Today we join the Scotland Great Trail and National Trail the Southern Upland Way. This is a long but exhilarating day.

After a trek along the B709 past Traquair Estate we climb up on to ridge from 158m to 580m to cross near the tops of Minch Moor, Brown Knowe, Broomy Law and the curious Three Brethen. The Three Brethen are 3 tall cairns built by 3 adjoining property owners who all insisted the peak was on their land. The trig point is not on top of any of them.

There follows a steep decent and another climb from 110m up to 300m over a hill to the outskirks of Galashiels, which is by passed over another small hill. We walk along the banks of the river Tweed, with glimpses of Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scot, the famous author of Waverley and Ivanhoe amongst others.

A walk alongside the newish railway and a street walk into Melrose after the long walk.