LEJOG 2015
Dufton Thursday 28 May 2015
Start: Middleton in Teesdale
Finish: Dufton
Miles walked today: 22
Total miles: 590
What a day! Wild waterfalls, vertiginous views, flooded footwear and ailing alliteration.
I'm walking at 8.30 and following the River Tees to the west. West, you might ask, shouldn't you be headed north? Well, yes, but the Pennine Way does a sharp left turn for a day to take in some spectacular scenery before turning north again.
A nice surprise early on - I meet Stuart again. He too is headed for Dufton, which means we both have a long walk ahead.
What is it about barbed wire? I don't get it. At one point there is a field of sheep to the left, fenced with a double strand of barbed wire on top. Trees and the river are on my right, leaving a quite narrow path. It would be all too easy to catch clothing, back pack or skin on the wire, which is also at a child's eye level. Surely ordinary wire would be equally effective? Enough moaning, as I meet two gentlemen out for a walk on the hills, looking for spring gentian. One of them, Brian Carter, asks about my walk and kindly makes a donation to the fund. What a nice man. I, of course, forget to take a photo.
Low Force and High Force are two waterfalls which are very easy on the eye. As the river is full, the water is cascading down through the rocks with great energy. After another hour I reach Cauldron Snout, an altogether different scale of waterfall. The Tees pours down from a great height and is truly spectacular:
The wind is blowing constantly from the west, and now the path rises up through Maize Beck. A boggy few hours are spent with the Tees on my left and the wind pushing me back. At one point my left boot goes under, and fills with muddy water. It had to happen sooner or later...
There are places where the path scrambles over boulders and streams need crossing as they join the Tees. Some of these tiny tributaries spring right out of the rocks from dark places.
I knew that the long slog would be rewarded, and I was not disappointed. Suddenly the desolate moorland disappeared, and spread out before me is a deep, narrow valley: High Cup Nick. In the distance is the lush Eden Valley, and beyond that the mountains of the Lake District. It is truly a wonderful view.
A gentle descent takes me to Dufton youth hostel. The hostel is a delight. I pop over to the pub for a pint and some wifi, then return for dinner at seven. And... they do breakfast :)
Angela made a comment on my fund raising page (thank you so much) about my "wonderful blog" - are you reading the same blog I'm writing, Angela? Good to know I'm up to six readers if so :) Makes tapping away on my phone worthwhile.
Alston Friday 29 May 2015
Start: Dufton
Finish: Alston
Miles walked today: 19
Total miles: 609
Oohh hello! How are you today dear reader? Good day? Grab a hot beverage, pull up a chair, and find out how my day went...
Breakfast. I'm finding the full English a bit much so the marvellous hostel sends me on my way full of the vegetarian option. The weather is damp, not raining, and the tops of the hills are lost in cloud.
Quite early on there are stacks of huge stone paving slabs ready to pave yet another part of the Pennine Way. The photo below is a bit pants, apologies for that. I presume they have been dropped by helicopter. I know the purists don't approve of paving, but I'm happy to keep out of the sticky bog. I know some object to the cairns as well, but on a filthy day they are a welcome reminder that you're on track.
The path leads ever upwards, past Knock Fell, Great Dun Fell with ita ghostly radar globe, Little Dun Fell and finally Cross Fell at 2930 feet. The cloud occasionally parts and gives me tantalising glimpses of the views I'm mostly unable to see. On a clear day it's possible to see the sea and, to the north, the hills of Galloway in Scotland. The weather plays games, and in the space of ten minutes there is weak sun, rain, and, at the highest point, sleety snow. Mercifully, the Helm Wind, notorious at Cross Fell, is absent.
Greg's Hut is a refuge just a little down from the summit, where I stop briefly for a snack, and am startled by a fellow Pennine Way-er who arrives just as I am leaving. He's the first person I've seen all day. The rest of the descent is pleasant, with views opening up to the north, then a riverside few miles to Alston, where the youth hostel awaits me.
