“I hate you.”

“I hate you too.”

That is the conversation we overhear between older and younger sister as we ride out of Eyemouth, still flanked by those Herring Queens. (Neil thinks it was mother and daughter.)

It could also easily be the conversation that I initiate with almost anyone or anything during the course of this somewhat difficult day in the saddle.

It starts with technology issues, where one very silly Garmin device does exactly what it is asked, namely taking us on a defined route from Eyemouth to Berwick-upon-Tweed, but does it in such a way that we are retracing our route from yesterday evening, and seemingly heading in the exact opposite direction we want to take.

After being slapped around a little, it takes us more directly to Berwick, but over up-and-down roads that almost have me beaten. Yesterday’s monster hill and 90+ kilometres has taken its toll, and I have to admit that I am sorely unprepared for pushing this heavy barge of a bike around. Neil, annoyingly, is fresh, and spends a good deal of time waiting for me.

During the course of 20 very long kilometres, we run into a sprightly retired couple who are riding (without luggage I might say) back from Berwick to Dunbar, along the route we have taken yesterday and today. They give me hope, telling us that once we finish the bit of uphill we are on, it is all downhill to Berwick. That proves to be true, and we cross the border out of Scotland and cruise into Berwick, after I think the longest 20km ever. Though we’ve only travelled about a quarter of the distance for today, we’re both hungry already, and stop for a lunch break.

On the train up from London to Edinburgh, we saw a lovely bridge at Berwick, and today we get to see it a little closer both in and out of Berwick. The Royal Border Bridge makes an impressive sight, framing, and being framed by its surroundings, and brings a little lift to the day.

From Berwick we continue on National Cycle Route 1. It takes us on a dodgy, rutted, grassy path for several kilometres. The views over the sea are lovely, but our progress is very slow until we finally hit paved road. I have cunningly plotted a route that takes some distance off today, by leaving the cycle route and taking some back roads. The thing with plotting cunning routes is that you don’t always know what the roads will be like, and today’s cunning route turns out to be a test of bike handling skills as we weave our way around huge, water-filled potholes, some as wide as the road, often having to ride on the narrow and muddy road edge. Cadel Evans eat your heart out – I don’t think even he, with his exceptional skills, could outdo our efforts today. We are overtaken by a local on a quad bike – perhaps the only reasonable form of transport on this, surely unnavigable road.

Finally we reach a real road again, and we cross the A1 to take a smaller road, that runs down to Belford. Fatigue is truly setting in now for me, and it doesn’t help when we stop to speak with a heavily laden tourer who says we may have another 50 or so kilometres to go! The route heads coastwards again, and we take in close and magnificent views of Bamburgh Castle before swinging inland again to head toward our final destination of Alnwick. Hunger sets in, and though we are both keen to reach our destination as quickly as possible, we make a quick stop at a pub for a coke and some crisps. Stupidly, we are not carrying any food for hunger emergencies.

We’d hoped to get to Alnwick early enough to get down and take a look at the castle. In reality, we hit Alnwick around 8pm, and by the time we find our way to Reighamsyde House, our B&B for the night, it is close to 8:30. Kevin, our host, is extremely helpful. Our accommodation is more than a kilometre from town, and is at the top of a fairly steep hill. (Yes, stupid for a pair of cyclists, but it really is a lovely place.) He tries to call us a cab while we shower and change, but when he finds there is no cab available, he drives us down into town himself, and drops us outside Caffe Tirreno, a well-regarded Italian restaurant. Initially we are told the kitchen is closed, but the looks of disappointment and hunger bordering on desperation somehow sway the manager, who consults with the kitchen, and agrees to feed us.

We order and eat as quickly as possible, downing a beer and some wine along the way. The food is magnificent, and the service friendly and efficient. We are the last to leave, and we stop to chat with the Polish sister and brother who are running the place, very thankful to them that we didn’t have to resort to take-always or Indian. Our wonderful host Kevin insists fetching us after dinner, so all-in-all we are very well treated in Alnwick.

Stats for the day

• Distance: 91.8km
• Moving time: 6:02:21
• Average speed: 15.2km/h
• Climb: 1041m
• Average temperature: 18C
• See our route on Strava.