Weather: Sunshine and blue skies
Mileage: 19.7 with 2155 Ft of ascent
OUCH – what a shock to my stumpy little legs – read on. I woke early today with anticipation of the long walk ahead of me. I faffed around with my bag, made sure that the GPS was up and running, perused the maps, and slapped on the sun cream – ever the optimist. It will be a back lane and fields sort of day, dodging the ones full of rowdy bullocks hopefully, but actually there weren’t many. As is my want when starting off the first day I stoked up the engine with a full English breakfast before setting out on the road. I had visited the castle last night and walked around the coast to the B&B, so I saved myself a few miles, which was just as well as today turned out to be a long one – I don’t normally plan my walks with such a stretch at the start, I like to build up to decent mileage. But I didn’t really have a choice as accommodation dictated my stops – I like the luxury of a B&B at the end of a day, and I don’t think my knees would stand the strain of carrying all my life on my back. I had walked the St. Cuthbert’s Way last year so knew that there would be a steady climb up to a ridge, and from there onwards my next glimpse of the sea would be a long walk away. I had planned to go and look at some rock art at Roughting Linn, but checked before I left and found out it was a different Roughting Linn (north of Wooler). So that saved me another diversion I didn’t need, but I saw some nearby anyway, and the day finished over Weetwood Moor for some cup and ring marks. But that’s all planning – what actually happened was my legs got slapped to bits by all sorts of things. After saying my goodbyes at the guest house I set out along the road for a mile or two, walking through a caravan site at East Hill before walking along Spindlestone Heughs. I had a brief moment of confusion over a bridge in the woods and had to cross a rotten wooden railway sleeper before bashing my way through – not a great start. Once I was out of the woods it was field hell for a little while, it was pretty warm as well and due to the heat generated over the miles I got a sore spot/ blister right in the middle of my sole – double blinking heck. The many fields I walked through for the first 9 miles were full of waist high crops – wheat, barley and rape – they certainly got me, and that’s part of the problem with the less trodden path. Some fields of wheat completely covered the path- naughty farmer. As a compromise I found where the tractor had been and walked along those when I could. But the rape fields didn’t leave me a choice and I had about a mile or so of long grass & nettle torture – bloody ouch. I had to get out the walking pole to fend off the worst of the thistles and nettles, swiping away making ‘star wars’ light sabre sounds. But apart from those little niggles, the day gave me all I had thought it would. After I’d walked through Bradford (a few buildings not the city) I had some relief for a while as I crossed some sheep pasture to the mainline railway and ducked underneath a sheep creep to a wood the other side of the railway. I thought about stopping in Lucker for a pint but it was a bit early and I was getting a barracking off the schoolkids, so I legged it through the village and out into more fields to Warrenford. I stopped here for a pint at the White Swan and was asked if I was doing the ‘Inn Way’ – ‘no I’m doing it my way to the lakes’ – that was a conservation stopper and I retired to the tables outside. When I sat down my legs were nicely tingling, and at least I knew my circulation was working well. I was 6 ½ miles in with 10 or 11 to go….hmmm a long day so I took lunch on the hoof as I walked through some mature woodland – very cooling in the dappled sunlight. Once I was beyond the crops and lanes I was out on to open access land and the long stretch of hill to Brownridge plantation – blimey it was bone dry and eaten down within an inch of its life. From here there were views over to the Cheviot hills with clouds high above their peaks. A pleasant breeze was blowing, but the strong sun was beating down on my tender legs. The sheep all seemed very nervous and jumpy today – maybe the tups are out soon, it wasn’t the smell off me I don’t think. Once I was over the first ridge the sea was out of sight and I wouldn’t see it again for a couple of weeks. No boggy spots either – I think we’re in for a hosepipe ban it’s been so dry - so I’m letting my lawn at home turn to moss! Ahead of me now was sheep pasture and what a relief that was, the sounds of the country rang out about the hills – bang, bang. I crossed over the fields to Roughting Linn – not the famous Roughtin Linn of the rock art cup and ring marks. But it was a good place to stop and refresh down by the stream. Just before I reached Chatton I had a diversion to see some Neolithic rock art, and a double ditch and bank settlement up on top of Chattonpark Hill. They obviously chose here for the great views over to The Cheviot, a common theme for many of the rock art panels in the area. It was great to see and I got some good pictures with the big camera, not so good was the modern day rock art from Victorian times where someone had carved their name in the sandstone outcrop next to the circular markings. Next stop was the kettley stone (amazing where the BBC weatherman gets to) – it took some finding, mainly due to the fact it was right in front of me- doh. It’s definitely unusual and reminds me of a font – goodness knows what they used it for, but it was guarded by a three headed cow – oh no they just moved, and I wasn’t hallucinating due to sunstroke. Then it was another diversion due to rampant footpath crops, but I knew there was a pub within a mile, and what a relief that was. The downside of all these crop diversions was to rack up more mileage, and I was glad of the little walk I had last night from Bamburgh, otherwise today would have been really long. At the Percy Arms Hotel I supped a pint of icy orange and a pint of bitter – Jennings – I think the orange evaporated on the way down. I phoned the B&B to let her know I wouldn’t be arriving until later on. After a little break it was onwards with about 2 miles or more of road walking – at least my legs didn’t get walloped, but it wasn’t very nice in the traffic. There wasn’t much choice though without a big diversion and more miles. To my right I could gaze over to Doddington Moor and Buttony, two more sites that abound with cup and ring marks. At the end of the straightaway it was a last little stretch uphill onto Weetwood Moor for some more rock panels – not that I was bothered anymore. Guess what? – do you know how sharp new heather is on sore legs? Bloody sharp – ouch – I ended up walking like a space cadet, and my foot was beginning to complain as well. So it was ouch, ooh that stings, ouch etc. There were more rock art panels up on the moor and I did take time to have a look over them, but didn’t linger as by now I just wanted to get to the B&B. I met up with the St Cuthberts Way and followed the route down into Wooler - The Cheviot was looking big for tomorrow. I found the B&B easily enough as I had stayed here last year, and Sellotaped to the front door was a note telling me I was in room 2 – nice to find so trusting a community. After a quick shower (I washed my shirt while wearing it) and scrub up, I repaired to the local Italian (Milan), and had another big scoff of pasta ready for a big day tomorrow. Legs gently throbbing away led me to discard the shorts for the rest of the walk – that will keep the rain away I thought.
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