As I shower I ponder on the good advice I've been given, several times, to "Look after your feet." Just how does one not look after ones feet? Leave them outside all night? Wear stilettos over Cross Fell? Let them eat too many sweets? I know what these kind folk mean, but no one advises me to look after my ears, for example. They should, though, as they are sunburnt and slightly uncomfortable. Poor me... Night night :)
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 :)
Bellingham Sunday 31 May 2015
Start: Greenhead
Finish: Bellingham
Miles walked today: 22
Total miles: 648
Suddenly, there it is: Hadrian's Wall. I've been walking for thirty to forty minutes or so, climbing gently. It's quite misty, unlike the sunny day last time I was here, which seems to generate a more appropriate atmosphere for this special place.
I walk up to the wall, and rest my hands and forehead on the cold stones. I try to commune with the long gone Roman soldiers who manned this northern outpost of the Roman empire. Did they volunteer for this posting? Were they lured by extra pay? Did they all have wives and children back home? How did they adapt to the climate? And how did they cope with the logistical problems communicating with Rome? Or the south of England for that matter?
Unbidden, a face looms up from my subconscious mind. A giant of Roman history. This mighty figure utters those immortal words:
"I have a vewy gweat fwend in Wome called Biggus Dickus!"
The walk along the wall lasts all morning. It's truly unique and amazing. The ground goes up and down like a roller coaster. I'm taking it all in when suddenly its all like an episode of Casualty. Two people within a half a mile of each other have fallen and hurt themselves badly. Ambulances are summoned and I can do nothing to help so I walk on. (Another sad event. I read in the local paper at breakfast that on Friday - the day after I walked past - a father out with his family drowned while swimming at Low Force waterfall.)
Just after midday I leave the wall and head north. Soon I bump into a ranger, out collecting litter and looking out for people who need help. He tells me that some colleagues have walked the Pennine Way and Hadrian's Wall with Google Steeet cameras on their heads. Yes, within a month you can experience walking the entirety of these paths without leaving your chair! If only I'd known ;)
The afternoon is spent walking through coniferous plantations and more moors. It's very boggy, of course, but I survive. The sun comes out in earnest as I cover the last few miles and I check into the hostel at Bellingham relieved that another quite long day is over. I've been walking for around nine to ten hours without more than a five minute break.
Dan from yesterday is staying at the hostel, as well as Keith, who has walked from Lands End but is finishing at the end of the Pennine Way.
I know who Mrs of Old Basing is now :) Thanks Denise for your support. Tina did the detective work.
Last word today to Kenonymous:
"Bit of trouble finding a brewery near you tonight. It'll have to be something else - is a glass of Fentimans Botanically Brewed Ginger Beer ok?? (Dont go urgh .... please! After all, there IS a nice video)"
Byrness Monday 01 June 2015
Start: Bellingham
Finish: Byrness
Miles walked today: 15
Total miles: 663
Byrness is a tiny and remote place. The hotel is closed. As is the filling station where you used to be able to get a mean hot chocolate. The youth hostel is now Forest View Walkers Inn - the same two middle houses in a row of terraces which the hostel used to occupy. My only problem is that there is a "No Vacancies" sign in the window. There is nothing else in the village, and a campsite a mile or two back. It's just starting to rain and I'm feeling a little concerned.
The lady proprietor arrives and takes pity on me. I can camp in the back garden for free, so long as I have dinner. I'm happy with that as there is nowhere else to eat for miles.
The day's walk was short and uneventful. Some fields, some coniferous forest, some very boggy patches, and some gravel tracks. And a fence with five (yes, FIVE) strands of barbed wire.
Before I put my tent up, rain starts, and Keith and Dan arrive. Dan and I get our tents up in a brief pause in the downpour.
The hotel ìs full, there are lots of people chatting in the conservatory looking at my and Dan's tents and making jokes about the rain...
