Grange over sands

 If there was ever such thing as a holiday for dogs... this was it, they loved it
We went to Grange over sands... this is the area where famously all them Chinese cockle pickers drowned a few years ago. the sand seems to go on for miles in every direction, but as the tide comes in, it goes round the back of you and CAN trap you!!

Although we all enjoyed it, i think Rocky (white) and Barneys (Brindle) got the most from it.... because they are both nasty to other animals, basically anything with 4 legs??? great with humans... they spend most walks wearing muzzles and on a lead.
So as there was nothing for miles in any direction, i let them off the lead and they ran wild :)

Speaking of running wild, the kids did too.... what is it with kids and caves? they see one and HAVE to go through it ahahah

As we made our way back Scott slipped in the water and get all muddy hehehe

TOP TIP: dont all laugh or as you can see in th next picture, he doesnt like it!!

Oh dear.... not a happy chappy

As we headed back the sun went down and the water was coming in, although dangerous it looks great.... Dogs knackered...kids knackerd, and Dad off to the bar for a few pints and Relax.... wonderful :)

The Morning after :D

Well its the day after... and after a hot bath and a lovely bed :) i am now reflecting on the memories of the 270 mile trek

It has to be said, the weather did its best to spoil our first half of the walk... so its no suprise i enjoyed the second half better in the sunshine, even if the heat made uphill walking more difficult.

i would recommend the Pennine Way to anyone, i think anyone can do it, just some may be quicker or take longer.

The point isnt how long it takes, do it at a speed thats comfortable and you can take in the sights... Thats the main problem really, taking your time means probably 3 weeks and more!! its a long time and as i found out... it ends up costing more that you think too.

Along the way you see enough moors to make you bored to be honest... climbing a big hill for a few hours in hot sunshine with tired legs just because the view is supposed to be great.... then finally getting there to look at even more moors, when you have been already looking at moors for 2 weeks... definately loses its appeal!!

views of open hills is cool for day walkers... but to the long distance walker it becomes yet another hill to go over :(

ok moan over ahha now the good stuff :)

when you finally get off the hills and see parts of this great countries quaint little villages and sights is something to cherish...
Local history that people are proud of.
Seeing wildlife you dont see if you spend alot of time in cities
Great river walks taking in waterfalls fish and footbridges
walking through forests that you only thought was available in Canada!! only without nasty Bears here :)

So yes its alot of miles and you do get sore legs... but its worth it.

on top of that you find out a few things about yourself too... stamina and mental strength.

they say 500 people a week start the pennine way... and only 1% finish it!!
I have to say when i started in Edale i saw plenty of people and its true that most people give up after 2 days(1 of our party did) but after a few days we saw hardly anyone.. perhaps 1 person every 4 days or more!!

so pleased i did it... proud i finished it and have great memories :)

In fact im already thinking i want to do it again... just a case of when, ill definately do it earlier in the summer next time though.

All finished... 270 miles walked + detours LOL

264 miles hiked so far! Last hill 6 miles up and over :) cant wait

 sign says 4.5 miles :)

 Woohoo we finished! 270 miles and its over. The climb at the start was a nightmare! I thought my god 27 miles and it starts like this? Another few hours later i was still thinking the same. For a day thats such a long way it doesnt hold back, every big hill i could see, we went over :( very tiring and mentally challenging too. I was starting to wonder if we should sleep in one of the mountain rescue huts!

We decided to plod on and when we saw the sign for Kirk Yetholme 4.5 miles... What a relief, then that small distance seemed to take forever. When we eventually got there i saw the Border Hotel this marks the end of the pennine way. Went straight in and ordered a guinness :) after a chat with the barman and a free half of beer for my trouble.. All people who finish get one, i was asked to sign the book :) we posed for a few photos and after a few pints we went home :)

Todays walk was actually a great one, dont know why but i expected it to be a bad one. Started out over moors then through some forests, not forests like yesterday though... These was full of wildlife... I love wildlife so cheered me up, walking along admiring the animals

. At one point we had a steep and muddy climb and when i stopped for a rest, a little robin flew down and landed on a branch... As i looked it hopped along the branch really close :) then as i got to the top of the hill i looked behind me and couldnt beleive my eyes! The robin was hopping along the path following us still. So i opened my backpack and gave it some of my cheese sandwich, dunno if it had young but it seemed to take the food away bit by bit.

