Day 10, Durham to Melrose (Scotland) - 90 miles

Cumulative - 744 miles. Bum ratings : Miles 4, Paul 4 (Paul had bad knee rating instead). Fantastic but long day taking in Hadrian's Wall, the Northumberland Moors, Kielder Water and Forest and the Scottish Borders.

Starting off at Caroline's outside Durham, both her and Ed accompanied us the first few miles - although at the first hill Caroline firmly states "I don't do hills !" - so that was that.

The above looks like a rugby front row - a hooker in between two props !
This is Paul climbing out of the valley up to Hadrian's Wall. Some bits of the wall left. The Romans did a fine job in keeping the Scots out of England - a shame we can't rebuilt it !
This is us leaving England over the rather bleak but beautiful moors.
This is us invading Scotland on our trusty steeds. Two things you notice immediately ; firstly you go from bleak moors to rolling wooded and ferned hills and secondly Scottish roads are rubbish ! Never seens so many potholes, bad repair works, worn out surface and their speciality - sunken drain covers - by at least a foot. Don't know if their government spends all the money on hospitals as it has been argued (the Scots I suppose do need more hospitals than most - we have seen so many smokers on the streets and fat products in the shops) or that the highway workers are all on Special Brew for elevenses.


Here we are at the top of the Boarders where the roads were very good, (we must have done these ones) only sheep using them. Finally the weather broke and from here on in it was glorious sunshine.