Set off with Martyn from Gretna this morning, and had a very pleasant 88 miles on quiet roads in the Borders. The car traffic vanished almost as soon as we left the ‘First and Last House’ (includes a room where 10,000 marriages have been performed…) behind us. For the next sixty miles we encountered more cattle grids than cars!
Our route took us on winding back roads towards the Ettrick valley, skirting round to the west of Canonbie, under threat from unconventional gas developments.
Sights of note included the Tibetean Monastery at Samye Ling, and the seismic monitoring station at Eskdalemuir. Apparently this monitoring station is so sensitive that many wind energy projects in the Borders have been put on hold in case they make too much noise. So we cycled very quietly past it.
Though quiet, the roads were very smooth. Many have been resurfaced as part of the ‘Strategic Timber Transport Project’. One hopes the strategic timber isn’t all going to the big biomass plant we saw near Gretna!
A well-deserved cup of tea in Peebles, then a quick cycle home to rest the legs and eat lots in anticipation of another day in the saddle tomorrow, heading to Crianlarich.
things that might have been otherwise 