On the 4th September 2025 at 6.33am I left Cromwell Harbour in Dunbar. The weather was dry and mild, with a little rain through the day and a gentle south westerly wind. I carried all my water and food, and didn't use any water taps or rivers on my way. I headed along Queens Road and out of Dunbar, then through Broxburn and onto the farmland toward Spott. Leaving the Spott Estate, the route then leads through a valley to Black Loch toward Halls. Here the owners have built a public footpath skirting the farmyard, which is now gated off, so this differs from the previous route very slightly. I then ran up the hill to Crystal Rig wind farm, where the path becomes boggy and footing very uneven. The route traverses the wind farm to the opposite boundary, where it joins a track leading down to the road which eventually joins the B6355. At whiteadder reservoir I crossed to Penshiel. Then bearing left up the hill at Killpallet, I ran onto the moor and on to Dye cottage, before crossing the river and onto the road past Watch Fly reservoir. The route then joins the southern Upland way up to Twin Laws, and then curves northwest briefly before the long descent to Braidshawrig. Here there were alot of cattle and sheep to be avoided, so progress was tentative! After passing the cottage, the path continues along a the shoulder of a hill northwest, before finally reaching a fir forest (where i struggled for a couple of minutes to find the correct route) and a welcome forestry track. The descent towards lauder includes crossing the A697, and then passing Thirlestane castle on a newly laid path, before turning up the high street and finishing at the lauderdale hotel.
A delicious steak bake and a coffee to finish while I waited for my ride home!