Pennine Wet – Kirk Yetholm to Lamb Hill

Great night’s sleep at Blunty’s Mill in KY with a brilliant breakfast cooked by the owner Charles. Nice place too, all to meself.

Not as good a sleep as this badger though. Didn’t even wake up when I prodded him with me boot. Lazy budger.

The morning was overcast as I took my first steps on the PW. Today will be a good one for initials. 

The first few miles were country road and track, during which the main Way peeled off uphill to canter over mountain tops. In view of the low cloud and high wind I thought the lower alternative route made more sense. 

The route soon sprang uphill and the wind grew stronger and wetter. The rain felt like small pellets peppering my face and exposed arms. I had my Swiss army waterproof coat on and it has holes where the sleeves should be. But it covers me and my rucksack so it’s great. In fact it’s a great coat. Boom Boom!

The route crossed into England and back to Scotland, and in this photo I’m in both. 

The first peak was The Schil, regarded by many as the most beautiful hill in the Cheviot range that separates the two countries.

It was a struggle and the weight of my rucksack was slowing me down. The highest hill is The Cheviot itself which is around 2,300 feet but it was hiding in cloud, which was blasting through the valleys and over the tops. Under foot it was becoming increasingly boggy and although some sections were marked out by stone slabs some of these were under considerable water too. My feet had taken some boggy dunkings and my boots and socks were filled with muddy waters. Hello Muddy! 

And still the clouds came as the route switched round to the west to follow the ridge of hills at their highest point. I met four people all day. Most people do the Pennine Way, sorry, PW, south to north so I’ll meet most of them along the way as I wend southwards. One of them said he had walked through bogs for 16 days and they were the worst 16 days of his life. Moaning sod. He ought to live in Barnsley.

Windy Gyle is a significant peak, there were signs of an improvement in the weather and sunny Scotland spread out before me.

However light my spirits the miles trudged by and I wasn’t getting too tired but it was getting late. My progress was slow. There was a refuge hut at the 16 miles point and I aimed to spend the night there. Here it is…. my hotel! After 10 hours walking without a break. Well, not more than 10 minutes anyways. 

And inside it’s a palace. But the benches are hard as concrete and I won’t get much sleep tonight. A cold tin of beans, two tins of mackerel fillets and two mini Bounty bars. Fit for a King. 

And to make the walk an even happier hike, two rainbows came out to play. Funnily enough I haven’t seen any since sundown. 

A shorter one tomorrow. Nine miles to Byrness where I’ve booked a camping spot by an Inn. 

Night night my darling missus, family and dearest friends.