Innerleithen to W. Linton (Baddinsgill Farm) 2 days

Weather today: Warm, overcast, occasionally sunny

Daily Miles Covered: 15.3

Total Miles Covered: 733.9

Things of Interest: The old drove road

Personal Comments: Leaving Peebles this morning I was apprehensive about the rights of way in Scotland. Today I had to plot a course over The Cloich Hills, as there are no public footpaths as such, I thought it was going to be a nightmare, wrong. I left the town by the A72 to climb towards the golf club. A foothpath sign said Upper Kidston, I thought it was my birthday. This is on my route. Further up the fellside another sign which read The old drove road to West Linton, I thought I had died and gone to heaven, this was perfection in route finding. I followed this all the way to Romannobridge, over some of the nicest scenery for some time. All day long I never saw a soul. The way which I had marked on the map last night, turned out to be the exact same route as the road, how coincidental is that?
There was no other way after R/bridge but to slog it out on a minor road to W. Linton, once there I saw Ross parked up. Because it was fine and sunny, I decided to press on for 3 extra miles, making less for tomorrow. At Baddinsgill, Ross picked me up and took me to the place where we were to spend the night, Broomlee Centre. We met Jackie and Shelagh who told us we could have a bed for the night, free showers, and they gave us mince and dumplings for tea, and for tomorrow's dinner, ham rolls, how kind is that. They say the Scots don't like the English, rubbish

Galashiels to Innerleithen

Weather today: Cloudy warm

Daily Miles Covered: 13.9

Total Miles Covered: 711.3

Things of Interest: The Three Bretheren

Personal Comments: Having stayed overnight on a car park in Gala. we were keen to set off. The day started misty but we were assured by locals it wouldn't rain. I found the continuation of The Southern Upland Way in the centre of Gala, so up we went. Ross and Kevin (Obby) were with us. The Borders are quite lovely with rolling hills everywhere you look, as you can tell this is my kind of country. Gaining height slowly, the views came along, and they were just as you would imagine in hill country. The light was quite flat so any photos would not do them justice today, but I still took a few.
The Three Bretheren is a hill where 3 county parishes meet, and at 464m. above sea level, today it was a little cool with a northerly breeze. The forests around here seem to stretch forever and beyond. We press on to Traquair, where there is a country house, legend states that a pair of gates called The Bear Gates have been locked since 1745 when the last person to pass through was Bonnie Prince Charlie, and will remain closed until there is a Stuart on the throne again, it could be some time!
2 miles down the road Innerleithen was waiting and so was Ross, we again settle for a space just out of town to spend the night.