Pennine Way . Part 2 Keld to Kirk Yetholm

[raykilhams]

Day 1
Berwick upon Tweed to Kirkby Stephen

Set off from Forfar and drove down to Berwick to catch the train to Kirkby Stephen . The reason we went from Berwick to Kirkby Stephen was twofold...Firstly there is no train station at Keld and the bus service is erratic . So the idea was to camp the night at K Stephen and walk towards Keld the next morning and pick up the PW at Tan Hill , and secondly , after finishing the walk at Kirk Yetholm we would simply catch the bus to Kelso and then on to Berwick to collect the car ( Berwick is only 20 miles from K Yetholm , so you could walk it if you wanted to , but it would be the bus for us ).
Arrived in Berwick and after finding out that it would cost £3-50 a day to park at the train station we decided to park in the free long stay car park by the old fort / cattle market. We then took the train to K Stephen changing at Newcastle and Carlisle. After arriving at K Stephen we walked to the Pennine View Caravan Park ( about a mile from the station) and pitched our tent , swatting midges by the score ( some things never change ).
As you read this report please excuse my waffling and rambling , I,m in my sixties and I've almost perfected the art of waffling and can digress with the best of them.


Day 2
Kirkby Stephen to Tan Hill , 12 miles

The omens were not good for the first day of our walk , it had rained all night with no sign of stopping and it appeared extremely grey outside the tent and so with quiet resignation we got dressed and stepped out of the tent expecting a very wet walk . But as soon as we were out of the tent it was as though someone had thrown a switch , the rain stopped , and that was it as far as heavy rain was concerned for our entire walk .
After a bite to eat we packed away the tent and set off , making our way up through Nateby taking the B6270 to Keld ( incidently there are two ways of going to Keld from Kirkby Stephen , the B6270 or the Coast to Coast route over Nine Standards ,( but as we've been over N Standards in the past we took the quicker route on the road).
The first couple of miles were uphill and the backpack felt decidedly heavy ( always like that on the first of a long distance walk....it would get easier...I thought). By the time we reached the county line on Nateby common the grey sky had been replaced with blue and the sun was shining , it was very quiet , all that could be heard were the distinctive crys of curlews and skylarks . The good thing about theB6270 is that it's not a busy road , there were more rabbits and shrews running up and down the road than cars . We only saw five or six vehicles and two of those were bag carrying service vans ( very tempting , maybe when I'm older).
We stopped for a coffee on Birkdale Common and then continued on the road until we reached the turnoff for Ravenseat , which we took , passing Ravenseat farm ( they serve drinks and cakes there) and followed the path up hill to Roberts Seat where we had great views of the surrounding hills . From Roberts Seat it was a fairly straightforward walk to Tan Hill following the route that runs parallel with the PW from Keld to Tan Hill The reason we went by Ravenseat was simple , it saved us having to walk downhill into Keld ( quite steep in places) and then having to walk uphill to get back onto the moor. I had promised Arlene an easy first day , just 12 miles ,so we could get used to carrying our heavy loaded backpacks.
We arrived at Tan Hill about 1-30pm , a bit early to stop , but that was the plan , so we had a pint in the pub , pitched the tent , had another pint while listening to a pianist in the lounge and went for a walk toward Keld. in the evening we had a meal in the pub then retired for the night.
Just a few words about the Tan Hill pub . If you look at the reviews , on say tripadvisor or elsewhere , you will find it's a bit of a marmite pub....you either hate it or love it . We thought it was okay i.e the staff were fine and the food was good. The campsite , as such , was alright ,but any more than four tents and you would be pitching your tent on rough ground. There is a toilet and hand basin for the use of campers ,adequate, but it's not the Ritz , but , if you don't feel like camping they do have a sort of bunk house , but at £25 pp a night maybe a bit steep.

