Greenhead Saturday 30 May 2015
Start: Alston
Finish: Greenhead
Miles walked today: 17
Total miles: 626
Today was supposedly an easy day, following a lower level route along rivers and over moors. It started well: the youth hostel has red squirrels nesting right outside the dining room window. Breakfast with red squirrels - a unique event for me.
The weather was kind to me - no rain, some sunshine, and hardly any wind. The moors turned out to be very boggy and, on a small scale, hard to navigate. There must be some psychological reason but it didn't feel like an easy day.
I met up with Stuart again at Greenhead, also Dan, a PWer who I've seen a few times over the last few days. We sat at the bar of the Greenhead Hotel swapping stories of wet boots, and places we'd seen and would like to see.
Hadrian's Wall tomorrow!! But I'm not sure if it will stay dry...
Top ten walking tips
- Ten: Never trust a wet rock. You could end up some or all of the following: wet; hurt; embarrassed. I know...
- Nine Always say hello to the animals. They have feelings too. "Hello sheep," "Morning birds!"
- Eight Always carry a compass. You never know when you might get lost.
- Seven Never carry a compass in a pocket near your phone. The magnets in the phone and its case will de-magnetise your compass, leading to great confusion.
- Six If you haven't seen anyone on your path for a few hours and desire a bit of human company, take what the Americans euphemistically call a "comfort break." As soon as you start your "break" it's a certainty that a gang of walkers will stroll along, leading to an awkward moment for both parties.
- Five If you're at a fork and uncertain which way to go, take the high path. If you're wrong, at least you won't have to go uphill to get back on track. (I ignored my own advice this morning. Much cursing ensued).
- Four Always be super polite to the people where you are staying. It does pay off. From campsites to hotels, the hosts will be prepared to go that little bit further for you.
- Three Blisters and sore feet will happen, no matter what precautions you take. But don't worry - after three weeks or so your feet will have toughened up :)
- Two Expect bad weather. It's a bonus when it doesn't materialise
- One Enjoy your walking. One life - have fun every day :)
