A walk by: Alan & Kathleen Somerville

When Kathleen pushed the Pennine Way Companion into my Christmas stocking, she thought that this was the logical addition to the other seven Wainwright guides of the Lake District, which have had pride of place on our fire place for some time.

However, this is a book that can be read and enjoyed by anyone, with a decision to be made on its conclusion.

The decision for us to walk the Pennine Way was no surprise, had we not 20 years ago gone off on an ultra lightweight camping holiday on a tandem, without a tent, to Paris ?

The plan emerged to complete the walk in three sections, Easter weekend then two weeks summer holidays followed be the August Bank holiday weekend to complete the trek.

Kirk Yetholm to Bellingham was the choice for Easter.

Forty-two miles, no shops and four days of food to carry. If this was beyond us, then we would just drop the idea rather than ruin a summer holiday.

Getting to Scotland from Newcastle made the first day an 11 o’clock start. A young friend, who had done the Pennine Way, heard of our plan and decided to camp at Kirk Yetholm with the idea of seeing us off.

He accompanied us as far as the lunch stop then waved us a fond farewell, there was snow above the 1,000ft with bright sunshine all the weekend. We made Auchope Cairn (Cheviot) on the Friday night and slept in the hut erected by the Black Watch.

Running water could be heard under the frozen ground, but it needed a trek downhill to collect some for a cup of tea so we used snow, but here it was below hard ice, so a detour down was required.

The clear view ahead was a fine sight with the tops stretching out as far as the eye could see and the skyline being a border fence, with good prospects for the morrow over Windy Gyle, Beefstand Hill, Mosie Law.

The next day was again fine eating snow as we walked solving the water problem. Normally this is boggy ground required detours, but we made a bee-line for the hard frozen ground.

Lunch on Windy Gyle with the next camp at Chew Green, a Roman Fort, where the whole outline of barrack rooms can be traced but still undisturbed after nearly sixteen centuries. We may have slept on urns of golden coins, but sleep we did.

On Sunday, we took the alternative route suggested by the Ramblers Association (full details are in Wainwright). This was to avoid a long forestry section caused by a landowner who took his objection to a Ministry enquiry and won.

It was splendid walking and camping (no site fees) and finally we came into Bellingham at 2.45 p.m. on Monday with the thought the rest of this walk just had to be done and the plan completed.

The next section started in Edale on May 10.

Continue to Second Section

Northumbrian Tent Camping Association