Reached the capital of Scotland

27th June- and I'm writing in haste in a hotel room in Princes Street, just facing the Scott monument and Edinburgh's old town. Jane's come up for the weekend and we've had a great time wandering around this historic city. But it's Sunday morning and I need to be packed up for the next stage of my journey.
Some more good walking and good company since the last entry. Through the South Tyne valley to Hadrian's Wall and a lovely campsite close to the Twice Brewed pub, where I met up with Dave again. North from the wall through the conifer forests and open moorland of Northumberland following the Pennine Way through Bellingham and Byrness. Joined by my cousin Alan and his son, Leo, for the weekend- a lovely sunny one and much enjoyed. Leo sees many mountain bike trails he wants to return to.
Their last day was Sunday- a week ago now- and that was a long memorable walk from Byrness to Jedburgh, passing the Chew Green Roman Camp high in the Cheviot hills and on into Scotland. We followed Dere Street, a wonderful green road sliding along the edge of the Cheviots and then, lined by ancient trees, heading straight for Jedburgh.
A cramped campsite at Jedburgh, but next day more joiners- David (brother), Polly (niece) and Michael my work colleague of the last couple of years. And another long day- on the banks of the Teviot and the Tweed, back on Dere Street, and finally over the Eildon hills where (apparently) King Arthur waits in the caverns to listen for Scotland's call. We didn't see any sin of him, but did have a great view back to the Cheviots in the evening light. Melrose was an attractive town- the ruined abbey and a festival of horse riders in the town that evening.
From Melrose, it took three days and a morning to reach Edinburgh. Our stops were a fine country inn at Lauder, a night's wild camping in the Lammermuir Hills, and another at an edge-of-city capsite at Musselburgh. Some highlights: the long walk on the grouse moors of Lammermuir and much evidence of the nesting birds, the first view of Arthur's Seat (the hill above Edinburgh) from our camping ground in the hills, the first sight of the Edinburgh coastline as we reached Musselburgh, a splendidly dour and practical tour of the Glenkinchie distillery, the walk between the mudflats and ash lagoons of the industrial coast between Musselburgh and Prestonpans.
And now it's time to set off again- west today along the Union Canal and then three days up into Perthshire to reach Crieff and the start of the Highlands.