From Ravenseat

Day 3
Tanhill to Middle in Teesdale. 18 miles

We were surrounded by thick mist when we emerged from the tent in the morning ,and it was chilly to say the least . We set off across Sleightholme Moor at about 7am wearing coats , hats and gloves ( yes it was that cold). After about a mile , as we made our way down off the hill the mist thinned and before us we could see the sun shining over towards Bowes and the dales beyond , behind us Tan Hill was still shrouded in a thick mist . Before long , off came the coat , hat and gloves , ( we never used hat and gloves again on the walk , Tan Hill was definately the coldest place we visited all summer). The tracks across the Moor were not that well defined and were a wee bit boggy in places so we needed to keep alert , having said that there were a few poles that helped , but there were also many white markers on both sides of the path that seem to run everywhere ..... so beware. Finally got off the Moor onto a decent track and headed toward Trough Heads coming off the track onto a path that ran adjacent to the beck , this was where I made a bit of a boo boo , instead of taking a right hand fork in the path , which would take us to higher ground above the beck , we stayed on the lower path , (no signs you see , and it did look okay on the map) . I only realised my mistake when a cliff face prevented us going any further . So we back tracked a short distance and found a path to the top , albeit very steep. It looked as though other walkers had made the same mistake.
At Trough Heads you have two options either carry straight on to God's Bridge or take the Bowes route , we chose to go on to God's Bridge ,( as we weren't staying over night at Bowes it seemed pointless) . So we carried on over God's Bridge crossing the A66 on to Balderhead and Blackton Resr , where the Bowes loop joins the main PW .
I had noticed on the map that there was a PC just a couple of hundred metres off the main route , so we decided to make use of it and to get some water. ...Big mistake , it was no longer in use , but it wasn't a big deal , unlike the times when the OS map shows a PH in a town , and when upon arrival ,( after looking forward to a drink for hours ) we're told by a local , " Oh it's been closed for six months" ...... it never fails to bring the Victor Meldrew in me ( as it would when we reached Middleton and Caragill). It's the same every time we walk long routes , if its not the local pub that's recently closed , it's the only shop or restaurant in town , such a disappointment. Sorry about my rantings , on with the walk.
By the time we crossed the road disecting Selset and Grassholme Resr it was about 3pm and we were beginning to fantasise about ice cream and ice cold beer , it had been a hot , hot day and Middleton couldn't come soon enough. You know how some things stick in your memory , well the following is a case in point . .....as we began to climb up toward Harter Fell from Wythes Hill Farm , the farmer decided to come out and turn his hay in the field we were walking across. Now it was a BIG field, but he decided to start turning the hay right next to us , in fact we had to step out of the way of the tractor ( he could have gone several hundred metres either side of us , but no , he had to start right where we were walking ) , and so we were covered in stoor. Oh well it's his field , so I suppose he can start where he likes ...we just looked at each other and laughed ...strange but true.
Eventually made our way into Middleton , yep , you guessed it , the Pub closed a few months ago , but there was a co-op plus a couple of shops and a superb Bistro that served us wine ,ice cold water and a great salad . It was so hot we ate inside , while a few locals and holiday makers sat outside under parasols , drinking beer and enjoying an evening meal. It was more like the south of France than England . On the way back to the Daleview campsite we bought ice cream from the co-op. By the way.... the campsite was very well laid out , the showers were a treat. Strange thing was , we never saw any of the owners and just popped the money through their letter box the next morning.

