This was supposed to be David's Birthday Walk a week ago but unfortunately he has back problems and his physiotherapist has advised him to rest for a few weeks so he was unable to be with us. Tom's birthday is December so we decided to make this his walk. We started at the old Haig Maternity Hospital in Hawick where David was born 70 years ago. Tom gave a very interesting speech to Absent Friends which I have recorded but the file seems to be too large for my blog. We then headed out to Hawick Golf Club too meet up with Ian Landles from Hawick who was going to give us a conducted tour of the Vertish Hill. Ian is a well known Hawick & Scottish personality and is in great demand as a Public Speaker.
Ian recited the poem by David Hill called "The Vertish" on the actual Vertish Hill at Hawick Golf Club at the very Tee where Bill MacLaren hit a hole in one to score an Albatross a good few years ago. Ian also recited a poem of his own about his own exploits on Hawick Golf Course. This was extremely funny and I must admit it is a great pleasure to listen to poetry delivered by the author of the poem at the very place he is refering to in his poem.
Ian Landles parted company with us after about 90 minutes and we headed on round the route the riders take on Hawick Common Riding Day. The wind was very strong and in our faces so we made slow progress in very boggy ground and are photographed above and below at the Cairn where the Burgesses Roll was called in the early days of Hawick Common Riding.
The journey back to Hawick from here via the Hawick Moor Racecourse was much easier with the strong wind on our backs we were fair blown along and we finished our excellent Birthday Walk at the Drum Cafe in Hawick with a great bowl of soup followed by Cakes.
1 comment:
A bit like Hamlet without the prince.
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