Leeds to Kirk Yetholm – The start of the start

Well, the Pennine Way starts tomorrow, but today the walking was pretty good too. I had an early start from Leeds by train to Berwick upon Tweed, with a 5am alarm. Berwick was drizzly and cool. I had a 30 minute wait and then the 67 bus took me to Kelso, crossing over the Tweed estuary

And the Scottish border. The sign looks a bit tiddly in this photo! Too much Scotch.

I’ve walked down from John O’Groats to Kelso in 4 stages, covering nearly 600 miles, so for this stage I need to start from where I left off in Kelso. And it was raining again like last time. But it’s still a smart town.

This leg is 278 miles long from Kelso down to Edale in Derbyshire, along the top of the Pennine hills. It will be great. Today’s target was a B&B in Kirk Yetholm, the official start of the Way, and a shortish walk from Kelso of 9 miles. I filled up at Aldi on food and water (and chocolate) and my rucksack had gone up from 14 kgs to 18. I’m a bit uncomfortable with that weight but there’s no way round it as there isn’t a cottage, never mind a village, for the following two days. 

The River Tweed was back down to normal levels and the salmon fishermen were out again.

The route cuts south east up the Cheviot hills, and I followed a mountain track that was barely used by vehicles. 

The views opened up as I got higher, looking northwestward to the hills above Melrose and the further hills not too far from Glasgow.

Higher up the hills I spotted some raspberries in the hedgerow and they were ripe. Fantastic. I ate dozens and the sugar rush kept me going. 

And you held her in the shadows,                                                                                                                          Where the raspberries grow wild.

I quite quickly made it to Kirk Yetholm and am lazing, waiting for tomorrow. A big breakfast and a long twenty mile uphill slog and camp in the wild. And the weather forecast is rain. I can’t complain. I’m lucky, me.

Night night.