Perth to Langholm

 Perth to Edinburgh Tuesday

What a difference a day makes! The gloom and despondency of yesterday disappeared as soon as the sunshine appeared. The concern over my electrical issue was still playing on my mind but the weather helped dissipate that. I met a couple of local cyclists heading in the same direction as me who stopped to offer words of encouragement, well I think that’s what they said? 

A siting of 2 hares loping across a field  made me realise how different the landscape now was in comparison to a few days ago. A long climb out of Perth and a road closure meant that I was considering looking for somewhere to recharge but the long downhill into Cowdenbeath prevented this. And then … karma… as I was about to cross the Firth of Forth , I spotted Ryan’s Bike Clinic, a small bike shop , run by Ryan!

 I explained my problem to him and lo and behold he produced the very spare part that I needed! He didn’t even charge me for fitting it So let’s hear it for Ryan,,, and to highlight the day further there was an axe throwing bar opposite Ryan’s shop! I did wonder whether he popped across during his lunch hours?

Crossing the Firth of Forth was like crossing the Severn Bridge only less traffic! Skirting round the west of  Edinburgh I eventually found my accommodation for the night, The Riccarton Inn. A pint, a bowl of Cullen Skink and it was bed time! 

Edinburgh to Melrose Wednesday

Refreshed, despite the people in the next door to  me attempting to hack their way into my room through their cupboard at 2 am, I left early in the Hope of dodging the rush hour traffic round Edinburgh  I timed it badly so the ring roads out of the city were busy with commuter traffic. Eventually the housing estates gave way to rolling hills and fields of rape seed  My route ran parallel to the main A7  along the Gala Water valley so the cycling was nice and easy. I stopped for coffee in a little village called Stow and as I left the rain started .A couple of showers later the sun reappeared so another stop to adjust my luggage and clothing and time for refuelling!

 Shortly after , I arrived in Galashiels, a bustling market town which is the commercial centre for the Borders area of Scotland and once famed for its textile industry. A short stones throw down the road was my hotel for the night, The Waverley Castle, a splendid 70 bedroom Victorian mansion set in its own parkland grounds. 

It was like stepping back in time and even better was I’d been upgraded to a Superior room, which meant I got biscuits with the tea and coffee in my room! I spent the early part of the evening in the hotel bar talking to a retired ship builder and his wife from Ulverston who were having a short break away from the bustle of the Lake District?! My day ended with food, a glass of wine and bed having planned tomorrow’s ride and booked my accommodation. It’s a simple life on the road! 

Melrose to Langholm Thursday

Breakfast was eaten in the company of the Malta Rugby Sevens team who were in town for a competition  Melrose apparently was where 7’s was invented. 

My route today took me on NCR 1 which ran alongside the River Tweed for a while  The sun shone and the cycling was nice and easy following the valleys south towards Eskdalemuir. A short climb out of Selkirk, an old mill town which reminded me of the mill towns of Yorkshire, and I was out into the rolling hills  of  the Borders. Sheep grazing in fields and and forest plantations were my company for a good few miles, scarcely populated with the occasional farm. The road which climbs its way up through Eskdalemuir Forest eventually comes down and provided me with about 7km of free wheeling at high speed, which took me out of the Borders and into Dumfries and Galloway. 

At this point I came across The Sanmyeling Tibetan Buddhist Temple. Opened in 1967 it provides a place of retreat and for Buddhist training. I had a wander round but saw no one and the only sounds wee from the sounds were from the prayer wheels turning. I must have done something in a former life and perhaps it was the wasp that I had killed in my shower the day before, but on leaving this place of tranquillity, the heavens opened and for the last 15 miles of the ride , I got a thorough soaking! 

I arrived at the Eskdale Hotel in Langholm like a drowned rat and dripped all over the reception area. I humped all my gear up to my room and turned on the radiator and the towel rail in the hope that by the morning , it’ll all be dry ready for Friday!