I met with the same Americans I’d met on the Pennine way who were also staying at Forest View Walkers Inn. They were going on to complete the Pennine way whereas I was heading to Jedburgh.
It looked another showery day but my path was leading me through woods so I was hopeful of shelter.
My path also led me through thick waist high bracken still damp from yesterday’s rain . I came across Spitholme bothy, A bothy is a small hut which provides shelter for walkers. They are free and maintainned by volunteers. They have a wood-burning stove, kettles, bunks, and a spade for digging a latrine hole.
I didn’t have time to experiment with any of these and climbed up, out of the woods and across the border into Scotland. Wheree the sun promptly started to shine.
I then set off to follow an old drover’s track towards Jedburgh. As I meandered down it I was waylaid by a farmer on his tractor. He was interested in where I was going as he’d several walkers asking about the drover’s track. Apparently there is a volunteer group in Scotland who are mapping these. It also turned out his family had owned the land where I’d walked in the morning and he could remember the bothe ‘afore it was a bothe” .
I continued on to Jedburgh which was very lively as it was the start of their beating the bounds festival where they ride round the town boundaries and there is lots of eating and drinking.
Getting a meal there in the evening was a bit tricky as it was crowded but a fish and chip supper later I was tucked up in bed.