We breakfasted at 7:30 and were away soon after nine. The day started cloudy and cool with a long slow grind uphill on a minor road over moorland to Langholm, easy riding once we were on the moor. We paused to photograph the Malcolm memorial and a metal sculpture commemmerating local poet Hugh McDiarmid before dropping down to meet the A7 which we followed for a mercifully short distance into the small attractive town, crossing the bridge that the young Thomas Telford had helped to construct to take us to the B709 which would take us all the way to Innerleithen, our base for the next two nights.
This road also saw little traffic as well as nowhere to sit for our lunch but just in time we reached a cafe and community centre at Eskdalemuir where we spoke to three lads from York on a charity ride. We ate our sandwiches at a picnic table outside then went in for a lovely moist rich chocolate cake and coffee. A couple of miles further on, we passed a Tibetan monastery, a bizarre sight in the Scottish Borders. By now ot was sunny and very warm but not too hot to enjoy the cycling with fine open views, undulating but with no steep hills.
We found Glede Knowe guest house, showered and took up out hosts offer to book us a table at the Saffron Indian restaurant, where we ate well. After a short stroll along the High Street, full of interesing old shops and buildings, we retired to bed.