NATIONAL TRAILS WALK 2012/13: 12th MARCH, 2013. FINAL DAY ON THE PENNINE WAY(15th National Trail)

A fair wind blew when I woke at 1, I could not hear if snow was accompanying it. I wanted a wee but was to cocooned to use a pee pot that was within arms length. I felt the cold on my face , but the rest of me was cosy if not a little uncomfy on the hard bench, my mat had deflated.

I lay there for some time thinking , always a mistake. I would be ending my walk today , in a way pleased to do so. I had been walking every day for 7 months in all weathers, in all conditions. I had enjoyed much of it and equally hated it. I had set myself a major task and although I felt I had achieved most of it , I had failed to manage my out goings and therefore my budget was short. That aside I was ready to stop , it was not the first time that Scotland prevented an Englishman from encroaching more than a few miles across her borders. My invasion will have to wait as I will have to repair gear , rekindle money and spirit for the Scottish part of the venture. I pulled the baffles of the sleeping bag up tighter and slept for a few more hours.

Auchope Hut looking up to Auchope Cairn

I had tried to find out the times for the bus from Kirk Yetholm on my phone as I lay there last night , the general gist was that it would not be regular and possibly about 9ish.I only had about 7 miles today , I could easily have done it yesterday but that would of meant possibly an expensive pitch , or problems pitching. This meant I would be active earlier, getting up about 5 and leaving just gone 6.

View back to The Cheviot and Auchope Cairn/hut

I packed up tent which seemed to have prevented the bulk of spindrift of gaining access, the lack of food enabled the tent to go in my pack instead of on top. Remaining surplus food I left on a shelf . And ' yes' my boots were again frozen.

The Schil approach

There was a more northerly wind , the cold air barely cooled me as I climbed The Schil to its tor like top.The sun had just started to grace its top in warming glow. It was worth the early start for the way the light lit the iced grass.