Day 14 - Langholm to Tushielaw Inn, near Ettrick

I am an optiimist; and so despite a weather forecast for Heavy rain and moderate breeze I proceeded with my intended route.

Sitting safely and warmly ensconced in the Tushielaw Inn as I write this, as the snow settles on the hillside outside my window, I realise I may need to temper my optimism!!

The ride out of Langholm was a gentle climb, and I am frotunate that a love of nature distracts me from most negative thoughts; and so despite the rain I was happy taking in the wild flowers, primroses, wood anenomes, bluebells, cowslips galore and geums, along with looking at tiny lambs.

Climbing through Bentpath and up to 260m I entered a valley and cycled onwards towards Eskdalemuir. A note for cycling in Scotland. Scotland is very sparsely inhabited compared to England. A relatively large place name on a road atlas often is a hamlet, so travel well prepared with food and drinks.  You also know it;s particularly wet when you seek out any shelter under which to enjoy aforementioned snacks - no bus shelters here, so pine trees in lee of the wind were the next best option!

The rain had definitely worsened, and for the first time I noticed my boots were leaking, slightly wet feet... oh well, continue. I thought  of one of my cycling heroines, a woman named Dervla Murphy, who aged 18 cycled alone fromDublin to Delhi in the 1960s. Dervla wouldnt complain about wet feet!

I enjoyed a momentary distraction when I happended upon a Tibetan retreat centre complete with giant Stompa temple! Wow!

https://www.samyeling.org/

Onwards I climbed to 360m, up a beautiful valley, inhabited by wild roaming sheep and little else, save for the occasional logging HGV lorry trundling by carrying recently felled pines.

My Garmin alerted me it was 10miles to my destination; my boots were now filling with water and my fingers numbing from the cold. Thoughts of expedition medicine days filled my head with trench foot and cold injury; whilst it was not freezing it was approaching that as the sleet started to fall!

So I pressed on for my destination, and arrived just as my drove up in the van. Rab the Innkeeper kindly let us in early, and a hot bath and tea were to be enjoyed!

There's even a dram on the dressing table to be enjoyed! Scotland certainly welcomes you!