A much nicer day though still N.E. wind. Slight sunshine till 2 o’clock when it clouded over. Left at 9.15 + cycled to Hexham, Allendale Town, Allenhead, St John’s Chapel, Stanhope, Blanchland, Staley, Hexham + home.1 What a county for hills! Coming out of Stanhope it was like a mile + a half of the Old Bridge Road!2 Allendale is beautiful, very wild between Stanhope + Blanchland3 + the road in + out of the latter are precipitous! Got home at 7.50 having run 60.35 miles but it was equal to double that on our side of the border. Got dinner + a hot bath + read in bed.
1 Dr Muir has run south to Hexham and the Xxx before ascending to Allendale Town, NY838,559, Allenheads, NY860,453, St John’s Chapel, NY884,379, Stanhope, NY992,394, Blanchland, NY965,503, and Slaley, NY977,577.
2 Old Bridge Road, Selkirk, the very steep road which drops off Ettrick Terrace immediately opposite Halliday’s Park and hits Dunsdale Road near Forest Mill.
3 Assuming the Dr Muir took the direct route over Edmundbyers Common he was in very open country and skirted the 500 metre contour below Horsehoe Hill.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]
Rumbling Clint's Scottish Notes 