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Published: June 19th 2021
Up with the lark we left our little parking spot beneath the roman fort and headed back on ourselves towards Carlisle . We had not realised just how far back we had travelled yesterday . So glad we were to find a night parking spot we hadn't given a thought to the fact that we had a 45 minute ride just to get back to Carlisle where we left yesterday .
Our plan today was to drive over the border into Scotland . "When was the last time you were in Scotland ?" I asked the driver who was concentrating on the road and the many speed cameras we kept passing . " 50 years ago - perhaps " he replied .In between watching for cameras and driving at 20mph in the villages we discussed what we remembered of Scotland . I had not been for over 40 years and most of my trips were to visit relatives . Not rich or royal ones . I cannot take any ancestry back to the kings and queens of Scotland. Nor can I link my family to any of the clans . . Just an auntie - a sister of my mum
who we used to visit in the 1960's near to Glasgow . I remember a greenhouse full of geraniums and I recall their distinctive smell. My uncle grew cacti too and succulents .
I had been times many afterwards when the kids were young , Oban , Fort William , the train from Fort William to Mallaig , the Isle of Skye , a trip to Orkney. It was all coming back as we reached the border . The large sign loomed large - Welcome to Scotland . We had crossed from England into Scotland with hardly a whimper . Our conversation headed towards independence and looking at all the flags flying it was hard not to imagine a break up of the Union .
The houses began to look more Scottish . Low bungalows with windows in the roof line . . Small terraced rows of single stories built in rich red sandstone . The streets were wide as were the pavements .
We had set Sally Sat Nag for Hawick . According the camping sites Hawick was a nice town with pleasant shops , a river and a good parking area where we could stay
overnight for free. I had researched it and it looked a good place to spend a day and a night .
Hawick is Hamhaig in Gaelic and the town lies in the historic county of Roxburghshire within the Southern Uplands of Scotland . The landscape was becoming increasingly hilly and covered with pines . Spring and Summer were later here as the Rhodedendrums were still flowering .The days were longer too with darkness slow to come . Hawick is one of the furthest towns from the sea in Scotland or so I read somewhere . .
It is in the heart of Teviotdale . At the confluence of the Slitrig Water and the River Teviot it stands in a pretty position . The car parking when we arrived was excellent . Large and clearly marked with spaces for buses and motorhomes . Some of the car park had been taken up for some rebuilding and repairing with new stone walls which looked attractive . It was busy but had plenty of space for Gabby . So far so good we thought . What a good introduction to Scotland . This was what we were looking for .
We walked over the bridge into town . Passing the Burns Club and then the Victorian post box . A pretty red shiny box on the other side of the road . I had to investigate . It is not often you find a post box that goes back over a hundred years. It stood outside the post office and was well looked after . I was to see more Victorian Post boxes on our travels .
The town boasted The Mote which was the remains of a Norman motte and bailey castle . Never found it . A baronial town Hall . Failed to find that one too. Finally there should have been a couple of statues . The Horse erected in 1914 and a more modern Turning of the bull. I dont know if we were just not looking or missed them but we never found anything of any interest in Hawick
We had intended to stop the night and move on in the morning but with nothing to find of interest we felt it was time to move on . Sometimes you find things that interest you . Other times you just have to admit defeat and move on . Today was one of those moving on days . There was always something else around the corner .
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Jackie
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Post Box!
I think we saw one of those Post Boxes on pour travels to Bournemouth recently! They really are quite lovely!! Knee replacement didnt happen last Wednesday as I scraped my knee and surgeon said a risk of infection!!! So now we are hoping to go to Iceland on Tues! Enjoy your travels in Scotland! I am quite envious of your campervan!!