Rest days are really important. They give my legs a chance to have a pause, but also give me time to catch up with all the other aspects of life that have been waiting to rush in as soon as the walking stops. So today I've been doing choir and tour admin for most of the morning, and then some waterproofing maintenance on my boots and cagoule, as the forecast for the next fortnight is not especially encouraging. And for those who've been sending me helpful washing tips, all the laundry's done too!
But we've also had the chance to look at Peebles, which is a charming small town. It has a greengrocer and a fishmonger on the high street, which in itself feels like something special. A number of friendly independent cafes, and the pinnacle was the most amazing chocolate shop, CocoaBlack. We tried their take on a Jaffa Cake. Wow.
I loved the estate agent's window where we could have made enquiries about purchasing a house plot, a woodland, a field on which we could have built a small housing estate, and my favourite, a wind turbine site.
The church is a wonderful space, with an extraordinary wooden walkway built to allow flat access. Inside I could immediately imagine doing a concert there, with the wide pews and the balcony. Then even better, I spotted that the choir stalls' kneelers were all beautifully embroidered with old hymn tunes.
And outside the town we went to have a look at Dawyck (pronounced Doik) Botanic Garden. It comes under the aegis of the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, and is home to one of Scotland's finest tree collections. We dodged the rain for a bit, and admired the arboretum, and also enjoyed that the car park had an EV charger. Having an electric car means that you have to be a bit like the Duke of Wellington with a toilet. I'll leave that with you.
Coming back into town I took a closer look at the giant pencils at the side of the road. There was nothing visible to explain their presence. According to Peeblesshire news online they appear to have been suggested by a local primary school as a traffic calming measure. Certainly eye catching.
Business as usual tomorrow, out over the Cross Borders Drove Road in the morning.
What a beautiful church and lovely kneelers!
Everything looks so lush and green - a small compensation for trudging through the rain perhaps? Thoroughly looking forward to the midge reports and accompanying evidence of the helmet - can't be long now! xx
Scotland Day 3 shows a lovely photo of you and David. However, today you're having a well deserved rest in Peebles. I'm intrigued by the pencils! As Robert is from Hexham in Northumberland some of the place names are familiar to me and bring back some happy memories. You're visiting places which are steeped in history, and despite the rain the photos are full of interest and beauty. The Scottish snail has a particularly attractive shell and i love the little rabbit. I agree with you that when in Scotland one has to sample the Haggis, but I would prefer to eat some of the other delicacies. Your breakfast, which included spiced porridge sounded tasty.
Your blog is usually the…
I seem to remember we we brought rucksack rain covers in Peebles and our anti-rain charm. Loved the kneelers! Pencils whacky and wonderful. Enjoy the drove road! Imagine walking AND herding 2000 head of cattle at the same time!