Another idyllic home

I rode through the afternoon yesterday, finally crossing the border into Scotland. And as I crossed the weather suddenly became ... well, a lot more Scottish. Throughout the afternoon we had a variety of experiences: heavy rain, light rain, drizzle, stinging rain, blowy rain and steady rain.

I'd intended to visit the Abbeys at Kelso and Melrose, which have important links with the stories of Cuthbert and the Northumbrian church. Unfortunately Kelso Abbey is currently closed because of dangerous stonework problems, and Melrose (also closed by the time I arrived) is covered in scaffolding because of similar issues. I decided to press on towards Edinburgh and visit the Abbeys another time. 

Just outside Peebles I started praying for a good spot to camp, and within a few miles find myself here (the field in the photo). A babbling burn, a stone bridge, a break in the rain long enough to get the tent up - what's not to like? 

Of course, soon after I took that photo the clouds remembered that they were over Scotland and started blessing the earth generously again. I retreated into the tent and spent a snug night sleeping to the sound of pattering raindrops and the chattering stream.

///heightens.marathon.country