Back in the Borders

Posted bycinnicrewPosted inScotland

Day 6

July 19, 2025

Stats: 27 miles, AIS:2:44, Elev. 1554 ft, Speed 9.8mph

Our hosts Sandy and Alicja.

Today Jim, Curt and I were on our own as Sandy is busy with Civic Week and the Kelso Pipe Band. He’s piping the horse parade out of town as they ride horses to another village for celebrations and they will be busy this afternoon as they pipe the horse parade of dignitaries back into to town and to a hotel for drinks and dinner.

We took a ride with the destination of Scott’s view… as in Sir Walter Scott. He liked to come here and reflect. It looks over the River Tweed and the Eildon Hills. We road once again through farmland… lots of potatoes today. It was nice quiet back roads with very little traffic.

This is a two-way road! It was lovely because we hardly had a car on these narrow roads
Curt and Jim on their way down
the two-way road

It was nice being out in the countryside with off and on rain. The temps were in the mid 60’s… very comfortable. We did see a few other cyclists this morning.

the River Tweed
Fly fisherman catching salmon
on the River Tweed
Floor’s Castle just on the edge of Kelso. We followed the side and back perimeter wall for miles this morning
Huge tree called an Atlas Cedar
Another beautiful view of with
an old home below
Sir William Wallace who fought and saved the Scottish border from the
English in 1297
Sir William Wallace overlooking his country border
View from the top at Scott’s view. Our destination today.
From here back downhill to Kelso

Tonight was the final parade for Civic Week so we walked to the Town Square to enjoy it. The parade floats were hilarious. Mostly drunk people advertising for local groups, teams or pubs actually. A few short videos of the floats and pipe band.

Scotland parade goers with umbrellas lining the street
The Kelso Pipe Band and the official Laddies of Civic Week on their
really tall horses.
This made me laugh because it’s
Suzanne’s Laddies
The Women’s Rugby Team
Trump and his flag
And part of a group that made me
laugh the most🤣
Nice art sculpture in Kelso town square
Nice looking street of homes just a few blocks from Sandy’s house

Another wonderful day in the Borders and Kelso! Not disappointed even in the rain.

Tomorrow we leave Kelso after maybe taking another short ride in the area… weather dependent. We are headed back to Glasgow and then will finish by riding 3 days on the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides.

Kelso Scotland Tour de France Pride…

One of the front runners in this years Tour de France 2025 (that is currently happening) is a young lad (22) Oscar Onley from Kelso. He rides for a Dutch team.. Picnic-Post NL.

The news says this about him:

Oscar Onley is arguably the surprise package of the 2025 Tour de France.

The 22-year-old Scottish rider has been a near constant at the sharp end of the battle for the yellow jersey, and has raised eyebrows thus far with his consistent performances against the likes of Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.

He’s a force in the future! Amazing to us that he grew up in this small village we are visiting!

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