Up early and on the road by 6am. Grey and driech but in a nice cooling way. New roads for me in some nice rolling country side. Was aiming to get to get to Carlisle today but knew this was probably a bit too far and even more so having not got so far the night before. Put my ear bud in to help with navigation – never particularly like using them as they are not comfortable and only ever wear one at a time – right ear has a newish piercing which gets in the way of ear bud so left one goes in – progress is made but then I stop getting directions – whether by phone or ear bud it’s not the first time it’s cut out – but then sometime later I realise that I’ve lost the dam thing and having puffed up a hill and not sure when it’s come out I don’t go back to look for it and I’ve now become a horrible litterer of the countryside.

One minute I’m in rolling countryside and the next I’m in a very built up area but passing through this fantastic underpass.

Then past this very phallic mausoleum in Hamilton Park.

Need to push the bike on a steep hill through Chatelherault Country Park and it’s famous hunting lodge – hoping I get better on the hills before I reach the Swiss / Italian border.

I’ve been on cycle route 75 and now 74 – 74 I’ve used before – it’s a well used cycle route between Gretna and Glasgow – super direct and easy but boring as anything and not much to see on the way but I do get another picture of this cycling globe – this time with Phil rather than Bertie.

Feeling tired – def won’t be getting to Carlisle – not convinced I’ll even manage 60 miles – have a pit stop at a wee post office come shop come cafe in Abington and feasted on a large bakewell tart flapjack – finally something kicks in or the cycling moon and stars have lined up – no uphills, the wind is with me and my legs are feeling good and get another 30+ miles in before deciding I need to pitch the tent for a night. Was going to look for a wild camping spot but fancy a shower and could do with getting phone and tracker charged up. Remember that there’s a campsite I’ve stayed at before – Bruce’s Cave Campsite – so named as there is a cave where Robert The Bruce is said to have hidden – and I head there – it’s about 5 miles North West of Getna Green. Tired now and sun is going down- I want to get the tent up before it gets dark – I take the last right turn to the campsite and then get stopped as the barriers are down for the railway line level crossing and I wait and I wait and I wait – no sight or sound of a train coming and it starts to rain – I can actually see the entrance to the campsite but can’t get there – finally a train going north shoots past – yipee I think, I’m ready for a quick take off when the barriers go up but they DON’T!! – they still don’t – while I’m waiting Karen phones and we manage to have a conversation and a huge double rainbow comes out – finally a long goods train passes by but south this time and then barriers go up and finally get to pitch my tent for the night.

Fantastic much needed toasty shower – think I used more than my fair share of hot water but it was bliss – apart when I realised that I seem to have lost some of my skin on my right butt cheek – probably not more than a pin prick but felt huge when the water hit it!

101.4 miles

128.4 miles total / 1 wild camp / 1st campsite