Later after miles of forest walking... (Northumberland is the biggest in britain) we arrived at a clearing with picnic benches and toilets. As we sat down we got another visitor hopping around our table, not sure on the type of bird, another to share my sandwiches and peanuts :)

As we cleared the forest we saw more horses and Llamas. All day i kept seeing bright red mushrooms cant help thinking they might be poisonous. The last photo is the sign we keep seeing as we walked the border between England and Scotland :)

Well the walk along Hadrians wall was up and down a well worn path, same as yesterday no change there, but then as we headed North we went through a few forests, i thought this would be a good chance to see animals i wouldnt normally see, however i didnt see a single thing? Was really strange, nothing living in all these trees! Shame.... 

I walked through with my phone in camera mode ready for nothing :( we then went over lots of moors and through farms. We also did 4 miles extra today, and we will tomorrow, that will bring the final days walk down to 23 miles on thursday :)

Hadrians wall

Well today the walk went from Greenhead to Steel rig, this took us along Hadrians wall... Lots of history and interest, but i have to admit feeling disappointed the famous wall is nearly gone just a few stones in the grass here and there. The Roman forts and turrets are just the foundations and to be honest i would have missed them too, if it wasnt for the big information signs. I still enjoyed the change of scenery from the moors and farms yesterday, just glad i didnt drive all the way up here to see the wall... I have to think that there is other sections of the wall better than the bit i saw, a lad on last nights campsite was walking the whole length of Hadrians wall, i should have asked him.

 

Well the guide says its a 15 mile walk, i clocked it at 18.5? And didnt get lost, so dunno. Anyway a pretty average walk that goes along the river then through some farms and along a disused railway line... The best bit of walk on the whole trek if you ask my feet :) a lovely gravel path, shame it doesnt go allway to scotland lol and just for good measure the day ends with a walk over moorland hills... Very boggy valleys, so boggy in fact i was tempted to take off my boots and socks and run over barefoot! We then dodged traffic on the A69 before getting to camp, crossing a busy road with cars doing 70mph isnt easy.... Or safe. The campsite is called roam and rest, run by a little old lady. Its actually very good, small but has everything we need for only £4 each :) tomorrow is Hadrians wall :)

one observation ive made while going south to north, is the sheep have doubled in size! Down south you walk towards them and they baaa and run off.... Now they actually come towards me bold as brass! One today even growled at me haha. Ive also got a knack of scaring the crap out of horses? They go to andy for a stroke, when i get anywhere near, they leg it? Ive tried different nicey techniques none work

Well after yesterdays walk this one was a wake up! Over 20 miles, up the first hill knock fell 2592 feet high then down again :( then up Great dun fell 2782 feet high thats the one with the giant golf ball on it, then down again :( then up little dun fell 2762 feet high then down again.... By now were really hot and tired. Then up Cross fell 2930 feet high and to be honest the views wasnt brilliant. Then we headed straight north to alston, hard under the feet and pretty boring views, maybe yesterday spoiled us

Well after all the bad days at the begining of this trek, today more than made up for it. Its been awesome... Set off this morning and went past high force waterfall good on its own but a deer stood there, didnt run away just stood there and watched us walk by then after lots of rabbits underfoot again. We followed the river tees a few miles down a valley, we saw an eagle and its chicks on the cliff side, the mother shadowed us down the rest of the valley riding on thermals above our heads. We then reached another waterfall, this one we had to climb up! On top we followed a path through a military training zone, no red flag today so were safe ..down over another river till we come to a cliff edge! What a view! We met to lads from sheffield called simon and mark, we chatted for a while then left them on the cliff while we decended to dufton 3 miles below us, to our campsite.

Earlier in the day we came over 2 or 3 nature reserves, great scenery and lots of animals about on this lovely day.. At the end of our day we was treated to a walk along the river tees and past several waterfalls :) a nice change from a week of open moors! As we came down an hill towards a cairn, a sheep was lying in the sun with its eyes shut, dreaming away... we got closer and closer till i was stood right next to it. I said hello and it nearly jumped over my head! It got to a safe distance then i shouted "ive brought my wellies" and it went baaa then ran off down the hill :) shame the good looking ones always get away :)

Set of from the A66 at bowes after 1.5 mile say this hut in middle of nowhere, a shelter for walkers... Typical when we need one there isnt any, today glorious sunshine and here it is :) i dare say you could sleep in it at night. After this the next few miles was very boggy and wet underfoot, now and again coming out at nice nature reserves :)

