For some strange reason the place “Carter Bar” has been nagging the back of my mind this entire tour.
I knew it was something to do with Northumberland and the space between England and Scotland but could not for the life of me think why. Was it a place, a pub, a town?
In the 1970s, during my “Miriam Backhouse” years I had travelled to Scotland a few times, trying various routes on the way up from Doncaster, where we lived at the time. I had used several routes, including going through Scotch Corner and Carter Bar.
Anyway, I decided to satisfy my curiosity and visit it on the way back from Ayr to Brotton last week. I planned the route carefully on the maps app and made a conscious decision to spend all day driving and enjoying the solo road trip instead of the usual rush and time constraints.
The beauty about one of the car hire companies here is that you can hire a car in one place and deliver it to another. I picked up the car in Ayr, and set off on my Quest.
Did I mention that I love driving?
You know that joke about the grandma who started jogging at the age of 89. She is now 90 and we don’t know where she is!!
I am like that with driving, just put me at the wheel and I will see where the road takes me.
This day was an overcast but dry day as I left, and, as I got further South, the clouds cleared and the countryside showed me it’s very best as I drove along the silver ribbons between the green and golden fields and hills. I was too early for the heather, but nevertheless the cows and sheep were enjoying the pastures.
Soon enough the road started to wind its way uphill, and – Oh My!!
There are no signs saying Carter Bar, but unimaginably amazing views and other landmarks to prove you are at the border between England and Scotland. The standing stones, the beacon and view maps were there, and, fortunately for me, only a few tourists.
Now I remembered why I was so anxious to revisit this beautiful landscape.
I stayed quite a while, drinking in the majesty and vastness of the views, and the memories of the previous journey 50 years ago.
Then onwards again down the A68 ‘switchback’ and more adventures.
