Day 45 Byrness to Jedburgh

Today was set to be a huge milestone as I was to complete my journey through England and venture into Scotland. Once again the weather God was looking down on me favourably as I set off through the thick pine forest of Redesdale. Extremely steep slopes made a slow progress but the sun filtering through to the five foot high ferns certainly made a pretty scenery whilst I was toiling away. Once above the treeline the views were terrific, over Kielder Water in the West and the Cheviots Hills to the East. Nice undulating journey across the plateau, if a tag breezy on the higher hills (ominously one was called Windy Crag) - at one point I actually thought that although I was totally alone up here I certainly wasn't lonely. Skylarks and LBJ's (Little Brown Jobbies ie a description to cover the multitude of smaller birds that are everywhere and are too quick to identify what they actually are!) were singing - the two words could hardly be further apart in meaning. Before reaching the all - important border fence, England still had a couple of last ditch attempts to get my running shoes muddy and wet. And then, there it was...the border, but to be honest it was a real disappointment - a rickety old wooden gate propped up on a pole with no sign at all that I had just entered another country; no "Welcome to Scotland" or "Goodbye England" . More undulating moorland to be negotiated before I said farewell to the Pennine Way. I has really enjoyed the highs and lows (physical as well as emotional) over the past ten or so days and if I'm honest it didn't feel quite right to be ducking out so close to the finish of the whole footpath - after all, I had done over 270 miles on it from Edale and the finish was Kirk Yelthom less than 15 miles away but this would take me too far East. So I picked up another ancient Roman road ; Dere Street and followed this around the side of the hills, another adrenaline rush bit as the track I was on was no more than two foot wide with a drop to the left right down to the bottom of the valley, basically a mini running track around the hillside. Dere Street continued, as it should do, in an almost straight line (and mostly downhill) on grass for several miles before dropping steeply to a quiet lane. After walking up this, it then continued over undulating hills and past relics of bygone eras before hitting a flinty lane and veering North West along a road. I couldn't really go wrong on this route.

Suddenly I was away from the heather and moorland that have dominated my surroundings over the last couple of weeks and back in town where fields of cereals and rape seed, making lovely sounds and visuals blowing in the wind. Leaving Dere Street, at least for today, I headed along an undulating country lane, daring to run on it for the first time in around a week and whilst I am still limping on my right leg the good news was that there was no pain. It was a tremendous surprise to see my overnight accommodation - after staying in Youth Hostel for the most of the last 2 - 3 weeks I was now in 4 star luxury... lovely!

Walked down to Jedburgh Abbey and Mary Queen of Scots house. By the way, there is a set of bathroom scales here and it's amazing how much weight I have lost (didn't actually think I had anywhere to lose it from) - originally set out at 9 st 2 lbs buy tonight I weigh 8 st 6 lbs - no wonder my jeans didn't fit me when Tricia brought them up to Earby!

Mileage 20.16 Time 5.02