Borders Backpacking, Moffat – Peebles Day 3

Like wot I said in the post before this one (can’t spell prevouis) – we had to get up early to make sure that Louise and Laura could catch their bus. We wanted to get to Peebles by three-ish.
We also straightened the route out a bit and reduced the number of uphill contours by a bit. Whether or not this made much difference in the end is debateable.

Any road up, we set off around half seven, through lambing fields with new lambs and up along the Southern Upland Way to Blackhouse Tower, once belonging to Black Douglas, fifteenth century mosstrooper, reiver and provider of quality coals and fuels. Everybody had three jobs in those days.
Then we plunged upwards into the forestry, getting only slightly lost on the way and selecting a path which, according to the number of paths we came across, should have been “Path One”, but was more probably “Path Two”. At a certain point, or , rather, an uncertain point, this path did a right turn and hurtled off with tussocks uphill, popping out of the forest a little way West of Path 2 and a long way east of Path 1. All good clean fun so far.

Next was the heathery moor which brought us to Path 1 and it’s clear line – a rising traverse across the moors towards Birkscairn Hill. Moffpeeblers swam through the snow on this path last April, in fact. May are still having nightmares about it and several have not been seen since, other than by their community mental health workers.
As for us, we marched well behind Alan who was intent on nobody missing their bus.

At the top, we eschewed a bagging of Birkscairn Hill and plunged off through more deep heather into the yawning depths of the very lovely Glen Sax where a bloke was setting fire to forest brash and sitting about a lot in the warm sun.
We arrived in Peebles before three o’clock – in plenty of time for a coffee/ and/or a wee and for those who needed to catch a bus could catch a bus. I hope it turned up….

me and Judith and Alan went to Moffat in the Knipemobile to collect abandoned vehicles.
It was all over.
I must say that this was all very enjoyable (apart from some of the tussocks and the slug in my mug). We had a fine ridge to walk on, lovely, mainly sunny weather, excellent company, no wobblers, no unpleasant incidents leading to unplanned surgery and a lot more knowledge about where to camp.
On day 3, we did 12 miles and 2000 feet (according to me – other measurers will charge more , or less. ) 37 – or, maybe, 38 miles altogether.  Good stuff for those embarking on TGO challenges next month.