Byrness to Cocklawfoot

It was lashing rain when we arrived at Forest View and it lashed all night and into the morning. I started late because I lost a buckle off my rucksack and spent some time scouring the place before I found it on the floor of the drying room.

The first bit of the PW from Byrness to the top of the hill is a killer - 45 degrees, wet, slippery and some of it is on your hands and knees. Having said that, once you get to the top, it's a lovely walk over hill and dale. The guys caught me up and we passed each other on and off all day. They stopped often to consult their map and guide book and then waited for me to catch up to ask me what the Satmap said!!

Paul assuming his usual position with the map

All around us we could hear booms and bangs from the army manoeuvres at Byrness range and we were in no doubt as to where we were:

A brew in the first hut

The guys were going back to Forest View for the night and had arranged to meet Joyce at 5pm so she could drive them back. I had arranged to be met at Cocklawfoot by Marilyn from the Farmhouse at Kirk Yetholm Mill B&B and I said I would call her when I got to the turn off. Every time I mentioned Cocklawfoot at Forest View, Joyce would laugh and there would be a sharp intake of breath so I didn't know quite what to expect. It was actually a 2.3 mile track downhill and it took me exactly 51 minutes to walk it down to the bottom. It was quite a nice end to the day. What was even nicer was that instead of Marilyn coming to meet me, it was my darling Roy and it was so good to see him after nearly three weeks apart. We drove to Kirk Yetholm and had a fantastic meal cooked by Marilyn. Our room had a jacuzzi which was a fantastic treatment for those aching bones.