Web in Light

God's Bridge

Flower Meadows

Day 3
Middleton in Teesdale to Dufton . 19 miles

Today was definately the best day of the entire walk. Not just because of the clear , blue , cloudless sky , or the heat of the sun on our back , or the fact that we didn't encounter even the slightest of breeze . It was because of the sheer variety of scenery on this section , making you realise that walking is not just about keeping fit , but it allows you to witness sights and sounds that an armchair lover will never experience , it allows you to absorb and soak up atmosphere , and marvel at the great landscape we have in Britian.
Once again we were up early and set off following the course of the Tees as it meandered through the Dale. After a few miles and a number of dykes to climb over ( there seem to be dozens of them ) we reached Low Force . Although not a big waterfall by any means , it makes up for it with its setting. We crossed the footbridge to get a better view , and sat for a few minutes taking it in ( never walk by these things , you might not pass this way again).
After munching on some fruit and nuts we recrossed the bridge and carried on until we came to High Force , a much higher and spectacular waterfall ...... but personally I think we prefered Low Force , probably more atmosphere . We stopped , sat in the shade ( as the heat from the Sun grew hotter ) and had a coffee , and then we were off again following the river until Pasture Foot where the path ascended a hill and then swung back to take us past Cronkley and back down to the river which we crossed. It was here that we had our first glimpse of the flower meadows , full of rich yellows , sprinkled with reds , whites and blues. They would be cut soon for hay , but we had seen them in their glory , and what a sight they were .
The next few miles took us toward Cow Green Resr past Holmwath and we were both looking forward to seeing Cauldron Snout , but I didn't realise that the path for the last mile would be so full of boulders , we had to look constantly where we were stepping or hopping over and the heavy backpacks didn't make it easy , they just slowed us up , well no good rushing and getting a broken ankle or leg.
Cauldron Snout never fails to impress with it's series of falls , so when we got there , we sat down , where the path peters out at the foot of the falls , and had lunch , watching the cascading waters and listening to its roar A few minutes later another walker turned up , stopped where we were sitting , looked up at the falls and then proceded to pull his guide book from his pocket , he then looked at the falls again , glanced at his guidebook , then looked at me and said , " Where's the path go", I pointed to to the side of the fallsand replied , " Straight over the boulders". He seemed satisfied and off he climbed. He wasn't the only one who seemed confused , several others came along , swithered a bit and then took to the boulders , not always going in the same direction.
After our stop at the Snout we carried on to Birkdale over Rasp Hill to Maize Beck ( they were laying a new stone track over the hill , and the stones were pitted with gleaming iron pyrite ) , and then on to what must rank alongside Malham Cove as the most impressive sight of the whole of the PW.....High Cup Nick ...it just suddenly opens up before you ,absolutly incredible. Very difficult to describe ....take a look at the pics , but you really just have to see it for yourself. If you're not a walker or mountain biker you will never be able to see it for what it is . So if you're in the area go for it.
It was then downhill , four miles of it all the way to Dufton , where we would be camping for the night ,.....now I don't know about you but I'm an uphill walker , Arlenes the downhill walker , so she left me standing as she almost raced down the hill...I couldn't keep up ,it's my knees you see , they just don't like it. Anyway we walked into Dufton ( well Arlene walked , I kind of hobbled) found the campsite ( The Grandie ) and more importantly the inn/pub . Good pub in Dufton ( The Stag ) , the Guiness went down a treat and the food was very good.

Low Force

PW by sheep

High Force

Cauldron Snout

High Cup Nick

Day 4
Dufton to Caragill . 16 miles.

What goes up must come down , or in our case , what comes down must go up . We had come down four miles from High Cup Nick the day before , today it was four miles out of Dufton all the way up to Knock Old Man , and boy it was exhausting . It was another cloudless day and it was hot , very hot , and coupled with our full backpacks it made for a tiring climb . Arlene found it tough , but she never complains , just has plenty of stops for a breather and then marches on again. At Knock Old Man we rested for ten minutes then off we went crossing over Great and Little Dun Fell and up to Cross Fell which at 893m is , I believe , ( unless you know different) the highest hill in England outside the lake district . We stopped there for lunch , accompanied by a few hundred wasps which had taken up residence in the newly build cairn , but they didn't seem to bother us , obviously cup- a- soup plus powered potato and crackers were not to their liking.
From Cross Fell it was near enough down hill all the way to Caragill. We passed Greg's Hut where many a walker has spent the night but at 3-30pm it was a bit to early to stop , so we continued on to Caragill where I was hoping to find a BandB to give us a change from the tent.
The continuing downhill path was starting to tell on my legs , so I was relieved to get to Caragill , but alas after trying several BandBs there was no room in the inn . As for the pub The George and Dragon , it was boarded up apparently closed down several months ago. So there we were sitting on a bench in the middle of town drinking the last of our water thinking that it was either a taxi into Alston four miles away or pitching the tent outside of Caragill. But as always happens in these situations " Cometh the hour cometh the man", ( or in this case the woman ) , and it was Arlene that came to the rescue , she had seen a WC sign and went off to use it at her convenience ( sorry about that). When she came back she told me that the WC was part of the village hall with a recreation field behind it , and on the gate of the field was a notice stating that campers were welcome and that the village hall toilet facilities were open all night for campers use ( they were very clean with plenty of room for washing). There was a fee of £5 but it was worth every penny . So after doing a celebratory jig and a hearty three cheers for Caragill village hall we went and pitched our tent . So Caragill wasn't so bad after all. Something for all you future PW walkers to keep in mind if you don't feel up to walking on to Alston.

