Pennine Way Day 21 - Monday 29 June 2015
Trows Farm to Kirk Yetholm (14.7 miles)
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Angie's Birthday today and what a day to celebrate - hopefully completing the Pennine Way.
The last day of walking a Long Distance Path is always sad, mainly because of the fact that you get in to such a routine and never want it to end. Heading out from one place to another, nice breakfasts, superb scenery and an evening meal plus a few beers each night - what's not to like! What definitely helps is the weather being kind but when push comes to shove no matter what is falling from the skies you still have to get to another place further up the route. This aspect, the walking and the logistical challenge in planning a 3 week walk such has this has been great fun and extremely enjoyable but we are sad that in a few hours it will all be over. Planning wise it had all gone swimmingly, stand fast Alston but that was outside our control.
No matter - we were up early this morning as we were given strict instructions by Joyce to be fully suited and booted for a 0900 transfer back to Trows Farm. There were new faces at both dinner last night and breakfast this morning - 4 young chaps who did not say much and two others who could have been an item but we were not sure. We think they were all a day behind us and were more than likely off to Windy Gyle as we did yesterday - we didn't bother asking.
We were walking with Ian & Rosie again today although they were intending to take the Low Route into Kirk Yetholm whereas we would take the High Route - this was another day where we had done the majority of the route before. After a seamless transfer over to Trows Farm we bade our goodbyes and headed back up to the summit of Windy Gyle to get back on the route proper. Today would be very similar to yesterday - extremely exposed and solitary walking but with fantastic views over The Cheviots. Weather wise we were in for an overcast day with light breezes.
Leaving Russell's Cairn there is an option to take paths either side of the border fence and we chose to stay on the English side for now, as it looked a tad firmer underfoot. The route passed a massive pile of stones and continued in a straight line over both grass and slabs to cross over the old Drover's Road of Clennell Street. Our next objective was the summit of King's Seat and on reaching the flat plateau took a quick photo of the Trig Point which was on the opposite side of the fence in Scotland. Onward we went along more slabs which were keeping us from the peaty, boggy mess underneath and we were really glad of them although there were some areas where we had to take evasive jumping in order to stay dry.
The last day of walking a Long Distance Path is always sad, mainly because of the fact that you get in to such a routine and never want it to end. Heading out from one place to another, nice breakfasts, superb scenery and an evening meal plus a few beers each night - what's not to like! What definitely helps is the weather being kind but when push comes to shove no matter what is falling from the skies you still have to get to another place further up the route. This aspect, the walking and the logistical challenge in planning a 3 week walk such has this has been great fun and extremely enjoyable but we are sad that in a few hours it will all be over. Planning wise it had all gone swimmingly, stand fast Alston but that was outside our control.
No matter - we were up early this morning as we were given strict instructions by Joyce to be fully suited and booted for a 0900 transfer back to Trows Farm. There were new faces at both dinner last night and breakfast this morning - 4 young chaps who did not say much and two others who could have been an item but we were not sure. We think they were all a day behind us and were more than likely off to Windy Gyle as we did yesterday - we didn't bother asking.
We were walking with Ian & Rosie again today although they were intending to take the Low Route into Kirk Yetholm whereas we would take the High Route - this was another day where we had done the majority of the route before. After a seamless transfer over to Trows Farm we bade our goodbyes and headed back up to the summit of Windy Gyle to get back on the route proper. Today would be very similar to yesterday - extremely exposed and solitary walking but with fantastic views over The Cheviots. Weather wise we were in for an overcast day with light breezes.
Leaving Russell's Cairn there is an option to take paths either side of the border fence and we chose to stay on the English side for now, as it looked a tad firmer underfoot. The route passed a massive pile of stones and continued in a straight line over both grass and slabs to cross over the old Drover's Road of Clennell Street. Our next objective was the summit of King's Seat and on reaching the flat plateau took a quick photo of the Trig Point which was on the opposite side of the fence in Scotland. Onward we went along more slabs which were keeping us from the peaty, boggy mess underneath and we were really glad of them although there were some areas where we had to take evasive jumping in order to stay dry.
Back up at Windy Gyle for our final day
Cotton Grass
The summit of Kings Seat
Shortly after passing the memorial stone to Stan Hudson the route reached a sharp left turn at a fingerpost. This is the point where those diehards who wish to bag The Cheviot (out and back is 2 and a half miles) can make the hour and a half diversion there and back. For those wanting to do this, the path is mainly slabbed but with the odd boggy section however as a summit The Cheviot is disappointing - a big flat expanse of nowt with no views to speak of and a Trig Point sat atop unsightly breeze blocks.
Heading left the route passed over a delightful boardwalk to reach Auchope Cairn. There are actually two Cairns here approximately 50 yards apart however the main one is directly on the path itself. There were a couple of Geordie boys here having a spot of lunch and we had a bit of a chat before starting the steep descent down to the Mountain Rescue Hut which sat invitingly waiting in the col below. We took our time with the drop down as the ground was stony and still pretty wet and we enjoyed a glorious view over to Hen Hole to our right.
