We pounded up Scald Hilll in the heat and then to The Cheviot. An idle thought - If that hill had been another 99metres and 1.5 kms to the south west it would have qualified as a Munro.
Onwards to Cairn Hill which is on the Pennine Way, the Cheviot being an optional, there and back, diversion from that hill. When I did the Pennine Way back in the Eighties I arrived at CH in the dark and rain, and a howling gale. I didn't take the option. I spent a very uncomfortable night in an old railway wagon placed a little further on as a mountain refuge. My sleeping bag was wet and I had no food. Next morning, a I walked into Kirk Yetholme to finish I had a little cry. It was Sunday. Everybody was in the church and the pub where you could claim a half pint on Wainwright was closed. I hitch hiked home to Preston arriving early afternoon. SO, today's visit to The Cheviot was a bit of unfinished business.
Finishing off down the southern arm of the horseshoe to pick up the second Marilyn of Hedgehope Hill was pretty arduous in the heat. The summit had a trig point and stone circle windbreak, and rather bizarrely there was a bee's nest inside and the whole area was swarming with them, but I braved through and visited the summit without getting stung.
This was a splendid round and a proper 7.5 hour mountain day.
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In the beautiful Harthope Burn valley. Hedgehope Hill, our return route
Steve and Archie - Scald Hill ahead
Archie and The Cheviot
The Cheviot summit
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The Crow - the Forestry Commission obviously had good intentions for their vehicles, but not we walkers.
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well done - sounds a wonderful day: as you imply, there is much such unfinished business all over - fancy having to shelter from the sun in Northumberland - cold and misty is my main recollection: 30.5 in the part of London I was in today - would rather have been oop t'ill
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great up there. Northumberland is a forgotten place and has beautiful wild walking. Passed through Harthope Burn valley on recent St. Cuthbert's Way.
ReplyDeleteAs a teenager also slept in that abandoned railway wagon whilst doing the PW in the sixties. Happy memories of wet tents, meths stoves and endless baked beans. We knew how to have fun.
My comment, last post or two, wasn't a simile, but a homily - if that, even.
ReplyDeleteFascinating names, these places.
Nice outing Conrad. Funnily enough we were only speaking of this walk last week whilst we were in Wales. I remembered the old railway wagon but couldn't remember its exact position.So thanks for the memory.
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