Day 14 Greenhead to Bellingham

 A very very tough walk. I think our feet have disowned us 🤣

Before I start thank you for all your messages and the rush of sponsorship. Plus all the people who have shared it. Today was the day we were worried about most and I’m so proud the girls did it especially Jane overcoming her anxiety which was high about today. Starting at 6:30am and finishing 7:10pm. A massive 24 miles and although we never hit any great heights the incredible ups and downs added up to a huge 4297’ of ascent.

We leave our accommodation at Blenkinsopp Castle

so just a pot porridge for breakfast

We return to the pennine Way via footpaths including crossing the river

and a lot of interest from horses.

We are soon at Adrian’s wall excuse the overdose photos from this half mile stretch as it’s stunning  much of today’s sent figures comprise steep little climbs as the wall sticks to the edge of the Scott. First section of wall is found at old town crags

couple of miles later the outline of great Chester fort and then call gap travelled along the wall until we got to the iconic sycamore gap

as most of you will know the tree was vandalised and is now just a stump was the most photographed tree in England just before reaching Rapishaw gap we turn left and say goodbye today civilians and other walkers just walking locally

and head into the forest forest pass fairly dry shortly after entering walk forest we leave the trees to cross Horton Common.

I think we could see the Cheviots hi in the distance. This section of trial was damaged in 2021 by storm Arwen and now has been cleared of trees and it is a fairly desolate section hit downward slope and a very tough uphill section through rather overgrown footpath

by this time we were getting very tired and at the horneystead farm we came across the pitstop and Sky the collie. 

It is a walkers Oasis offering hot drink snacks a fridge even camping under a pay what you want system, if trail angels exist they must live here, we were so relieved to see it and the rest was invaluable, our next goal is visible from several miles away is a radio transmitter station at Shitlington Crags

which is reached through Pleasant series of pasture and quiet country lines plus one tricky river crossing

. The mast seems elusive but is eventually reached after brief scramble over rock escarpment

 and a long steady climb across fields it’s a final descent through rough pasture. Eventually from here it’s a roadside walk into Bellingham

 we leave the path to find our hotel and we’re very very relieved to reach it. We took a well deserved shower and evening meal to prepare fo tomorrow’s 18 miles. Xx