Leaving Dufton

Day 5
Caragill to Knarsdale . 12 miles

Woke up to another bright sunny day , so we packed our stuff away and set off for Alston , promising ourselves a fry up in Alston and an hours break to stock up on goodies. We walked the four miles into Alston along the South Tnye which was very pleasant ( lots of trees for shade) . As we entered the town we went into the garage , which had a large shop ( tesco or Spar ) and bought some orange juice which tasted ohhhh so good , cool and refreshing in the morning heat. Then on the recommendation of a local , we went into the Country Pantry cafe and had a really superb breakfast . After that it was off to the local Co-op to stock up ( bought some mango juice and I drank a litre of it , I was just so thirsty) , followed by a sit in the shade for half an hour.
Alston like Hawes on the PW is the type of town , or should I say village , that's a joy to walk into . It's not big , but it has a number of shops , cafes/restaurants plus a couple of inns/pubs , it has a real old world feel to it. Plus of course it has a campsite and a number of BandBs.
It was quite difficult to pull ourselves away from Alston , we could have relaxed there all day , but needs must , so off we went , retracing our steps until we were back on the PW . We just took our time , it wasn't a day for rushing , but even so it's amazing how time flies , and before we knew it we were at Whitley Castle , an old Roman fort . Arlene wanted to go and investigate the fort , so I let her , I just lay back on the grass and had a snooze ( I don't think I'm taking this walk seriously). When she came back , we had a coffee and a melted mars bar , ( chocolate's not a good idea when the weathers hot , a little messy) and then we were off, making our way past Kirkhaugh Station to Slaggyford. It was in between those two places that I decided to phone up The Kirkstlye Inn in Knarsdale , a few miles on ,to see if they had any vacancies ( we fancied a soft bed for a change ), so I phoned up the Tel.No that I had been given by the man in the IT shop in Alston ( which was very kind of him). You can imagine my surprise when the receptionist answered the phone ... "Hello , this is The Kirkstyle Inn , Perth "....."
" That is the Kirkstyle Inn ? " I replied , slightly confused ( doesn't take a lot )
" Yes " , she said ," The Kirkstyle Inn , Perth , Scotland".
Well , that wasn't exactly what I wanted . But we sorted it out , and after eventually phoning the right Kirkstyle Inn in Knarsdale ( that had no vacancies ) we moved on , passing Slaggyford where we filled up our water bottles from a tap , conveniently positioned on the wall of an old Chapel that had been converted into a bunkhouse . By the time we arrived at Knarsdale we had resigned ourselves to wild camping , but before we pitched the tent for the night we decided to pop into the Kirkstyle Inn for a drink and a meal . After ordering a drink the landlord asked us if we were on holiday , and after telling him we were walking the PW and would be wild camping that night , he mentioned a farm about 100 m away that took campers ,( Stonehall Farm ) and he even phoned them up on our behalf. On getting the okay we immediately went and pitched our tent at the farm , which also had a toilet and a water tap , I think it cost about £3 a person , and then it was back to the Inn for another drink and a meal .
The Kirkstyle Inn in Knarsdale certainly got the thumbs up .......ummm ...and we must try The Kirkstyle Inn in Perth sometime....after all it's ony 45mins away from where we live.

