Thursday, August 16, 1928
Spent most of the morning packing. After an early lunch I said good-bye and left at 1:05 PM. Hated to leave for we had a marvelous time there. I had 5 miles over the hills to go to catch the ferry across the Forth at 1:30 PM and just made it. Stopped in Edinburgh to buy a Skean Dhu just in case. It was a fine day and plenty of hills.
Reached Melrose Abbey about 7. It must have been a very beautiful abbey in its day. Only stumps of walls remain of the part built in the 12th and 13th centuries. The walls, stone window designs, many arches, a statue, and the old bells remain of that built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is a large place and there are many old graves within the cloisters. Nearby are three very large hills all in a line. The town is old and small.
Leaving here I rode on to Kelso. It lies in a peaceful valley on the banks of a fair-sized stream. Arrived after nine and I got a dandy room in a new hotel for 5/6. It is right across from the Kelso Abbey, built in the 11th century and not in quite as good preservation as Melrose. Very gorgeous sunset over the hills. Rode 82 miles this afternoon.