We arrived at Alnmouth in Northumberland at 3pm on the Friday, and John picked up a message from Steve that he was at Durham services and would arrive in around an hour. So John sat on the platform seat. I went to look for a suitable place to see him come into the car park - just as he drove in! As we drove into the College Valley, I felt a little sad that we wouldn’t have time to climb any of the hills around Mounthooly, as it was the most beautiful location. However, the following evening it was decided to abandon doing the whole of St Cuthbert’s Way, so we were able to do a bit of both.
Steve, however, wanted to stick to the original plan. The 2nd day of the walk he did by walking the route, then walking back to his car at the start of the walk. He was tired!
On the first day (15 mile walk) we were in Doug’s car. A SatNav error made us late and time was running out when we finally arrived at Harestanes for a brisk walk to Ancrum. We didn’t have to wait long for the bus! It was a lovely walk, and Dere Street wasn’t as dull as I’d expected. Lunch on a beach by the Tweed while a piper played across the water at Dryburgh Abbey was beautiful. John F did it all, to my delight.
The rules for our quiz in the evening were ‘No phones, no conferring’. So solo efforts. I’ve never heard silence like it in the CYHA. The joint winners were Doug and George, with John M coming a creditable 2nd.
The second day, Cress planned a route over Sinkside Hill and Great Hetha from the College Valley, where Debbie and John M had their fill of hill forts, taking in a bit of the SCW and down the valley to Mounthooly, during which Doug overtook us in a Range Rover accompanied by several females!
Monday 29th, most of us went up The Schil, the last bump on the Pennine Way. The cotton grass was just coming into bloom, and it was really beautiful. John F, Doug and Robert sensibly took a route directly back to Mounthooly. The rest of us did a bit of SCW to cars waiting at Hethpool.
Tuesday, I think most folk went to Wooler to do some more of St Cuthbert’s Way, but us two had coffee and cake with George before he went off to Chillingham Castle. His cake was HUGE! We then did a walk over Humbleton Hill, which was very pleasant. I’d spotted a shapely hill near Kirk Yetholm from the Schil, called Humbleton and Cress said it was near Wooler, which puzzled me. I was looking at Green Humbleton! We had our meals at various different venues in Wooler. Ours was with Steve, sat out in the sun at a place called ‘Milan’. John sent a text to everyone to say that we were ‘in Milan’! We drove back with George arriving back as the sun was sinking.
Wednesday, most of us went to The Cheviot, a really beautiful walk in lovely weather. Only Cress and I had a map, and our way back was definitely marked by FP signs, though the path was mostly imaginary. My 3rd visit to the Cheviot. John had gone with Steve to St Cuthbert’s cave to do a circular walk, the second part of which was the SCW.
Thursday started badly for me, as my walking pole had gone awol. As the cars were about to leave, I rushed back the last ¼ mile of the previous day’s route to no avail. On my return, John had gone to put his rucksack in Doug’s car, and there was my pole! Doug had picked it up thinking it was his. But the day was yet another highlight as we went to St Cuthbert’s Cave to complete the SCW then across the Pilgrims’ route over the sands. John M was wearing an obviously ancient pair of 'beach shoes’, which broke up under him eventually, and he gleefully deposited them in a bin on reaching land! I think I took a leisurely hour and a half to walk across the sands. But it was a grey day, and rather cold. I was wearing a t-shirt, shirt, jumper, jacket, cagoule, mountain cap and gloves. Cynthia and Jonathan obviously enjoyed the crossing, and John M was singing Amazing Grace, as the fresh air put him in a good mood. We were at the pub on the island in good time for our meal.
On Friday, some went to Lindisfarne for the day, but Steve said that he’d seen boat trips going from Seahouses to the Farne Islands. The weather was sunny again, so the three of us did that, and had a great trip. There were so many birds, including puffins, as well as seals.
Saturday, many went to Beamish and enjoyed it, while us two walked round half of the Derwent reservoir and went to the Visitors’ Centre. Cress led a walk which we felt was rather long, though John M enthused about the church in the village of Muggleswick, which sounded interesting. Another time perhaps!
Judi