Total so far: 826.6 miles
Percentage Completed: 49.5%
(Click map to enlarge)
Its a brutal start up the hill into the Cheviots from the Main Road, so we put it off as long as possible by taking on supplies of Bacon Butties and coffee, to ease any nagging doubts concerning fitness after last nights splendid, very late night with Ian.
The weather was very kind to us and we had excellent views all day. Possibly the best bit, depending upon your viewpoint, was seeing Morpeth disappear up to his thighs in bog.
We made slow but steady progress to the first emergency shelter for a late lunch and worked our way deliberately to Windy Gyle and and Auchope Cairn for fabulous views over the Cheviots and the Borders. By this time it was getting very cold, so we dropped down into the Hen Hole to camp.
(Morpeth, Doug & Croydon on Raven's Knowe, the Cheviots)
Everyone was bedded down quickly after a hard day. As I lay in my tent going to sleep I remembered my first try at the Cheviots with my brother with the hair thirty seven years ago and the awful slog it had been. Now it is slabbed in the worst spots and so it is just a question of fitness and stamina.
Today had been fabulous for me - I had felt super fit and had raced up the hills - the first time on the entire walk that I can honestly say I am finally firing on all eight cylinders!
You have reached the promised land, congratulations !
ReplyDeleteTheo
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