8th MARCH , 2013. GREG'S HUT (below Cross Fell) to GREENHILL YOUTH HOSTEL

I woke around 4 having slept badly and wanting a wee, the price of all the extra teas yesterday evening. Wind was blowing in the lum and I went outside in the darkness, torch light reflected back mist or low cloud , a stiff wind blew and I was pleased to climb back into the bag again. I knew I had lost a fair bit of weight but the lack of meat on my bones meant that sleeping on my side was uncomfortable .

I did not sleep again and lay listening to the wind thinking that maybe I should of headed down yesterday , I was at about 700 metres up and had a fair stint to go before civilisation.  I was also short on supplies and ate the last of my porridge for breaky , I definitely needed to restock.

I made my way down to Garrigill via a snow drifted track which seemed to be holding around the 650-700 metre mark for much of the 6 miles . As i came out of the cloud I could see the village. A mile on I walked into this ghost town , I saw no one and the village shop was closed. What a contrast to the past couple of days , it seemed like I was back in a peopleless civilisation , cars and houses and no people , half expecting zombies to appear.

Garrigill

                                                                                                            
I followed the South Tyne River for 4 miles or so to Alston. It was a fairly uneventful journey and being hungry it seemed to take longer. Again a Dipper was present and appeared a little distressed by my presence.

   
                 Alston was a more buzzing place and somewhat larger. I passed the Youth hostel and instead on walking on I headed into the town for food.I asked a chap where the best place for snacks were and was directed to a garage with a Spar shop attached, 'They do good bacon rolls ' were his parting words. For me this Spar was a food fest, and  an ideal food stock both for now and later. Yes I stuffed my face.

Alston

  I had mixed feelings about ending the walk early but money was an issue and I felt tired. I had been walking for over 7 months and felt it had been an achievement to have walked all the National Trails of England and Wales . It was a love hate relationship , it seemed to give me great pleasure in views and personal challenge but the damp , cold and general tiredness  had taken its toll, plus I was longing to see my boys. It seemed so close to home in Richmond where they were , a sign post said only 41 miles to Scotch Corner. The Scottish LDPs will have to wait.

Once my food shop had been done I stuffed my face with 3 chocolate bars a hot mozzarella basil pasty and a packet of crisp , the higher the calorific value the better but I still seemed to be losing weight.  Still hungry I used the need to charge my phone as an excuse to get a coffee. I went into a cafe , had a coffee and was forced to order beans on toast by my feelings of hunger....probably had worms!

The chap in there was obviously not a born and breed local having a fairly strong estuary english accent . I charged my phone and he told me of a chap cycling Lands End/ John O'Groats as if he was mad to be doing it this time of year, I agreed. He complained, in between coughing sniffing and burping the coke he drank , about how he could not compete with the Spar Garage bacon rolls, I nodded and held my council.It was 12 when I left and rejoined the Pennines. I had 16.5 miles to walk to my target of Greenhill.

Whitley Castle

The walk out followed the river for a mile then headed inland, I really wanted to get on and was frustrated by the route inland but as it happened I kind of enjoyed being away from the river and farmland and again skirting moorland. I was getting close to Hadrians Wall and the Romans presence was becoming evident with the Roman fort at Whitley Castle , the ramparts clearly visible. The route headed back to the road and again to the river.

Alot of the way seemed to run parallel with the South Tynes Trail which was on a disused railway and Roman Road. Of course that would be to easy to follow for the Pennines so I went the rough route....deep joy!

At Slaggyford, great homely name,  I walked a section of cycle track for a mile avoiding field and stone walls, it was flat and easy going , I was in a rebellious mood.

Disused railway /cycle track nr. Slaggyford

I said goodbye to the rail route taking the Roman Road passed the Burnstone hunting lodge. This was a sedgy wet route. As I brushed against the knee high sedge my legs became saturated , pleased I still wore my thermal bottoms keeping legs dryish. It was a wet route , shallow gullies  filled with water had to be leapt over with some failures and wet feet, not exactly a thoroughbred more a heavy. At least it did not rain.

Sedges  and wet

As I dipped to a tree clustered  Glendoe Burn , where I almost connected with the A689. I climbed out and followed a stone wall and more prominent Roman Road. This was straight and fairly dry underfoot .I felt almost Centurion as I climbed but resorted to moaning and swearing , probably Centurion like, when the route became wet with sedge and sphagnum Moss following a fence . As I approached Lambley I could see car lights , it was only 3.30 but light was dull and low cloud sapped colour out of the landscape.

The rest of the route was a mis mash of bog walk as in unavoidable , I give in , wet feet , and a tour of local farmsteads and ruins. I was fairly tired and as in all times like this I start to talk to myself aloud to encourage me on -' Get on you old bugger!'

The hardest , flatest and wettest was over Benkinsopp Common and Round Hill.The weather was damp with an increasing easterly wind , I was fairly damp from my surroundings and sweat.

I was pleased to drop to Gap Shield Fan because that meant I was nearing Greenhead. I had hoped to take a path more direct to Greenhead but but the density of sedge prevented this and walked the offical route to the A69, traffic and headlights. I played Frogger  and got to the opposite side and took the old route into Greenhead in rapidly dimming light. I was unsure if the hostel was open but asked at the Greenhead Inn who looked after it.

Yep, no problem.£15. I said not to worry with the heating , I was so pleased to have a bed for the night. Sue still put the heating on having opened up , I was the only guest and rattled around doing my chores: washed clothes and socks , dried gear and did the usual. I had walked 26miles finished at 6.10, over hard terrain. I was pleased to stop and relax .
I went over to the Inn for supper and had a rare treat of Trout and a pint. Great staff,  great food , great stop .I wrote my diary and left the pub at 10 tired as expected. Hadrian Wall again tomorrow.
 Generally not a good day for views  but a good day for getting on.