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Sub 2k Marilyns: Peel Fell
Date: 11/03/2018.
Distance: 8.5 km.
Ascent: 400m.
Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.
Weather: Warm with drifting cloud and some sunshine.
Also some cycling - 35 miles on Saturday and 50 miles on Sunday.
Had tried to persuade my flatmate to go to a gig in Newcastle on Saturday night, but he wasn't overly keen. Couldn't be bothered going on my own, so I swiftly enacted plan B, packing up some overnight gear into my bike panniers. Jumped on the train at 2:30 pm, a quick dash around the Tesco in Hexham for beer and firelogs, and I was pedalling away up the North Tyne by 4pm. The weather forecast had been for rain all afternoon, but after a few minutes of drizzle, it eased off to a misty but benign pedal through the countryside.
Cycle Map (Saturday in red, Sunday in blue) 
On the way up to Kielder There were a few possibilities for bothies, but I decided to go for a more ambitious option - Wainhope, on the north side of Kielder Water. Green, Roughside, Flittingford and Haughtongreen were all closer - lots of bothies in a relatively small area here.
The rain came back on after Wark, and by the time I had made an accidental diversion into the centre of Bellingham, it was really pelting down. I stopped to put my jacket on and work out where I was going, and pushed on with the last 10 miles to Kielder Dam. Following the most minor roads on the north side of the North Tyne, there were some poor surfaces and big hills, but despite the rain, there was a nice feeling of gradually heading into hill country.
Annoyingly, by the time I reached the end of the tarmac, I had run out of daylight. I hoped the route-finding through the forest wouldn't be too hard - there is a tendency not to want to keep stopping and dragging the map out while on the bike. The initial section of track was full of potholes and puddles, but on passing the end of the dam, things improved greatly and I was on a good forestry track. After a few ups and downs, I turned off onto a rougher track and things got worse. Barely a mile from the bothy, I hit snow on the track. It was deep, and of a horribly melty consistency - almost impossible to pedal on. My pace slowed to a walk/push for much of this last section, and I was glad when I finally spotted a faint light - the bothy
.
There was already a quartet in occupation with something approaching a fire going, but not a great deal of heat coming off it. I dropped in my firelogs which improved things slightly, but there was no getting away from the fact that there just wasn't enough dry wood.
Wainhope - some mediocre stove action However, it wasn't overly cold outside, so we spent a reasonably pleasant evening chatting before I headed off to bed in the other room.
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It must've got a little warmer overnight, because I have rarely woken up in more of a temperature equilibrium in a bothy. Usually my nose and ears are freezing, or I'm covered in a film of sweat. If I hadn't been bursting for a pee I could've lain there for hours longer
I had a leisurely breakfast and packed up, and was on my way shortly after 9am. My plan today was to carry on around Kielder Water, then nip up to the Scottish border and take a wander up Peel Fell.
Wainhope Bothy 
Wainhope 
Spring is on its way 
Leaving Wainhope Returning to the shores of the reservoir, the snow was again a pain in the arse for short sections, but once on the main track around the shore, the going was fine. As I passed through Kielder and headed north, the sun even threatened to come out.
I turned off onto another forestry track immediately after Kittythirst and headed up the Deadwater Burn towards Peel Fell. I hoped to pedal all the way up to Rushy Knowe, leaving me with a short ascent, but again the snow was too difficult to pedal in, so I ditched the bike a good mile and a half short of the track end.
The snow was crap for walking in too, and it seemed to take an age to reach the point I had hoped to cycle to. After a short wander through the trees, I was clear of the forest and over the wall into Scotland. There seemed to be something of a faint waymarked path on the Scottish side of the ridge, although it was often buried beneath horrible melty snow.
USA could learn a few things about a budget border wall here... Beyond the forest, the ground was steeper, and some of the largest patches of snow just about held my weight without me sinking up to my knees. Again took longer than expected to pass the pleasant outcrop of Jennie Storie's Stone and reach the summit plateau.
Jenny Storie's Stone Although there was an inch or so of squelch on the plateau, the peat hags and bogs remained frozen beneath, making for easy walking. The summit is set back from the edge, and on the English side of the border, with a lower cairn on the Scottish side. Between, a fleet of excavators was sat on the plateau. I couldn't work out what they were doing - no obvious tracks up here so probably not a windfarm, but what?
Strange goings on at the summit of Peel Fell 
Scottish summit of Peel Fell The sun was out now and there were limited views between the drifting clouds. This is hardly the most impressive part of the country, but the nice remote feeling coupled with some proper warmth off the sun made for a good feeling - almost felt like I didn't want to be anywhere else (soon changed when I got home and saw endless photos of a sunny, deep-freeze Highlands)!
Jennie Storie's Stone 
Descending Peel Fell Back to the bike was a little faster than the ascent, although wearing shorts and trainers, I was getting bored of snow getting into my feet. Couldn't wait to reach the bike.
Down Liddesdale 
Peel Fell and some tedious snow for cycling Back on the road, I carried on north briefly to the border sign, then turned around and headed back to Kielder Water. I had briefly considered an ascent of Larriston Fell on the other side of the border as well, but knew there would be more miles of snowed-up forestry track to reach it, so gave it a miss.
Home, briefly 
Peel Fell from the border The Kielder area is much as I had expected - miles and miles of conifers and bog, but in the sunlight it was rather pleasant - great cycling country anyway.
Kielder Water 
Kielder Water I took a break by the dam before continuing back down towards Bellingham. I love a good circular route, so was pleased to be able to avoid retracing any of yesterday's ride in, instead heading onto the hills south of the North Tyne for some steep climbs and descents. The road surfaces on minor roads in Northumberland are appalling, but it was good fun anyway.
North Tynedale 
Kielder Dam At Wark, I crossed over my route in and continued through Barrasford and Wall. Any notion of climbing up onto the high ground and following Hadrian's Wall east for a bit was soon discarded in favour of the easiest route back to Hexham, where I had 20 minutes to change into more presentable clothes before the next train. Nothing too impressive for the weekend, but a nice chance to get out and explore some local countryside and bothies.
