From: Innerleithen to Peebles
Distance: 7m / 11km
Cumulated distance: 817m / 1315km
Percentage completed: 69.1
It was a leisurely stroll of 7 miles this morning, to take us from the very comfortable Traquair House to the small town of Peebles. My husband suggested, from afar, that to make up for the short distance, we should push Tigger and Ilse’s car to Peebles. Ha ha.
Breakfast was a very civilised affair, sitting among the Meissen and Limoges, with family portraits from centuries past looking piously down upon us. Out of the window we overlooked the maze .. it would have been easy to direct lost maze walkers from this vantage point. Traquair House has a very interesting history and I should love to return, with ample time to explore the house, walk around the gardens and sample the wares of the brewery. As we walked out of the front gate we noticed a couple of day-trippers looking curiously at Tigger .. I think they thought he was the Laird!
A very civilised breakfast
Vantage point of the maze
Fresh flowers everywhere in the house
The walk followed the gently winding River Tweed using the route of a disused railway track. Once again there were people fishing .. for greyling and trout today. All along the way there were reminders of when the train service was still going strong .. sheds for the engines, remnants of a dismantled bridge lying on the riverbed, the site where once a halt was built and an old station.
Verdant grass along the way
The route took us via the little settlement of Cardrona. There’s a beautiful ski resort in the south island of New Zealand by the same name and I imagined this was the inspiration for the name, as so many Scots left their homeland for the Antipodes. However, it turns out that the Scottish farmer, philanthropist and entrepreneur Tom Renwick, actually built the greater part of the ‘community village’ as recently as 1999. It certainly had a look of an upmarket Port Sunlight, the village created by the Quaker Lord Sunlight, close to Liverpool.
On the edge of the village we came across the old railway station which has been converted into a delightfully quirky little cafe, called Naffy’s. It serves a terrific cup of coffee.
Nashy’s Coffee House
Paraphernalia from the station around the cafe
Not dissimilar to the ‘practice stiles’ that I’ve come across along the way, today found us several ‘practice podiums’ for use should we ever win an Olympic medal. I suspect they were originally something to do with the train service but if you have a better idea please do let me know.
Gold, silver and bronze
Something I would have walked straight past had I been on my own, were the old posts for barbed wire fencing. Tigger pointed them out. You just need a winch to tighten the lines of wire between the posts. That way you can avoid gouging your fingers. Quite ingenious and quite beautiful too.
Old style barbed wire fence
Peebles is nestled in an area of outstanding beauty and straddles the River Tweed. It’s a market town and exceptionally pretty. Its name means ‘a place where tents are pitched’. It was clear as we walked down the high street that this is a town with character. Indeed, it’s ranked as the top Independent Retailing Town in Scotland, and second in the UK .. with virtually no shops belonging to a chain.
It’s not so much the shops I’m interested in though. Peebles has a tiny museum dedicated to John Buchan, the author of one of my favourite books, which was made into one of my favourite films. ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’ was a spy thriller set between the wars, starring the dashing South African protagonist, Richard Hannay. Hitchcock saw the value in the book first and most recently the Spooks actor, Rupert Penry Jones, starred in the third remake. But the best version by a country mile was the one made starring Robert Powell and John Mills in 1978. I could watch it over and over again .. and in fact have done. Give yourself a treat and buy a second-hand cd from Amazon. Settle down with a box of maltesers and enjoy! You won’t be disappointed.
Black Dog Tails
Jet was the amazing black dog who ever quick on his paws, pushed the pram out of the way of an out of control car, saving the baby asleep inside.
Private – official medical advice communication
Having conferred with senior medical practioneers (the likes of Dr Little Red, Dr Vish, Dr Tigger, Herr Doktor Drs AC & Ford etc), and having sent our emergency call-out expert Dr Atkins to provide bedside assistance, it is the considered opinion of all the experts that your ‘throat tickle’ is taken best care of by constant application of antiseptic agents. Furthermore, considering the terrain and geography you currently find yourself in, this is best achieved by regular doses of the finest Scottish whisky which should be found in plentiful supplies. As to dosage, Dr Atkins will advise. Be warned that overdose may lead to impaired map-reading. Here’s to your good health.
At last! I can drink my hot toddies without guilt!! Dr Atkins has offered to take over the map-reading so that I can take advantage of the plentiful supplies here in Bonny Scotland. xx
Hello darling Jules…the 39 steps was my all time favourite book too but I must disagree with you on the film….i adore Robert Powell but the best version was Kenneth More. I must have watched this version more than the rest! Peebles Hydro i know only too well having spent Xmas and New Year there every year ad a child! Och the nu! X
Well, I’ll just have to watch them both again! Hand over the maltesers! xx
Dear Jules, It feels like I have not been looking for a few days and you have raced ahead- never missing a moment to pause and capture a still-life! such beautiful landscape, thank you for sharing the pictures with your city-bound friends.