On to Alston

Amongst the Butterburr

Day 6
Knarsdale to Greenhead . 10 miles

It was slightly overcast as we set off toward Lambley Common , and by the time we reached it a light drizzle had began to fall , making the waist high grasses we were wading through very wet . I should really have put my wet weather trousers on , but I didn't and within minutes my legs were soaked.
You would actually think that being the PW the path would be clear and well defined , but this is not the case , on a number of occasions , not just today , the path just disappears , leaving you , if you're lucky , with one or two very feint tracks to follow. It was the same at Harleyburn Common , the path appears quite clear then , oops it's gone . But as long as you keep your wits about you and check your map/GPS you shouldn't have a problem.
The drizzle only lasted about 45 mins and the sun began to make an appearance , so by the time we reached the A689 my trousers were dry. As I've already mentioned crossing Harleyburn Common was mainly pathless although there were one or two markers , but the sun was shining and it was great to be out , and in a few miles we would be at Greenhead where we be stopping for a days break . We got our first glimpse of Hadrians Wall as we came off Blenkinsopp Common and it's amazing how certain sights lift the spirit , it felt as though we had almost finished the walk , even though we had nearly sixty miles to go. We came off the PW and strolled into Greenhead ready for a soft bed for the night , so I was hoping that the hotel wasn't full. To our relief ( and joy )they had one vacant room
just for that night. We booked in ,left our backpacks at the hotel and went off for a cream tea in the tea room across the road , while the hotel prepared the room. Back at the hotel we were just like a couple of kids when we got into the room , there were proper beds , a large shower room , just so much space compared to our tent . So we had a shower and just lazed around , washed a few things , sorted out what we would do the following day ( a rest day) , had a couple of coffees and watched TV. In the evening we had a good meal in the hotel and then later watched the world cup final ( well I did , Arlene just fell asleep , football has that effect on her).

Day 7
Rest day in Greenhead . 7 miles
Today was our rest day , so after breakfast we took the AD122 to Birdoswald to look around the old Roman Fort and then walked the three miles back to Greenhead . After a snack in the tearoom we walked into Haltwhistle , had a coffee and cake and then took the bus back.
As there were no vacancies at the hotel , we spent that night in the hostel ( the hotel manager rearranged the rooms so we could get a bed , nice guy ). NOTE. The hotel also runs the hostel . It cost us £80-00 for BandB at the hotel and £15-00 pppn to stay at the hostel , which is equipped with a large kitchen area and a large communal room . After a meal at the hotel it was off to do a bit of reading and then to bed.

Day 8
Greenhead to Bardon Mill to Brownrigg Head . 25 miles

Woke up early to catch the bus from Greenhead to Bardon Mill , from where we would walk the three miles to Hadrians Wall to pick up the PW near Housesteads. The reason that we didn't walk the section between Greenhead and Housesteads was because over the past few years we've walked that section about four times ( including when we walked the entire Wall from Segudunum (Wallsend) to Bowness two years ago). I apologize to all the purists out there , but that's just me.
We got off the bus at Bardon Mill walking up towards West End Town and took the path through Thorngrafton Common. From the common we took a small road to the B6318 , which we crossed , making our way up the to The Wall where we sat having a brew up gazing across to Broomlee Lough on our right with the PW snaking away in front of us and disappearing into the Plantation about a mile ahead . As we sat there , allowing our senses to be saturated with the glorious vistas surrounding us , breathing in the cool , clear morning air , while feeling the increasing warmth of a sun that was gently rising in an azure blue sky , I glanced across at the Wall which had stood for nearly two millennia and thoughts dashed through my mind, how many people had passed this way , had sat here and gazed out , just as we were doing as they made their journeys to the south or the north , and how many more will do so when my walk of life is over . In places such as these you can almost feel the presence of the ancients who built the edifices that still stand , it oozes from every stone , and wether it be Hadrians Wall , Stonehenge , or the many stone circles we have in Britian , you really only experience it when you stand or sit alone away from the crowds , most notably when the sun rises or sets , there is something almost timeless about them....
" Time to go ", Arlene shouted , and in an instant my mind was redirected back to the walk and after slinging my backpack on my back ( which with every passing day seemed to be getting lighter ), off we went heading toward the plantation slightly to our left. We passed by Stonehaugh with it's campsite making our way through the dew laden grasses of the plantation toward Wark Common . The walking wasn't too bad today , not too strenuous , the highlights were The Wall and Shitlington Crags , which although not high by any means had a certain something about them.
Arrived at Bellingham at about 3pm where we bought a few goodies from the local Co-op and then sought out a tea room , where we had a superb cream tea . The scones were fresh and the cream thick and clotted ( a bit like my arteries ). I would have to give it a 9 out of 10 on my Holy Grail scale of creams teas ( we will find the perfect cream tea one day , but until then we'll continue to scoff any and all we find). Sorry I can't remember the name of the restaurant for all you future PW walkers but it's situated about 150m west of the Co-op.
It was only 4pm when we finished our tea , so we decided to get a few more miles under our belt and so we just strolled out of town , ( no need to rush ) and followed the route to Hareshaw House , all quite straightforward . From there it was on to Troughend Common with Whitley Pike rising up before us with Padon Hill to one side.
We had a breather and a coffee at the top of Whitley Pike and took in the fine views which were enhanced by a sky that could have come straight from a Turner canvas , you know , watery but very bright. We had a great feeling of contentment and well being , which I'm sure all our fellow walkers have experienced on your travels . From there we traversed to one side of Padon Hill and then downhill to meet up with Kielder Forest , and followed the path as it ascended along the edge of the forest up toward Brownrigg Head. It was at this point that we decided to find a dry , flatish bit of ground to pitch the tent for the night . We thought we had found a place about half way up and sat down to have a coffee before we pitched the tent .....BIG mistake , within seconds thousands ( and I mean thousands) of midges appeared , intent on tasting fresh blood...ours. So we quickly drank our coffee , ( while at the same time giving a good impression of fighting the invisible man) , and took the path up to the top of the hill . Fortunately because it was more exposed there was a soft breeze was blowing , which we hoped would keep the midges at bay until we had pitched our tent . By the time we had put up the tent and climbed inside the blighters were back , and as I lay on my back drifting off to sleep , my last memory of that day was of looking up at the tent watching multitudes of midges landing on the outside of the tent ,gradually blotting out the light from the evening sky ....darkness came early that night.

The PW from the Wall

The Wall behind us

Tall Grasses

Day 9
Brownrigg Head to the Mountain Hut ( just below The Cheviot ) 25 miles

Not a bad day today , just slightly overcast with a gentle breeze . The first five miles of the day were through the Kielder forest , pretty much of a muchness , and we stopped at the PC at Blakehopeburnhaugh ,( try saying that without your false teeth) to have a wash and a change of clothes ( very clean and spacious PC ). We then carried on a couple of miles , passing the campsite to meet the A68. It was here that I had a cunning plan , ( stupid boy ) I foolishly thought the Hotel , just along the road , might be open for coffee. As I approached The Hotel I noticed a sign ..... Restaurant open for coffee etc....., but , alas as I walked up to the door it was closed .....I really should know better ...nothing ever opens till ten .... but hope springs eternal.
We walked along the road for a few metres and took the steep path up to Bryness Hill wading through chest high bracken . The last 100m were the toughest , the path just disappeared amongst the bracken , but the upside was that every so often we came upon a clump of blaeberry plants loaded with large fruits ..... very tasty.
It was a great feeling to reach the top of the hill and see the Cheviots stretching out before us , knowing that our final destination Keld was over the far side . We stopped to take in the views and couldn't help but notice the rain clouds hanging over Catcleugh Reservoir behind us , menacingly moving slowly toward us. And so with the rain behind us and sunshine in front we increased our pace to see if we could outrun the rain and stay in the sun. Alas we just weren't quick enough and by the time we reached Ravens Knowe a light persistent rain began to fall , so the capes came out and on we went passing by the old Roman Camps at Chew Green ,( which are very impressive ). By the time we reached the Mountain Hut just below Lamb Hill the rain stopped , the clouds were well behind us having found a home on the peak of Ravens Knowe , clinging tightly to it's summit . We sat on the steps of the mountain hut , feeling the heat of emerging sun , drinking coffee and eating some sort of breakfast bar , while watching a fox bouncing about in the tall grass ( it doesn't get any better than this ) and then we were off again , climbing up Lamb Hill and on to Beefstand Hill . Now by the time we were at Windy Gale we realised we might just have a problem , we were not going to have enough water , we were running out quickly . Normally we would just top up our water bottles from a mountain stream , but there's a 20 mile section from Bryness over the Cheviots , that in a good summer is almost waterless , and this was certainly the case this summer. I know 20 miles doesn't sound far , but when you're carrying all your gear and you're constantly going up and down , up and down over the Cheviots ( 10 hills at least ), and the sun is shining , you're going to lose a lot of fluid (if it's a scorcher then you'll get through your water in no time ).
I did try to find some water , but the PW path keeps you high , and although we did see a few gullies below us, where water normally flowed , as I looked at them through my monocular I could see that they were dry as a bone . Okay, I know , we weren't going to die of thirst , but it was obvious that we wouldn't come across a decent water source until the next day , and so we did the next best thing , just looked out for a pool of water in the dried up peaty bogs we were crossing , ( not as easy as it sounds ). We did eventually ( between Kings Seat and Score Head )find a very small pool from where we filled up a couple of bottles of the brownish water and continued on , knowing at least we would have a cup of coffee that night. I suppose on reflection we should guzzled some of our water at the caravan/campsite at Bryness and topped our bottles up there , but you live and learn.
We pressed on and eventually got a glimpse of the Mountain Hut where we hoped to spend the night . It didn't look too far away , but between us and the hut the hill just fell away several hundred feet , so to get to it we had to follow the PW path up and over Auchope Cairn ,which was the highest point of the day at 743m ........ the last thing we really needed so late in the day, But up and over we went , although my legs didn't take kindly on the descent to the hut. As we approached the hut we could see a couple of pairs of boots sitting by the door , the hut was occupied , but nevertheless I knocked hard on the door and opened it . Inside a youngish couple had made themselves at home , but on seeing us ( a couple of oldies ) they quickly rearranged their gear so that Arlene could sleep on one of the benches and me , well I had the floor to myself....well almost to myself ... there was a large spiders web about a foot from my head . The next morning when I awoke I had a rather large swelling on my shoulder , which continued to swell the following day ,( causing a bit of concern )it was definately a bite , probably from the spider.
Before we bedded down for the night we sat outside the hut watching the sun go down having a cup- a- soup mixed with powdered potato made with the dark peaty coloured pool water , which we had sieved and boiled for a few mins , very tasty ( no ill effects to date ) . The young couple sharing the hut with us were walking the whole of the PW in one go ( if you have the time go for it ) , they told us that the 18 miles from Bryness to the hut was the toughest section of the whole walk ........... we had walked 25 miles that day , no wonder I felt shattered .... unlike the previous day when after 25 miles I still had at least another 5 miles in the tank.
Oh well , tomorrow we only had 6 miles to walk and the PW would be finished . I fell asleep that night looking out through the open gaps in the hut door thinking " if the midges strike tonight I'm first in the line of fire." , but I needn't have worried as the hut is situated on a saddle , where tonight at least , a gentle wind was blowing through.

