Ray Young wrote:I'd be up for it if it wasn't my wife's 60 the night before. Another time.

I made the right decision as I have the mother of all hangovers. Enjoy.

Well that was unnervingly pleasant for Scotland in February. Double digit temperatures and even a bit of sun.

Rode into Kershopehead from Newcastleton with a friend Friday evening and cooked a feast of sausage and buttery mustard mash complete with peas and onion gravy, washed down with a (small) beer each Two other friends joined later, and we rolled out as 4 (with experience varying from zero to lots) Saturday morning, somewhat later than planned after a good kip (for most) and unhurried breakfast. Trails, forest road, and then old railway line to Hawick with a quick peek in at (currently being refurbished) Will's bothy at Riccarton Junction - looking very nice: even a flush toilet (by flush I mean, with a bucket from the stream).

Arrived in Hawick later than expected, about 3, all pretty hungry. Refuelled in the Damascus Drum cafe (thanks for the tip Borderer. I spent the last few road miles into Hawick trying to remember the name of the cafe - I knew it had a few syllables and some As, and thought it might be Salamanca, but knew I'd remember it if I saw it. We were about to pile into one on the high street when someone pointed behind me and said "what's that one?". Fate ).

Restocked in Sainsburys then took the direct route out to Greensykes on the road through Roberton and avoiding Craik Cross. Arrived about 9 - just in the nick of time, before the rain got going, and a party of walkers turned up. We'd serendipitously occupied the "good" room with the stove. Communal cooking meant we could do some real food again - bean chilli and pasta + red wine again.

Very pleasant and gentle ride down the valley in the morning and we timed our Langholm cafe stop nicely to avoid the brief shower (and just as my left crank fell off). Looped south through some nice old woodland tracks and then forest roads back over to Kershopefoot and back up the railway line to Newcastleton.

I think we nailed the combination of fun and adventure, with no huge distances but enough mishaps and small hardships to make it feel like we'd earnt it.

Will try and post some pics up soon.

Glad to hear you had a good time, .

That all sounds great. Sainsbury's ay - you must be minted

I haven't ridden the old railway south of Steele Road so I would be interested to hear how it was. The trackbed has been nicked at Steele Road for beautifully turfed gardens, so came off there the time we rode it.

I was out on the bike myself and I did keep an eye out to see if I could spot you but was home again well before 3. Glad to hear you found Damascus Drum - it was on a list of top independent cafes in Scotland that was put out recently. It's a quirky wee place.

Borderer wrote:That all sounds great. Sainsbury's ay - you must be minted

It was marginally closer than Mozza's!

I haven't ridden the old railway south of Steele Road so I would be interested to hear how it was. The trackbed has been nicked at Steele Road for beautifully turfed gardens, so came off there the time we rode it.

That's where we joined it, having come down through the forest and across Dinlabyre Bridge - or at least that was the plan. As you say, it's become gardens and a lady walking her dog suggested the forest track about 1km NE of Steele Road, which worked out fine. So I can't help you unfortunately.

I was out on the bike myself and I did keep an eye out to see if I could spot you but was home again well before 3. Glad to hear you found Damascus Drum - it was on a list of top independent cafes in Scotland that was put out recently. It's a quirky wee place.

I could definitely go back and spend a while in the book room with a coffee or three when I've got more time

As promised, here's a few snaps from this trip. Parental advisory: I should point out that there's some mug-dangling going on here. I promise you it's ironic - there was some chat beforehand between some of us who hadn't met about who was a hipster and who wasn't and what hipster accessories everyone would be bringing, and this resulted in some external drinking vessel stowage, and some possibly not very ironic Croc-carrying No-one deigned to bring an Aeropress, though as a coffee snob I was thoroughly tempted.

Saturday morning coffee:



Kershopehead:



Old viaduct (now fenced off) at Shankend:



Detour round the viaduct:



The old railway line to Hawick:



Saturday night supplies:



Nearly at Greensykes:



Someone's done a nice job replacing the glass in the stove with some laser cut (presumably) steel



Lovely morning at Greensykes:



Heading down the valley:


Some wildlife:


Aaand back into Newcastleton: