(Correction to yesterday’s post - I neglected to add photos in the version that was emailed out. If you’d like to check out the photos, you’ll have to navigate to my webpage directly and then to Day 77. Sorry! It was late. beactiveyoga.com).
I woke up today so grateful to feel rested and well. Except it was raining, and the trees out my window were getting tossed around a bit in the morning wind. Not very excited to head back out. But a cup of tea and some toast and marmalade, with good conversation with my host, perked my spirits up. By the time I was dressed and my backpack was all put back together and strapped down, the sun was beginning to peak through. I set off heading back the couple of miles to the coast. I walked through the village, then beside some barley fields, and joined the old fishermen’s Creel Path (‘creel’ is the old local word for lobster pot). There were rapeseed fields, too. Their vast bright yellowness is always easy to spot from afar, but it was odd to be up close as their blossoms fade to the fruit of the plant. Here are some barley fields in the wind from last week. There are many fields of grains up here in the northeast! https://youtube.com/shorts/56CIgfXhylQ?is=Rnlcw4ebeV4A6ETg
The Creel Path started out great: sheltered and wide. That didn’t last. The tree covering disappeared and the grass had grown tall. It was soaking wet from the earlier rain, and I shortly became soaking wet and seed covered.
Fortunately, the rain never returned and the temperature went up, so I was soon dry again. I did have to stop and put dry socks on though, because nothing welcomes the blisters like wet feet. There was much climbing that, as the cliffs became taller and the ravines deeper. But wow, was it pretty. St. Abb’s Head and its unusual lighthouse, and then continuing along cliff paths, some with stone walls and others with rather severe drop-offs, it was an exhilarating day.
One of the most interesting things was coming to Siccar Point. Here in the 1760, a local farmer and extraordinarily accomplished scientist, James Hutton from a boat noticed the unusual rock layers and advanced the idea that the physical world's remote history can be inferred from evidence in present-day rocks. He thereby started the modern field of Geology, and broadened the Christian understanding of the Earth’s age, which up to then aged the Earth at thousands of years. Hutton correctly theorized that rocks go through a cycle of formation and that the key to the millions of years of Earth history is held in them. This fundamentally changed how we see our place in history, and our relationship to the dynamic nature of the Earth. And, this all can now be seen from a brand new footpath just opened this spring. Did I take an extra couple mile excursion to learn a little about geology? And on a beautiful new, wide footpath? Heck yeah!
After about 14 miles, and turning slightly inland, I walked into the village of Cockburnspath. It is full of history, has lovely buildings, and a Mercat cross (very old marker giving the area the right to hold a market, and therefore become more prosperous), a fabulous automated public toilet, but not much else. Thankfully, there is a community shop run by the villagers, and it really has all one needs: food, sandwiches made by the villagers, office and home supplies, alcohol, ice-cream, coffee, gifts and artwork, and locally made jewelry crafted with sea glass. I enjoyed a cheese and pickle sandwich while I picked out some some earrings for myself. I figured I had earned them.
I caught the bus to Dunbar since there is no place to stay in Cockburnspath, and I will have to do the walk in reverse tomorrow, utilizing the bus again to get back to Dunbar again. I’m very excited for tomorrow my dear friends Annegret and Tory are joining me to walk three days towards Edinburgh. They will be big days, but we’ll keep each other motivated to stay positive and keep moving forward.
Today makes it 721 miles. 🥰🥾
