Grumpy Cows.

Leg Three - Jedburgh to Hawick.

Distance: 13.6 miles.

Time: 6 hours 43 minutes.

Wildlife: Pheasant, Grumpy Cows (that doesn't count - Daddy!).

Barnaby's Song of the Day: Sheriff Fatman - Carter USM.

Today we set off knowing that we had a big climb ahead of us. It started off as a short steep climb to a field of cattle. Now, I've got something to say about cows. I've always noticed that once a cow gets one look at you, it keeps its eyes fixed on you for as long as possible. What makes it worse is that they always have this grumpy expression that says, 'What you looking at?' This is something that I've noticed over and over on the walk, and every time I see a cow staring at me it makes me feel like it's me it's after (even though they probably do it to every unfortunate walker that comes past).

Today was a very dreich day. It was already bad enough with the steep climb out of Jedburgh, but what made it worse was that when we got to the top of that steep climb it started chucking it down and it continued to do that for the next several hours. This made it hard for even me to keep positive thoughts - the man that likes to sing 'Bring me Sunshine' in the pouring rain! After a day of walking in heavy and soft rain it was such a relief when we came to the hotel and were flooded with warmth.

Today I have learnt that walking in Scotland can have nice days and some really, really, really dreich days. But that still hasn't put me off from wanting to do lots more walks in Scotland, because I still have plans in my mind to do the West Highland Way, the Cowal Way, and Daddy's pilgrimage from Iona to Lindisfarne. Right now Daddy is carrying most of our luggage, but I wonder how long it will be before I'm the one carrying all the luggage.

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Daddy's Postscript:

Today it was Barnaby's turn to lead our prayers: Morning Prayer before we set off, Midday Prayer (well you can figure that one out), Afternoon Prayer at 3pm, Evening Prayer when we get into our room, and Night Prayer before bed. We were being soaked through as we prayed our Midday and Afternoon prayers!

Barnaby hasn't learnt to say prayers properly. As any good Anglican knows, there's a 'Prayer Voice', pitched somewhere between the speaking clock and James Alexander Gordon's intonation of the football results on a Saturday teatime. When Barnaby leads the prayers he reads the words like maybe, perhaps he means them, and maybe, perhaps they're meaningful. When he launches into the morning Psalm with: 

'O sing to the Lord a new song,

sing to the Lord all the earth.'

By God is the earth resounding to a new song, a song of joy, a song of life, a song that courses through Barnaby's veins.