Tempted as we were and having been here last year, we gave the dull summit of The Cheviot a miss today although Fudge was up for it
The welcome slabs across the bog as we head for Auchope Cairn
One of the 2 large cairns at Auchope
Ian waves goodbye to Auchope as we descend to the hut
Hen Hole
This was quite a steep descent to reach the hut
Anything for me?
The refuge hut at Auchope
The Auchope MRH is a mirror image of the one we visited yesterday at Yearning Saddle. We lunched and rested here for about half an hour and noticed from the Visitors Book that Harry the Navigator had made it this far therefore all was looking good for him to have made it to Kirk Yetholm - we hoped he had. From the hut our next port of call would be The Schil, said by many to be the most attractive of the Cheviot Hills and this was reached by hand railing the border fence once more but this time on a gradually rising path for about a mile. When we were up here last year we could not access the summit of The Schil without climbing over a barbed wire fence however there is now a stile dedicated to the memory of Ian Colquhoun when, once climbed gives access to the rocky summit.
Looking back to Auchope Cairn over Hen Hole
The Schil
The Ian Colquhoun memorial stile now enables access to the summit of The Schil
The summit of The Schil
Dropping off The Schil is gradual and leads to a stile which stated that we were now only 4 and a half miles away from Kirk Yetholm we were back in Scotland again and would remain so for the rest of the walk. A few hundred yards further on and the path splits - to the left was the Low Route with the High Route climbing to the right. We said our goodbyes to Ian & Rosie who we had arranged to meet later in The Border Hotel for a celebratory dinner. The High Route began by rejoining the border fence but this time keeping to the left of it to pass along an undulating and grassy path before we were faced with the steep ascent up to White Law and Whitelaw Nick. At the top we could see Ian & Rosie far, far below in the valley. The route then joined a wall before another steep descent and ascent to arrive at the junction with the St Cuthbert’s Way, a long distance path between Melrose and Lindisfarne.
Descending The Schil - the Pennine Way goes to the left after the descent....
.... at this fingerpost. Not far now Fudge
Leaving Ian & Rosie who were taking the low route in to Kirk Yetholm - we had done this route last year therefore took the High Route
The steep ascent to White Law - we were almost there
We could smell the finish now but there was still one barrier to overcome - a massive herd of cows who looked like they didn't want any messing around therefore we took a wide arc around them to the right before returning to the path which then joined up with the Low Route at Halter Burn. Just after the burn the route joined a metalled road which just seems to rise and rise sharply before levelling out eventually to drop gently into Kirk Yetholm and the finish of our Pennine Way at The Border Hotel. Riz, a friend & ex naval colleague of Dave's had come down from Chirnside to meet us and it was great that she had made the effort to be our welcoming committee.
We had done it - 286 miles over 20 walking days at an average of just over 14 miles a day, there was only one thing for it - a celebratory drink or 3 and Angie went into the bar of the hotel to sign the guest book and claim our free half pint for completing the Pennine Way. There now followed a celebratory hour sat outside and shortly we waved to Ian & Rosie as they came down the road and headed to their B&B in Town Yetholm.
About a mile or so to journeys end - just that testing little pull up the lane ahead
"Come on Dad suck it in, we are almost there - hold on to my lead and I will pull you in"
Poppies & Kirk Yetholm
After 3 weeks thoroughly enjoyable walking we had completed The Pennine Way
With Riz at the finish
Who's a tired boy then?
A free half of this for finishing - don't mind if I do
Saying our goodbyes to Riz, who unbeknown to us had ordered a bottle of fizz for us to celebrate with at dinner we checked in, showered and got ready to meet Ian & Rosie for dinner. Waiting in the bar for us to appear were Andrew & Cheryl Beveridge with their Working Cocker Isla who lived nearby and had been following our progress via a Cocker Spaniel page on Facebook - it was really nice of them to come out and see us. Our dinner guests duly turned up and we then enjoyed a superb evening in their company scooping down another bottle of fizz - well we were celebrating Angie's birthday too.
A fantastic end to both a superb day and an exceptional 3 weeks walking up the backbone of England to Scotland.
Our Pennine Way Completion Certificate
The birthday girl
Overnight Accommodation
The Border Hotel, Kirk Yetholm - http://www.theborderhotel.com
We really enjoyed our stay at The Border Hotel. Nice big room, lovely evening meal and a delicious breakfast topped off by a free half pint of beer on arrival for completing the walk.
Day 21 Data
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Mileage
Cumulative Mileage Time Cumulative Time Maximum Ascent Total Ascent Cumulative Ascent |
14.7 miles
286.2 miles 6 hrs 25 min 127 hrs 35 min 2454 feet 3339 feet 53475 feet |
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