I read a comment about buying the book- Will there be a book? please?!
BTW-I always thought you were a black lab magnet, now I know you are. Lots of love, Amely
Thank you, Amely! I rather think it’s the other way round .. the black labs attract me!! xx
Traquair House looks an absolute gem and what a rare occurrence to see no shop chains – hurrah! Glad your day wasn’t punishing. Lots of love xx
Peebles is right up your street, Frannie! Well, except for the menu at the local pub. I took a photo and texted it to you. xx
Thought I was the laird? Understandable, of course. It must be the air of majesterial dignity.
Or not
There always was something lordly about you, Tigger .. and not just when you’ve had a couple too many!
The red gaiters of course. Or the distinguished mandevu? Or the rich cultural wit and intellect? (That’s enough reaons, Ed) (who let a talking horse in here??)
Maltesers! Just the thing – remembering our time in Sydney recently watching our very royal movie.Talking of Royals, where will you be for the Royal wedding??
I remember it well! It’s my sister’s birthday and we’ll be walking together at the start of the West Highland Way. Will have to make do with the highlights in the evening! Enjoy ..
We also stopped at Nashy’s ‘station’ cafe for a reviving coffee last week. In Peebles we stayed in Wetherspoon’s [The Cross Keys] rather than The Hydro. Hope you went upmarket.
We followed a John Buchan Way out of Peebles, there were more than 39 steps. This is a beautiful area.
Our route onwards to the start of the West Highland Way then picked up the Clyde Walkway which turned out to be surprisingly rural right into Glasgow.
Best of luck with your continued journey, I’m home now so can follow you in comfort.
I’ve been bowled over by how pretty the area is and how friendly its people are. I will try and pick up the John Buchan Way tomorrow as I leave, even if it means climbing multiple 39 steps! I plumped for the Tontine Hotel and a physio for a massage .. just the ticket. Thanks for your message, John
Hi Jules, I’ve finally found a minute to sit down and say how much I enjoyed being just a little part of your great adventure last week. It seems ages ago now that we were enjoying a cup of tea and a slice of cake at Beggarbog! It was so great to catch up and spend time with you at the same time as walking a part of the country I haven’t been to before. We had the most wonderful weather in the Lake District – and Simon managed to do some mild walking – easy after the up and down of Hadrian’s Wall! Will be following you all the way! xxxxx
Loved that version of 39 steps – had abit of a crush on robert Powell after that! Have a lovely day Xx
Lord Tigger might just like to keep quiet the 8 course banquet he once threw where the chef (who shall remain nameless) discovered, when she came to serve the main roast course, that she had forgotten to turn on the oven! Ah well, by that stage the guests were fortunately sufficiently inebriated not to care!
Misremembered by many, I believe .. your sister in law claims the oven was on but the raw lamb was sitting on the side!
Haha, I guess she would know!
Two and a half pence penalty for snoring…! I remember Rhodesia used to have a 2 1/2 penny coin… it was called a “tickey”… do you know if the same name was used in UK?
Think it was a thruppenny piece, actually!
Jules my friend , was going to pack extra tissues and the magical Betadine sore throat gargle , but after reading previous comments I have to agree with the very experienced Doctor Livingston 🙂 …a daily dose of high quality single malt whisky will cure your throat infection , I do pray you won’t have lost your voice by the 26th of May ! You are doing soooo well xox
I had a very unpleasant experience camping at Peebles, you couldn’t make it up – from my journal:
There were a few tents in my area and one in particular about thirty yards away. At about 11:00pm two youths, who I never saw, arrived back at this tent in a car. Immediately they were shouting at each other obviously in the middle of a massive fallout. One was doing most of the shouting directing revolting language at the other and I would say that he was definitely
psychopathic. It seems that they were on an annual coarse fishing trip (they had been the year before), and the shouter was saying that he was fed up and wanted to go home, and that the other never listened to him,and that everybody hated him including the American they had met that day, and that the shouter was the only friend he had got. It is difficult to
remember the hurtful words that were used, but the denigration of one friend by another was positively evil and revoltingly malicious. At one stage I think they actually came to blows. All this went on for about an hour until the shouter started to engineer some kind of sentimental reconciliation, and eventually things settled down. Unfortunately the diatribe had been so evil that it left me in a very disturbed state of mind, and I drifted in and out of sleep having some kind of mini nightmares influenced by the unpleasantness that I had listened to.”
I hope it hasn’t reawakened unpleasant memories for you, Conrad.