“Throw away your boots, Dave – trainers are made for running and you need to run” says Roger
Date: 20th June 2011

Have just covered 20 mountainous miles from Leadhills to Moffat. The only way to do it was using the Roger Clarke Insanity Technique – walk fast up hills, & run very fast down them. To do this you need to get out of boots and into trainers. “Boots are made for walking and that’s passé”, says Roger. We completed the journey two hours faster than expected, and hardly a leg was lost.

A Scottish radar

Crossing the first border

Last night, at the Hopetoun Arms in Leadhills we came across a qualified gold prospector and his wife. His plan – to find enough gold in the hills hereabouts to make his wife a gold wedding ring. What could be more romantic! Good luck to them. Today they’re back home in Bicester (Gold Prospector of Bicester… if you read this send us a photo please!)

The weather has been brilliant, and the views along the Southern Upland Way and over the Lowther Hills were just magnificent. Thank you Scotland.

Dave Shaw along the Southern Upland Way

Dave Shaw in Wanlockhead - the highest village in Scotland

Our landlady in Moffat has confiscated our trainers – under the pretext of cleaning them…and drying them…and saving her carpets…

David K has spent the day visiting Traquair House - the oldest inhabited house in Scotland and birthplace of King James I of England & King James VI of England. The House also brews its own beers. Could this have been the real reason for David’s visit?

Traquair House

On the way to Traquair, David walked up to a suitable viewpoint to see the Grey Mares Tail waterfall and its 200ft fall of water – very spectacular after yesterday’s rain.

Grey Mares Tail Traquair

And so to bed…after one more celebratory drink…

Today’s “enjoyment colour” on our Silent Monitor: A perfect White. The best day’s walking so far.

It's Tuesday evening, 21st, and we're safely on schedule, nearly 60 miles now from our starting point in New Lanark.
Date: 21st June 2011

Weather today has been mixed - started dry, then heavy rain, then a bit of sun & now it's raining again.and it's cold north of the border.

Setting off into the mists above Moffat.

Like most new relationships, the Annandale Way Long Distance Path promised so much in the early stages, but eventually failed to deliver - we parted company, and it wasn't of our choosing. However being inventive soles (a training shoe joke!) we struck up a close friendship with another path that led us safely to Lochmaben, where we are now sat having a drink (or two) in the Crown Hotel.

Road to Saltaire

The Devil's Beef Tub is at the northern end of the Annandale Way. It's a big hole in the ground, and , David went to look into it. "Not at its best because of the misty conditions."

The Devil's Beef Tub near Moffat

Shaw on Shaw Bridge

Our thoughts are turning to tomorrow's walk - a long leg down to Gretna , and how best to get there? Answer: see tomorrow's blog. PS: Notwithstanding the rumours, we have no plans to elope when we get to Gretna.

Otters have been spotted on a tributary of the River Annon, and buzzards have also been seen locally - but unfortunately no sightings today.

Rare shot of a haggis emerging from hibernation!

Several pairs of foxgloves!

Today's "enjoyment colour" on our Silent Monitor: A perfect White for the start of the day - a wonderful breakfast, and kind hospitality from Pauline & Trevor Menzies at the Dell-Mar B & B in Moffat - highly recommended. And they presented us with our trainers cleaned and dried ready for a new day. For the day's walking; almost black, thanks to rain and an absence of the waymarks along the Annandale Long Distance Pathway - but redeemed to blue thanks to the family of deer that let us share their forest as we walked south.

The best B&B so far.