An Eastern Borders (mini) Birl

[Posh Pete]

I've still not quite sussed the optimum packing for the Himmie so I thought I'd check out Alistair's (Northern Jock) recommended site in those parts at Town Yetholm. Here it is ...

It is excellent - immaculately kept; toilets and showers you could eat your dinner in and a wee bothy with books, spare gas canisters and local info. There's also laundered towels, left on the site's drying line by forgetful campers! In short, a superb base from which to explore the eastern Borders.

One tiny fly in the ointment (if that). I'd assumed it would be very quiet, not being school hols yet in Scotland or England. Wrong. It's busy all the time for solo campers like us bikers. The site is handy for several long distance walking routes so make sure you book in advance. Not so much a problem for mo-homes etc.

 

[Posh Pete]

Oops! The tent section of the site was booked up by a walking group! No worries, the warden ( based at the petrol station 100 yards away) fixed me up with pitch#1, right next to the bothy and with a fine view of Cheviot.

 

[Wapping]

……. I thought I'd check out Alistair's (Northern Jock) recommended site in those parts at Town Yetholm. Here it is ...

SEE POST TWO….

 

[Wapping]

……fixed me up with pitch#1, right next to the bothy….

Who or what is ‘the bothy’?

 

[johnnyboy]

Who or what is ‘the bothy’?

A small shelter usually providing shelter for hill climbers but also a term for small buildings such as described. Try using Google, it's a thing for searching the Internet for inquisitive minds.........

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[johnnyboy]

Oops! The tent section of the site was booked up by a walking group! No worries, the warden ( based at the petrol station 100 yards away) fixed me up with pitch#1, right next to the bothy and with a fine view of Cheviot.

How are you enjoying the tent? I have the same and love the space it provides.
If you fancy a wee birll, try the Milk Bar in Wooler, a popular place for a bit of scran with some great surrounding roads.

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[Posh Pete]

A small shelter usually providing shelter for hill climbers but also a term for small buildings such as described. Try using Google, it's a thing for searching the Internet for inquisitive minds.........

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

Ta JB. I thought I'd retired from educating folks!

As above Richard but here's a couple of pics to add to JBs definition ...

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[Posh Pete]

How are you enjoying the tent? I have the same and love the space it provides.
If you fancy a wee birll, try the Milk Bar in Wooler, a popular place for a bit of scran with some great surrounding roads.

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

I'll remember that for future trips JB. Ta. : thumb2

The Green Cone is great. As you say, you can stand up inside to get yer keks on!

Anyway, a wee pause while I head to the bothy to make my morning coffee!

 

[tonytobo]

A Bothy is a basic shelter usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge and mainly found in remote mountainous areas of Scotland northern England, Ulster and wales (information curtesy of Wikipedia)

 

[Wapping]

A Bothy is a basic shelter usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge and mainly found in remote mountainous areas of Scotland northern England, Ulster and wales (information curtesy of Wikipedia)

A bit like a phone box, scrotes piss in? Sounds great.

Carry on.

 

[Wapping]

I quite like these little jaunts (wee birls, so as not to offend the locals) that bods have been reporting on. This, along with the recent Dutch and Norfolk accounts, should make half decent reading. Thank you for posting it up.

 

[Wapping]

Before the fall of the USSR and the Berlin Wall, I went into an East German ‘department store’. It looked a bit like that.

 

[Posh Pete]

A bit like a phone box, scrotes piss in? Sounds great.

Carry on.

You're anticipating a later post Ricardo!

Anyway, re your comment about MZ land ... My missus once sent me to our corner shop for an obscure ingredient. Up and down the aisles and no joy. So one asked an employee - sorry, partner!

"Sorry, we don't have that!"

"Good God. It's like East Germany in here! What's become of Waitrose?" (It's a line from a website taking the piss out of that store and its customers!)

The lassie got the joke but the customer behind her thought I was serious ...

"Yes, it's appalling isn't it. It's not what it was you know!

 

[Wapping]

Very good.

There is quite an amusing Facebook page, ‘Overheard in Waitrose’ which I dip into from time to time. That and ‘Rate my council estate plate’.

Carry on.

 

[Posh Pete]

Let's backtrack a bit. When packing, I tried to forego the Wolfman soft panniers. Well, I was only going away for one or two days?

Wrong! I ended up sticking on the magnetic tank bag to contain the excess. That's ok but does not look great on the small tank and then there's the pita of removing it for fuelling up.

It really doesn't matter how long you're away - the extra clothes don't take up much space, it's the camping stuff that does! A hotel based trip would be a different matter of course!

So it's down to what type of panniers? The issue with the softies is that they have to be attached to the frames as they're not there permanently. My previous bikes always had hard, QD panniers which would still be my preference but as I'm not going to spend a small fortune to equip the Himalayan, I'm going to have to stick with the softies.

Don't forget though that the front frames are very useful. In my case, I attach a pair of Lomos (see later pics) which contain air pump, a big spanner for the rear wheel, coffee making and cooking stuff and other smaller odds and ends.

 

[Posh Pete]

En route to Yetholm, I took the A68 and turned off for Dryburgh a d headed for Scott's view.

There's plenty of views it's equal in this country but none finer, IMHO.

To take that photo, I had to go down the hill a little and when I turned around, there was a mini bus load of tourists on a Rabbie's tour above and looking down on me! Well it just had to be done, didn't it? Pointing to the landscape in the distance, I bellowed ( as I still had my ear plugs in!) ...

Breathes there the man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
"This is my own, my native land?"

And bugger me, they all cheered and applauded!

(Except for the driver/guide who looked none too impressed with the competition! )

 

[Posh Pete]

After Scott's view , I headed for Smailholm tower. I took the tank bag off for the pic as it looks crap on that wee tank.

 

[Posh Pete]

On to Kelso for lunch. The square in Kelso is a gathering point for bikes and riders and there's a baguette shop nearby that's popular with the locals. Always a good sign!

I spent a pleasant half hour in the sun, blethering to a GS rider from the West - the woes of keyless locking, knackered shafts, incontinent rear shocks etc etc. Then on to Yetholm to set up.

 

[Northern jock]

I've still not quite sussed the optimum packing for the Himmie so I thought I'd check out Alistair's (Northern Jock) recommended site in those parts at Town Yetholm. Here it is ...

It is excellent - immaculately kept; toilets and showers you could eat your dinner in and a wee bothy with books, spare gas canisters and local info. There's also laundered towels, left on the site's drying line by forgetful campers! In short, a superb base from which to explore the eastern Borders.

One tiny fly in the ointment (if that). I'd assumed it would be very quiet, not being school hols yet in Scotland or England. Wrong. It's busy all the time for solo campers like us bikers. The site is handy for several long distance walking routes so make sure you book in advance. Not so much a problem for mo-homes etc.

Glad you tried it, great wee site and very helpful owners. The local pub is worth a visit as is the slightly more touristy one a mile away in Kirk Yetholm.

 

[Wapping]

To take that photo, I had to go down the hill a little and when I turned around, there was a mini bus load of tourists on a Rabbie's tour above and looking down on me! Well it just had to be done, didn't it? Pointing to the landscape in the distance, I bellowed…..

You should have given them the full Rab C. Nesbitt and tumbled down the slope.