On Day 72 of the End to End I now have fewer than 50 days to go: a point I couldn’t have imagined at the beginning of April. This is definitely summer, the pattern of the days and sights and sounds in the landscape confirm this. We’ve moved on through Lent and Eastertide. Pentecost has been celebrated and we’re now in what is affectionately called Ordinary Time. The colour for Ordinary Time is green which is handy as I’m completely surrounded by green and have been more or less for 72 days. But green is not ordinary, it’s amazing.
Today I began the walk at Glenairlie Bridge and took the road alongside the River Nith, through farmland and strips of woodland. Sometimes I was near the river and sometimes further away as we wandered through the landscape side by side. Insects were busy, flowers were blooming, grass was growing and livestock was inquisitive. At one farm the nut on the slurry spreader was stuck and not budging for anyone. I left them to it.
For a brief while my route joined the Southern Upland Way as it went into Sanquhar. We had our picnic lunch at a bench on the corner. Then the last stretch took me into Kirkconnel, a former pit village. The local Co op provided ice cream for today. I wonder what the founders would have made of it?
I saw them on the wall at the small local museum in the high street, not far from the Miner’s Memorial where I finished my walk today.
We did a bit of a rekky for tomorrow’s route before stopping off at the Crawick Multiverse. This wonderful creative space has been made out of an area of former mining spoil heaps. Designed by Charles Jencks, it provides a lot of space for the imagination.
In a sheltered corner behind a bank a beautiful congregation of orchids were flowering. By the end of the day I had walked 699.89 miles. Well 700 to you!
On a bench by the Nith
Climb the mountains and get their glad tidings (John Muir)
From Isaiah 55
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Gladness and joy overflow in me on this day of a most extra-ordinary time.
May God grant a quiet night and a peaceful end.
JAL 25.06.2019
Day 72 of the End to End from Glenairlie bridge to Kirkconnel