Day 9 - Keswick to Moffatt, 75 miles

A relatively harder day. A bit more milage and a tough climb out of Keswick, but very beautiful up on the moorland. We skirted Carlisle leaving England via Greta Green. The subsequent terrain was very bumpy. We passed Lockerbie and on to Moffatt.

High up on the moorland, the expanse of space and quiet was awe inspiring.

Cow

First brew stop - breathtaking views, noisy sheep!

We then descended through woodland along small lanes. There was a smell of fish as a short cycle track ran close to a river. Gretna Green was close! 

Sid (also known as Ian)

Tommo (also known as Dave)

Back left - Vanessa. Back right Dids (also know as Dave)

We'd travelled further than this mileage (would have been for big roads).

Gretna Green notes from Peak Tours info.
Historically couples married in the ancient tradition of a 'handfasting' ceremony, which was law in Scotland until 1940. This simple civil ceremony enabled couples over the age of 16 to marry by declaring in front of two witnesses their wish to be husband and wife and they were legally bound.

Gretna Green became famous for these handfasting ceremonies following the 1754 Marriage Act, which outlawed these marriages in England. Lord Hardwicke was determined to quash the desires of young couples from becoming husband and wife through this 'quickie' ceremony.

His law introduced an age of consent at 21 and couples were required to marry within a church. He and his fellow parliamentarians at Westminster, fearful their own daughters (and their fortunes) would end up in the wrong hands, were quick to make the Act law.

Scotland refused to adopt this law and once couples discovered this loophole they eloped to marry over the border. Gretna Green soon became a haven for fleeing couples.

At the Blacksmiths Shop the Blacksmith soon downed his tools and took up the role of 'Blacksmith Priest'. For nearly 200 years the Blacksmiths at Gretna Green continued to marry couples over the now famous Marriage Anvil.

Statistics

Distance 75 miles

Duration 5:16
Ave speed 14.3 mph (HR 96bpm)
Max speed 32.1 mph (HR 127bpm)
Climb 1051m
Roadkill - 6 birds (pigeons x3, sparrow and unidentifiable), hedgehog, rabbits x2, squirrel

Selfie with Tom at turnaround point of run - really beautiful area!

Devil's Beef Tub looking back to road towards Guest House

Run with Tom

90 min

Ave pace 9:30

Distance 9.5 miles

Ave HR 113bpm

Max HR 123bpm

We were standing just to the right of a dramatic 500ft hollow known as the “Devil’s Beef Tub” where stolen cattle were held by The Clan Moffat.

In 1935, the remains of the victims of the Lancaster murderer, Dr Buck Ruxton, were found in a stream near The Devil's Beef Tub.