St Cuthbert's Way Part II

From St Boswells, the Way follows the great S-bend of the Tweed crossed by the Mertoun bridge carrying the road to Kelso, then along the haughs and through the woods to Maxton. The bird life on this stretch, even at mid-day, was eye-catching. Herons, dippers, goosanders, mute swans, mallards, rooks, buzzards, swallows and martins were busy going about their business. 

The Crystal Well

I came to the Crystal Well on a bank of bluebells and ransomes. Apparently, at one time, water was pumped from there to Benrig House above the bank by simple ram pump powered by a donkey doomed to walk in circles in a grotto above the source.

Maxton Kirk

A climb up from the river took me to Maxton Kirk and from there to Maxton village. It is claimed that John Duns Scotus, the medieval philosopher, the “subtil doctor” was born at Littledean tower near Maxton in 1265 though, as his Latinised name suggests, he is more often associated with Duns in Berwickshire. His theological opponents called his followers “dunces” and the name survived as an abusive term.

Littledean

There was a St Cuthbert's well at Maxton but apparently it disappeared in some road improvement scheme

Looking back to the Eildons from Maxton

After a fair amount of road walking, I was directed on to the old Roman road, Dere Street. 

The praefectus fabrum must be spinning in his grave at the muddy track his road has become.

Still straight, parallel to its modern counterpart, the A68, it marches south past Ancrum Moor and Lilliard's edge with the memorial to its eponymous but probably fabricated heroine and her exploits at the battle of Ancrum Moor where, for once, the Scots won.

 The mercenaries, the Kers and the Turnbulls, who were “free lances”, hired for the fray, swapped sides as the battle went the way of the Scots.

Straight into the distance, the old Roman road

DereStreet and The Way continues on to Harestanes past Peniel Heugh with its Waterloo Monument. Because of the topography and its position in the landscape, the tower can be seen for miles across the Borders, making it familiar to many who have never been actually been near it.

Waterloo Monument

To the south west of the Way there is a standing stone at Harrietsfield, a reminder that folk passed along this route long before even the Romans came by.

Through the woods to Harestanes, then, by road, out of the Monteviot estates to the village of Ancrum and the start of a three bus journey back home.
 That's two stages done many more to go.