 Well nearly forest in teesdale, we have walked to the High Force waterfall on the river tees just south of our destination, a 16.2 mile walk, andy was getting sore feet and to be honest time is getting on. Been a great walk today, really enjoyed it... The walk along the river was nice even if the sound of the running water and the hot sun made me thirstier than usual :)

From keld to bowes today. From keld to tan hill where the pub on the Everest windows advert is, the highest pub in britain 1732 feet above sea level. Well that actually was a nice walk, after the pub! Well that was just miles of swamps :( thank god for my super socks lol we then went through farm land nice again, we got to the point of the pennine way were you decide to split towards bowes or go north towards forest in teesdale. Over the A66, well under it actually :) we will set up camp there and enjoy our easy 11.6mile day.

Weather is brill, sunshine and even the wind has dropped :) little bunny rabbits everywhere... Running across the path in front of us, every few minutes we startle grouse too... And they either fly off or run! add to that the usual sexy sheep and dodgy looking bulls who stare at you :) its very enjoyable today woohoo :)

found a pub in barnard castle to watch the England game :) time to chill. Few pints of guinness and an England win, ill be happy :)

They won 5 - 1 :)

Here we go again...yeehaaaa!!

Thats not a picture of a cliff, its crap visibility! Oh and more rain. Set off from Hawes at 9am all uphill, past a young girl about 20yrs with a big backpack she was really struggling, she was staggering around like she was drunk? I asked if she was ok? She smiled and said yes lol maybe she always walks like that :) well apart from the odd mist and a strong wind, weather has been ok, when it did rain it was only short lived. Overall a nice easy walk, the views from the last hill between thwaites and keld was great :) not really sure but was it the coast to coast path i could see across the valley? Sorry for the late post... Had no signal :( 13.3 miles covered today.

Well after having to come home due to some of the group having enough of it!.... it being the weather mainly.

ive been itching to get out there and carry on. ive asked a few people to go, no one was interested so i decided to go it alone and finish the Pennine way on my own.

After making this decision and then telling the others i was going on Monday dinner time, (when wife can give me a life to Hawes) they said i was stupid going it alone its dangerous etc.

Then Sunday night, as i was packing to go i got a phone call, saying they had seen the weather forcast and wanted to come along again?
only can i set of Tuesday instead!! so this is what were doing... i will be away and updating my blog as usual from tomorrow morning :)

 

Well woke up to stormy weather as promised, no change there then... it didnt help the mood at all... Me and Andy arnt so bothered by it bu i dont think my dad is cut out for camping at all... just keeps moaning about leaks, wet stuff and having to run across wet fields in the rain to go to the toilet.... all part of the fun eheheh

 Well after the wind blowing the tent up and getting up all wet again, dad decided enough is enough, the weather is getting him down and the fact that metcheck.com are displaying a weather warning for the north of england and scotland too. Doesnt help my cause to change his mind, with that Andy decided hes going home too. This has left me with the decision of carrying on alone or not?

It breaks my heart to stop now, ive been wanting to do the Pennine walk for so long... but it just doesnt make sense to carry on at the moment :(( although ive enjoyed the expierence even though mother nature tried to spoil it.... it would be twice the fun in nicer weather... im not talking glorious sunshine either, just dry! .... so as soon as the weather is better ill finish it for sure. 

Well got dropped off back in horton so we could walk the 13.75miles back to our tent, was an easy walk done in 5.5 hours, i put blister plasters on before setting off. However when i got back and took off my boots, the plaster was on top of my toes and stuck to my sock!
No wonder my feet are sore lol well looking at tomorrows walk its gonna be a tough one :( and will mark 120 miles covered, so says the book! Certainly feels like more. Walking on flat paving or roads is one thing, but up and down these hills on rocks and dodging mud, rivers and puddles is harder.

Ouch!!!

We have decided on a rest day. For several reasons. Sore feet, drying clothes, and shopping. I ripped my waterproof trousers on something? So needed to buy some more. and YES i need them :)
So i got some sprayway 1200 and some sealskinz socks. Our andy had sore feet a few days back and used these socks now his feet are great... You can walk through rivers in just these socks and your feet stay dry! They let your feet breath too so no sweating, at £30 a pair they should be good lol ill let you know in a few days :)
Just an end of day addition ...
well i only wore the new socks for a day... but we walked at a fairly fast pace up and down hills, and i can report when i got back my feet was bone dry... no water or sweat? and they are comfy too... so they seem ok :)