off to Jedburgh to walk back to Hawick via the Abbey Route. And tomorrow providing we have dried out, looks like it will be a Teviothead circular walk from Alan Brydon and Ian Landells' book. So can we have some sunshine please?
P.S. Ignore date and time on this blog, can't find way to correct it. It is actually Saturday June 23rd and it is 7.25.a.m.

Walk on the wet side!

Well, what can be said about this weekend's weather that would be printable. Saturday was really something else and not what you would expect in June. There was no planned training walk this weekend so it was left up to everyone to do their own thing. For this old girl, it was a hen weekend in Windermere and a very soggy walk up Loughrigg Fell. But one thing for sure, the waterproofs are pretty good! The paths were running like burns, and the burns overflowing but that didn't stop us splashing our way to the top and contemplating what the views would be like if only we could see them! Some interesting caves en route too. But good training, great fun and even left us with energy for the party games and night club later! Not that anyone would want to hear about that . So just to give you a wee flavour of how it can rain in the Lake District here are a few pics to tempt you all south sometime. Just make sure you pick a better day! At least it was dry for the indoor climbing wall the next day. No prizes for guessing which one is going to be the bride!

Pics from the Lakeside