The Final Day 17 Trows -Kirk Yetholm

We start the day we get the shuttle service to transport us to where we left the walk yesterday,

 we then have the long long walk up to the Pennine way to rejoin  at Windy Gayle, even the cows have woolly coats here due to the weather

this time we’ve walked into the clouds and the views are non-existent.

Luckily we had seen them yesterday. We then drop down for awhile at this point we had the choice of walking, either in Scotland or England we did the first few metres on the Scottish side of the fence but  looking over the fence we could see there was  slabs instead of big so climbed over the fence. We follow the fence for most of the day England on the right hand side Scotland on the left it made navigation very easy

, soon we have a long huge climb up to Kings seat and at the foot of Cheviot it seemed never-ending.  

 Once we reached this post we had the option to divert to the summit 

but with it all in total cloud and rain we took the obvious decision not to go to the summit just to return back to this point, we now have a knee crunching descent We take a short break in the Auchope refuge hut where we recharge our batteries and took lunch ready for the steepest ascent of the day up to the Schil, Kirsty signs the visitor book

we still have some nice views.

Weather today has been in and out of cloud when it’s clear it’s a beautiful route from the Schil we have a fairly mundane long downhill route

At this point the last few miles is in Scotland

eventually with reach a road there’s no point in looking beaten we just carry on walking. Eventually the village of Kirk Yetholme comes into sight and we know we are going to make it.

We hadn’t expected anyone in yet to greet us so it just added to the emotion of the incredible feeling of finishing saying not only Lucy and Shanelle, who we met is  on the walk, applauding us , but the greeting from Faith Mason and Merlin a perfect  End  to the most incredible challenge.

What a day! 

Walking into the Border Hotel they presented us with a certificate and free drink

Completing our challenge and raising the most incredible amount for charity is going to live with us for ever. We can not thank our supporters and sponsors enough. The amount raised at the time of posting was an incredible £10,689.00p

The figure keeps going up and we like to think we have helped raise awareness to Mental Illness and the charity ‘Mind’ support those in need of mental health services 

We  finished our day with a meal in the Border Hotelthanks to my Sister Deb leaving the money behind the bar❤️with the people that mean the most to us Faith, Mason, Then a brilliant evening full of laughs with two lovely people we met on the walk Lucy and Shanelle.

Day 16 Byrness to Trows

 What an awesome day. Rain, sun, gale force winds very boggy and totally beautiful scenery. But what made it special was £10,139.00p raised so far. We were on a high today full of smiles all making the aches and pains worth it. We leave our accommodation for another 17 mile walk 

Leaving Bowness we have inevitable steep climb up between trees to the airy summit this hill. This was ridiculously steep and tricky climb to start the day. Can you spot the girls in the on the path.

We took a brake to enjoy the view behind but didn’t top long  there was a long way to go

 some slabs helped us cross the appalling bogs on Houx Hill and over Raven knowe

Shortly after the cairn are some very welcome duck boards 

From here the views really open up

 

 and there’s some anonymous grassy lines which are the remains of the Roman camp at Chew Green

slabs are intermittent along the whole of the ridge which reduces the chance of being swallowed by the bog is reduced

We had the chance sighting of the wild feral goats

The rollercoaster ridge takes its toll on our legs and with the wind and rain we eventually reach th refuge hut at Lamb Hill 

The views continue to be spectacular 

We had crazy gale force winds as we approached Windy Gyle

Just before Wyndy Gyle we cross the border to Scotland and reach the trig point. 

From here we cross back to England and leave the Pennine way taking the sign to Trows Farm & Upper Coquetdale. The views are still lovely. 

We take this 3.5 mile detour for shuttle surface to our accommodation.  This soon became a tarmac road to a white bridge where we were picked up and what made it feel worse was knowing we needed walk back up tomorrow. Again a massive thank you to everyone who has supported us we are speechless. Only one day to go tomorrow we finish in Scotland here’s today’s Route. 

Thank you everyone who has read the blog

 

Day 15 Bellingham to Byrness

 Day 15 Bellingham to Byrness

17 miles and 2,278’ of ascent. As we all got up a little stiff this morning we were relieved to know there was less climbing today. We are all doing really well and very positive while the body is beginning to seize up we can move only with the aid of barrels full of anti-inflammatory gel, sticking plasters, anti inflammatories and alcohol anaesthetic🤣 We were rather quiet early on. We start the day leaving out accommodation to get back to the Pennine by path that we left last night. We then walk through he attractive village of Bellingham

the day starts as usual with a large steep climb out of the village and into the green fields around Blakelaw farm. Kirsty looks back at Bellingham

It then turned to rough pasture as we approached hareshore house  where we meet a hay bail by a stile

And then beyond the last outpost of civilisation we entered Heather Moreland the track was a little more than a width of two boots marked by the occasional guide we soon get glorious views

and then even better views once we reached Whitley Pike

then pass around Paden Hill the hills are separated by patches of squelchy bog.

  Soon Heather is left behind on the steep ascent of Brownrigg Head the path uses an old Broken wall to avoid the sodden edge of the forest which is actually quite overground difficult to climb and pretty much lung busting.

Can you spot Kirsty 

So it was with some relief that we reached the forestry Road in Redesdale Forest.

 There were a few cleared sections of the forest so the landscape is harsh but gives us the chance to see the scenery as well from a distance,  but it soon become apparent that we’ve swapped one extreme to another the half stone surface begins to take its toll on our feet, Kirsty has to use a compeed

miles and miles of forest Road wind away into the distance

we even get covered in dust by speeding timber lorry. Eventually we continue so a storm ravaged woodland beside the river Rede , we turn left which was eventually quite a pleasant walk.

 Finally we reach the A68 where we leave the Pennine Way to take an easy track to the village of Bryness

 We stopped at the Forest  View Inn which is pretty much B&B in a house but had an excellent night swapping stories with other Pennine Wayers.  Lots of bog and a very, very long trudge along forest tracks made it a tough day but the scenery in the first half of the walk made it all worthwhile. 

And many thanks for yet more new sponsors your all amazing ❤️ our total has jumped massively today and we are within sight of the £10k Wow! Wow! Wow!

Only two days to go here’s the link for anyone rember all sponsors go into a draw for the 2 handmade clocks 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/steve-jane-kirsty-1704720779976?