Day 17 – Pennine Way – Twice Brewed to Bellingham

It seems we’ve been really fortunate with our b&b accommodation bookings because you don’t really know what you’re going to get until you get there.

The impressive Saughy Rigg was no exception. A farmhouse come barn conversion set up operating as well as any small hotel with its restaurant and bar.

With a full breakfast inside us we were transported to our starting point of the Pennine Way with a bus load of people doing the Hadrians Wall trail.

The Wall trail appeared very popular, akin to the M1 of national trails. A short but energetic stiff up and down opening two miles saw us complete our section on the wall before we headed north into the forest.

The forest of Northumberland National Park provided cool shelter from the warm midday sun.

The ground in the shade proving boggy in parts, which gave Harv the opportunity to show off his brake dancing technique as he struggled to traverse a log straddling a bog.

Unfortunately the “wee beasties” were taking a liking to me and I was starting to regret wearing my shorts as I was getting a few bites on my legs.

Harvey was walking well and he told me his feet at last were feeling good – it’s only taken 200+ miles!!!

Today was the first time for over a week that we’d met any other PW walkers, but these were walking from the other direction and were only just into it.

Our path took us over undulating farmland terrain and over Shitlington Crags to get us within sight of our next destination – Bellingham.

A short stroll into the sleepy village found us at the Cheviot Hotel, which again looks a comfortable stopover venue. Now looking forward to our last well earned rest day before we have to attempt the strenuous assault of the Cheviots.

Only 42 miles to go!

By Paul Courtney.

Day 16 – Pennine Way – Greenhead to Twice Brewed – 200 miles done!

Greenhead Youth Hostel was a surprise. It seems it is no longer running under the YHA however still operates under the running of Greenhead Inn across the road.

The sign on the Youth Hostel door of ‘Please check in at the Inn’ gave us hope of an upgrade and we were not disappointed!

A cosy ensuite with TV and pub grub for dinner with the World Cup on rose our spirits after a sodden, tough day 15.

So after a cosy B&B at YHA prices it was off on the shortest day on route, a loosener of 7 miles over Hadrians Wall.

The weather had dried to give perfect walking conditions giving rise to views back to Cross Fell which we had crossed two days prior, and northerly views to the Cheviot which is where we are heading in the next couple of walk days.

The walk itself was somewhat of an ‘A’ road after days of walking and not seeing many people.

A mixture of day trippers and many walkers walking the whole Hadrians Wall (only 70 miles!) meant a host of ‘hello’s’ along the route.

The wall is a fine walk. It is constant up and downs with some quite sharp pulls up to get the muscles moving, all worth it for the views.

The 200 mile watershed was celebrated with a cooler in Twice Brewed Inn half a mile off route before heading to our stop for the night at Saughy Rigg, another mile off track, so some more miles in the ‘extras’ column.

With a 16 miler tomorrow before rest day a restful evening beckons!

205 miles done!