Saturday 2^nd September - Langdon Beck to Broadmeadows (nr Selkirk)

Rain from start and had to make a premature stop simply to warm up at Alderdale-Head where I ate two slices of very nice apple pie accompanied by two hot chocolates. Met a pair of mountain bikers there who were heading towards Newcastle who were doing the C2C route. I crossed Haydon Bridge and continued in the drizzle towards Hadrian’s Wall, but before I reached it, I had to seek the shelter of a pub and ordered a pot of tea to warm up and dry out a little. Crossed the wall, but did not notice much through the mist in the way of Roman remains.

From Bellingham I started on a small road up into Keilder Water and forest. Needed to stop for lunch, but found it too cold and wet to hang around for long at the picnic site, so carried on till I found a café by the waterside. Was so cold I made a beeline for an electric heater and plied myself with hot chocolates before I got warm again, found the hand driers in the toilets indispensable for a quick warming effect and drying of the soggy gloves.

Made steady progress into Wauchope Forest and finally to the border of Scotland, took a quick photo and was glad to see the sun again climbing the first of the Scottish hills. There were progressions of long hauls out of Hawick, until I finally dropped into Selkirk, before following the windy B-road by nightfall to the hostel. Having not checked the exact location, I felt put out when Broadmeadows Hostel did not appear on the roadside as I had hoped. Instead I saw a small sign appear in the gloom “Footpath to Hostel” . Following this with some hope it I would soon be in the warm and dry, the little single track path wound steeply up through some woods. At 3 occasions little tree mounted signs appeared advertising Broadmeadmows Hostel, raising my hopes that I would soon be there. After what seemed like an eternity, I broke out into a grassy clearing with the hostel at the top. Head torches were flashing around in the night and a yell came down from the warden who had been looking out for me! The kind warden prepared me a much needed basic meal of chicken noodles and tea. I needed a hot shower to get warm again.

    Distance: 103 miles.

The roads were tough and wet!

Into Scotland and Wauchope forest