It was a bit tough to start walking again as Kaya left and it was raining hard. We had enjoyed being in Melrose for a close friend's wedding. Graham from East Grinstead married Julie from America on Saturday after quite a few of us had climbed a mountain in the morning and drunk whiskey and eaten Scotch pies at the top with the groom. Kaya and I enjoyed Liverpool for a couple of days. We were amazed on the one hand at all the new buildings going up but equally at what still needs doing especially an area called Kensington which we passed through between the end of the M62 and the city centre which consisted of several miles of boarded up houses - what an entry into the City of Culture 2008. There are though, the excellent Tate Liverpool, the Walker Gallery and 2 magnificent Cathedrals. I crossed the Mersey on the ferry whose history goes back to the 12th century when Benedictine monks operated it from their monastry on the Birkenhead side. People think of Liverpool and Birkenhead as one but not up here. Birkenhead is the older and is the principle town of the Wirral - a world away from Liverpool, the young pretender. It was though, quite dreadful and apart from the splendid Victorian Harrison Square and its museum, I was pleased to leave. I saw a photo in the museum of my ex-grandfather-in-law who was Liberal MP for Birkenhead for 16 years. It was probably a lot better in 1910 when the docks and shipbuilding were alive. Walking north out of Birkenhead was a lengthy series of esplenades to New Brighton on the easterly tip of the Wirral. I was walking the same speed as a football floating in the water going out on the Ebb Tide. Was this a sign that the tide is going out this season for the two famous Liverpool clubs, I hope not Everton. New Brighton was supposed to surpass its south coast namesake in elegance but Mr. Harrison died so the money ran out and it never recovered but there were some lovely properties I passed. Along the north coast of the Wirral, the weather had conspired to provide very clear views back to Liverpool and Southport, and forwards to Wales across Liverpool Bay. I'm staying in a B&B in Fred's very nice house - a retired bank manager. I have a few miles to catch up tomorrow.