Clouds over Catcleugh

Below the Cheviot

Day 10
Mountain Hut to Kirk Yetholm . 6 miles
Up at 5am today , and what a perfect morning ,the sky was clear with not a cloud in the sky , although there was a chill in the air and a heavy dew on the ground the sun would soon rise and burn it off . After breakfast we set off toward The Schil leaving the hut with the young couple still in the land of dreams , behind us. As we made our way slowly but surely up The Schil we paused and turn to get one last look at the hut which was now bathed in sunlight ( quite a sight ). .......it's true to say that at times walking can be tough and painful ( who hasn't suffered with blisters or lost toenails ) , weather conditions may not always be to our liking ( to put it mildly ) , ...but walking is NEVER unforgettable , there are always moments that will stay fixed in your mind forever....and gazing at that little mountain hut on that glorious morning was one of those moments.
Descending from The Schil we walked around Black Hag and rather than take the high road up Steer Rig we took the low path , coming across a clear mountain stream rushing down the mountainside , and so of course we stopped to fill our bottles with the crystal clear water , quenching our thirst with the cold , sweet , tasty water . It was then off , all the way down to Kirk Yetholm passing Burnhead and Halterburn .

Mountain Hut

4 Miles to go

Near Kirk Yetholm

At Kirk Yetholm we had a coffee then caught the bus to Kelso where we took another bus to Berwick and then walked to where the car was parked ( it was still there ). Arlene phoned up the local Travelodge and booked a room for the night and then it was a look around Berwick enjoying , firstly an ice cream to cool ourselves down ( it was scorching in Berwick) and then an hour later indulging ourselves in a first class , 8 out of 10 , cream tea.
We finished our time away by driving , the next day , to Melrose and spending the weekend at The Waverly hotel , meeting up with friends. We always like to reward ourselves at the end of a walk.

Hope I haven't waffled too much , and this report gives you some idea of walking the PW , it really is worth it .
Next walk is Melrose to Drymen as part of our Landsend to John o Groats walk ......we're doing it in sections ..... the last section being when we retire in a couple of years ...Landsend to Edale.

[Gordie12]

Hi Ray

Well done to both Arlene and yourself on completing the PW - looks like you had good weather for most of your trip.

You didn't waffle, but I just managed to read your report in a couple of days less than it took you to walk it

You should have paid The Mango Tree in Kirkby Stephen a visit on your first night, highlight of the C2C for me!!

Prepare yourself for a PM before June next year when I hope to do the PW as no doubt I'll have another pile of questions for you. Here's one for starters, what guide books/maps did you take with you (so far I've picked up the Trailblazer guide and it seems to be quite good)?? I've got my daily plan organised subject to being able to get some accomodation booked.

Anyway, looking forward to your Land's End - JOG report, hopefully it will appear when I'm on holiday so I can commit some serious time to getting it read

[raykilhams]

Hi Ray

Well done to both Arlene and yourself on completing the PW - looks like you had good weather for most of your trip.

You didn't waffle, but I just managed to read your report in a couple of days less than it took you to walk it

You should have paid The Mango Tree in Kirkby Stephen a visit on your first night, highlight of the C2C for me!!

Prepare yourself for a PM before June next year when I hope to do the PW as no doubt I'll have another pile of questions for you. Here's one for starters, what guide books/maps did you take with you (so far I've picked up the Trailblazer guide and it seems to be quite good)?? I've got my daily plan organised subject to being able to get some accomodation booked.

Anyway, looking forward to your Land's End - JOG report, hopefully it will appear when I'm on holiday so I can commit some serious time to getting it read

Hi Gordie,
Just love your sense of humour , many a true word said in jest . As for guide books /maps , we just printed out the maps we needed from Getamap ( the OS site ) and read about the PW online on different sites . I don't know if you've ever used the Cicerone guide books ( we have used some in the past and they are pretty good and very informative ).
PS
Must try the Mango Tree in KStep sometime ( is it the one down the far end of town where you go upstairs to the restaurant.....went there a couple of years ago...but maybe that's a different one).
Anyway , good walking and may the sun always be on your back
Ray

[Gordie12]

Recognise this??

Beef vindaloo, fried rice, garlic naan, for some reason my walking buddy of the previous 4 days didn't walk with me after Kirkby Stephen.................

From memory, near the tourist information shop