Poem: Walking St Cuthbert's Way

Walkers' Britain & Europe traveller Martin Strasmore, known to many readers as “The Walking Poet,” continues his account of St Cuthbert's Way, following the old Roman road of Dere Street from Jedburgh towards Morebattle, past Cessford Castle and grazing sheep. Here is his poem of the day, in his own words. 

> Click here to read part 1 of this poem.

Following the Roman Road

Dere street the Roman road
Saint Cuthbert walked here
through old woodlands
full of dark green ferns
stone walls separating the trees
from rolling hills of farmland.

Walking with Tim and his dog,
out for the day,
Listening to local scottish history
Seeing fields of barley and oats
growing here today
and maybe for centuries.

Unexpectedly the grassy path
becomes a swathe of daisies
alongside a perfectly straight stone wall
aiming straight for a distant copse.

As the trail veers right,
Cessford Castle appears.
500 years old solid as a rock.
A scottish fortress of thick walls
and now surrounded,
By grazing sheep.

Resting here with the friendly sheep
before I walk onto Morebattle,
A village of cottage gardens
filled with flowers at their colorful peaks,
and a memorial to lives lost
in the Great War.

Reaching the tiny hotel
welcomed into the friendly bar
By the Scottish Kenyan hosts.
I find Tim and the 4 ladies
They passed me at Cessford.

I will staying here tonight
Getting prepared for tomorrow’s
Walk Over the highest hill
I order macaroni and cheese
Cider and salad.
I will be ready!

About the Author

Martin Strasmore writes and photographs long-distance trails under the name The Walking Poet, drawing on more than a decade of walks around the world, from Kilimanjaro and the Camino de Santiago to the Coast to Coast Walk, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the Israel National Trail and the Tour du Mont Blanc. Many of these journeys are collected into his self-published books of poetry and photography, with profits supporting the charitable foundation PRASAD. Martin also co-hosts a poetry podcast, Poetry For Now, with his wife Kassandra. You can find more of his poems and photography at thewalkingpoet.net.

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