FLODDEN TO SELKIRK SPONSORED WALK. (August 31, 2010)
WE MET AT THE WATERLOO ON FRI THE 27TH AT 8.30 AM. AGNES HAD MADE ALL THE WALKERS BACON AND SAUSAGE ROLLS, MANY THANKS AGNES, YOUR A STAR!. WE ALL PILED IN THE MINI BUS WHICH WAS KINDLY DONATED FOR THE WALK BY LONGRIDGE TOWERS SCHOOL.
KENNY "LAD" HALL WAS AT THE WHEEL ON THE WAY TO FLODDEN "KENNY HAD TO PULL OUT OF THE WALK THROUGH BACK INJURY", BUT HIS BROTHER IN LAW "BRUNO" STEPPED INTO HIS SHOES. ARRIVING AT FLODDEN WE WERE MET BY THE BERWICKSHIRES PHOTOGRAPHER. AFTER RATTLING OFF A FEW DIFFERENT SHOTS, WE STARTED OFF ON OUR HISTORIC MARCH TO SELKIRK. THE SUN WAS SHINING IT WAS A BRILLIANT MORNING. 5 MILES IN WE HAD OUR FIRST CASUALTY, BRIAN HAD DEVELOPED A BAD BLISTER IN HIS HEEL. UP STEPPED DAVE PEARSON WITH HIS SURGICAL SPIRIT. HE CLEANED UP THE BLISTER, AND THEN DOUSED WITH SPIRITS. WE TOOK OFF AGAIN , HEADING FOR KELSO. THE HEAVENS OPENED AND DOWN CAME THE RAIN. THIS LASTED ALL OF 15 MINS, AND CLEARED UP TOTALLY. ARRIVING AT KELSO, WE WENT TO LOCAL ALE HOUSE. THE REFRESHMENT WAS WELL RECIEVED AND PERKED EVERYBODY UP. STOPPING AT GRIEGS FOR FOOD WE THEN SAT IN THE SQUARE TO RECHARGE THE BATTERIES.
LEAVING KELSO WE HEADED OFF AGAIN, ON THE WAY TO DRYBURGH. WE ENTERED INTO FLOORS CASTLE, FOLLOWING THE TWEED. THE SCENERY WAS STUNNING. AFTER 20 MILES BRIAN, WHO HAD BEEN NURSING AN INJURED ANKLE AND KNEE COULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER.
IN CAME THE CAVALRY (KENNY HALL IN THE MINI BUS). THEY LEFT US AND WENT TO DRYBURGH HOTEL TO WAIT FOR US.
THE ROAD WAS GETTING DIFFICULT AND SPIRITS WERE LAGGING, WE EVENTUALLY REACHED A SIGNPOST "DRYBUGH ABBEY 2ML", WE WERE NEARLY THERE. REACHING THE RIVER BANK ACROSS FROM THE DRYBURGH GOLF COURSE WE KNEW WE WERENT FAR AWAY. DOWN THE DRIVE TO THE DRYBURGH HOTEL WE WALKED WITH GREAT SATISFACTION, INTO THE BAR , WHERE A WELCOME PINT WAS WAITING. OFF CAME THE BOOTS AND SOCKS TO CHECK OUT THE FEET. LOUIE HAD GOT A BLISTER WHICH HAD WORN HIS SOCK AWAY AT THE HEEL.
THE BEER TASTED GREAT AND WE ALL ENJOYED THE RELAXATION BEFORE HEADING BACK TO THE WATERLOO.
SAT 28TH
WE MET AT 9 IN THE WATERLOO CAR PARK. A FEW OF THE FOOT SOLDIERS HAD TO RETIRE THROUGH INJURY, BRIAN (ANKLE AND KNEE), LOUIE (WORK COMMITMENTS AND BLISTER) AND FRANK WHO HAD 9 BLISTERS ON HIS FEET!!!.
WITH 3 GOING OUT, IN CAME 2 IN THE SHAPE OF DEZ AND CLAIRE.
REACHING DRYBURGH , WE SET OFF UP THE HILL FROM THE BRIDGE. KNOWING THAT THE 2ND DAY WAS GOING TO BE ONLY 11 MILES APPROX. WE CARRIED ON THROUGH FIELDS AND ALONG SOME ROADS, STOPPING FOR A BREAK , WE CAME ACROSS A SIGN POST.............
SELKIRK 3 MILES!!!
WE STARTED OF TOWARDS THE TOWERING TV MAST, WHERE WE MET UP WITH JEF AND CAROL, WHO HAD COME UP TO MEET US.
AWAY AGAIN WE SET OF, WITH THE GIRLS LEADING THE FRONT (WHICH THEY HAD DONE ALL THE WALK)
SUDDENLY SELKIRK WAS IN SIGHT
ARRIVING JUST ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF SELKIRK, WE GOT DAVE PEARSON UP FRONT TO LEAD US INTO SELKIRK. DAVE, WHO AT THE TENDER AGE OF 69 HAD EARNED THE RIGHT TO LEAD US ON THE FINAL LEG.
ARRIVING AT THE FLODDEN FLETCHER STATUE, WE TOOK THE OPPERTUNITY TO GET THE CAMERA OUT.
ON HAND TO MEET AND GREET WERE MARGARET, KENNY, DEIDRE AND DREW, THE WELCOMING PARTY!
WE MADE OUR WAY TO THE FLEECE FOR FOOD AND A BEER, THEN ROUND THE CORNER.
WE THEN MADE OUR WAY BACK TO CHIRNSIDE, AND THE WATERLOO. IN ENTERING THE WATERLOO WE GOT A GREAT WELCOME FROM AGNES AND BRIAN, WHO MADE US PIZZA, SANDWICHES AND SAUSAGE ROLLS.THE PARTY CONTINUED WITH ROGER WEST ENTERTAINING THE BAR WITH HIS LIVE MUSIC. A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!!!
MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SPONSORED US FOR DOING THE WALK.
SPECIAL THANKS TO AGNES AND BRIAN FOR THE FOOD BEFORE AND AFTER THE WALK.
SPECIAL THANKS TO LONGRIDGE TOWERS SCHOOL FOR THE USE OF THE MINI BUS.
MANY THANKS TO KENNY HALL AND ALAN BROWN FOR DRIVING THE BUS. Click here to return to the News page
Powered by Create | 
