July 25+26 Lauder+Longformacus (Duns)

To recommence the Southern Upland Way, one crosses the Chain Bridge (photo taken when about 2/3 across, so you see, it is really quite long):

which spans the River Tweed:

A VVP (very visible path):

There was an arrow pointing to these here woods, which were very very dark, as in night, except the flash deprives the viewer of that reality:

Turns out that that woodland caper was a circle.  Sometimes it is hard to read the signs.  A couple of days ago, for example, an arrow pointed directly across a field, but, no, you really had to turn sharp, as in 90 degrees, right.

Anyway, got to Black Bull Hotel at 11:00 a.m.; bags had arrived and lady let me check in.  How nice is that!  This Black Bull is not like other Black Bulls, and there area many.  In fact tomorrow, I stay at a hostelry, also called the Black Bull.  This one is elegant, but with one odd feature: the only window is a skylight, which is a bit disconcerting.   But the room is spacious, the bed luxurious, and it is quiet.

Made a cup of tea and took out my supplies to have a little lunch when all of a sudden, OH, NO, my temporary bridge has become unstuck! Immediately search on web for dentist, and do find a clinic in the town where I will be staying tomorrow.  They can see me at 3:10.  This means that hellish walk through moors must be commenced especially early so that prearranged transportation can pick me up in time to make appointment.

E-mail to Suzie to contact dentist in New Haven frantically sent, reply received, instructions to local dentist in hand, so off I went to visit Thirlestane Castle.  On the way, passed a pony patiently tolerating a swarm of flies around its face:

I think maybe I am done with castles and Houses and gardens for a while!  But anyway, tell me this isn't a silly hat that the colonel viscount is wearing:

Would a bookstand so large and ornate as this hold a tome other than a Bible?

Here is Bonnie Prince Charlie's wee bed:

And, his room being en suite, his wee toilet:

And his wee tub:

In case all the relatives could not make it to dinner, they, being deceased or absent for reasons we do not know, could at least adorn every inch of wall space:

Next morning, out the door at 5:45 with determination in every step.  Fears for this stage not unwarranted. "Diligence is required to stay on the correct line of the route." and  "...As these moors are so featureless and windswept this section demands respect, particularly in poor weather conditions." Weather turned out to be perfect, respect was given to the moors, and no wrong turns taken.  However, Bob, the taxi driver, who was to pick me up in Longformacus to take me to Duns could not be reached as there was no phone signal, and there is not a single commercial establishment in Longformacus from which to get help.  Phone in phone booth does not work; there is a bus stop, but no bus.  Do the only sensible thing: flag down a passing car, should one come. And wouldn't you know it, after a few minutes, one did! Debbie and Louie, who were headed to Duns, took pity on my plight and took me with them.  Bob was a pain to deal with anyway, and I would have had to wait two hours for him.  My lucky day! 

Featureless landscape...with sheep:

Bridge with stone steps:

I am not sure what all the hoo-haw was about the difficulty....OK, there was one section that was daunting, but at least one did not have to make one's way through grass and stuff like this as this very one had to do on the first half of the walk:

There are two famous cairns en route.  Legend has it that they represent two brothers, separated at birth, who fought on opposing sides of a war and killed each other.  (Is there is a moral to that tale?)

The brother cairn looks, again, like the 18th/13th century impulse to add or block up windows, only in this case, it is a door.....unless the other one had a door and it was blocked up, and we left not knowing which is the original construction:

Example of VVP (very visible path):

Due to generosity of Debbie and Louie, I made it to my dental appointment with time to spare.  Dentist, Paul Dunmore, cemented in the bridge (cost £30), and all that remains to be seen is a) whether it holds and b) if it holds too well, Dr. Fantarella will have to take a saw to it and make me another!  I am so high maintenance!