P.W. Day15- Bellingham to Byrness 15 miles

  I slept in till later than I'd planned safe in the knowledge that I had under fifteen miles to walk and the book suggests its considerably easier than the day before. It stated that it would take from eight to nine hours to walk it.
  The initial climb out of the valley is draining but I finally allowed myself to listen to another Dick Francis and the story swept me away. I found my labored feet matching the pace of the novel and my body begin to enjoy the day. The day is a simple one, first stretching through knee length heather and then up a steep slope along the wall and the edge of Redesdale Forest. Your reward for this climb is boggy moors and nothing but a wire fence to guide you through the marsh. Nothing but stubborn determination and dangerous leaps kept my boots dry.

   The woods provide firmer ground as you follow a dirt track north. At first the landscape looks like its been ravished, more resembling a war zone than the scenic views I'd expected. This entire section is heavily used by loggers and on a number of occasions I was forced to the side my transiting machinery and logging trucks.
  Things became prettier once you pass the Blakehopeburn Car Park and turn left to follow the stream up to the Border Forest Caravan Site. You approach it from behind and I ended up wondering backwards and forwards trying to find the reception for close to twenty minutes. A sour looking lady with a dog finally informed me on the correct route and I payed up and was gratefully able to do some laundry for the first time in a week. I phoned from the car park to check before booking in. This left me with nothing to wear but a t-shirt and my rain trousers.
  With this stylish ensemble in tow I walked the mile into town to stop into the Forest Viewer Walkers Accommodation to buy snacks for the following day. Its a rather wonderful little cupboard shop in the hallway where he notes what you've had and adds it up on a calculator.  I drunk some tea and wondered back to the camp as night fell.
  It was easy to fall asleep with the knowledge that I'd be waking up at six the next day to attack the monster of a walk to Kirk Yetholm. 28 miles in a single day. I was just a little excited.