Welcome to Scotland!

Day 34 was the clearest and sunniest day of the trip so far. Much of it was by the River Eden, which remains beautiful from Carlisle all the way down to the sea (I couldn’t resist another swim). After passing the huge Rockcliffe marshes and going inland to cross the River Esk, we found two sections of the coast path closed, necessitating a hot, dull and somewhat dangerous walk along a fast road, with the roar of the M6 beside us to add to the discomfort. But then, oh joy, our next host Kate came out to meet us and showed us a way to her house in Gretna across the flood plain. We entered Scotland by fording the River Sark, within a few feet of its mouth – a wonderful way to cross the border. Take a look at our gallery for a video of the brave explorers making the crossing.

It was a tough choice for Track of the Day, with many great ideas. In the end, though, I wanted to capture the lifting of spirits that I always feel when coming here, so I’ve chosen Scotland the Brave sung by vintage tenor Kenneth McKellar – if you’ve only heard this tune played on the bagpipes, this is a revelation.