The Pennine Way Day 13 - Bellingham to Byrness 6 April 2011.

The Pennine Way - Day 13
Bellingham to Byrness
Distance 26km
Wednesday 6th April 2011

I packed early in the rain and wind then had a slow walk back down into the town, where I was hoping to find a café for something to eat.

I tried to record the early morning birds but unfortunately I could not get any pictures.

(I have had to remove the video as it no longer plays.)

I found the cafe and had a lovely breakfast.  While I was sitting there a chap came in from the Forestry Commission for a sandwich.  I asked him about all the styles and the difficult awkward ones, especially the one over a wall after climbing up a steep hill from Greenhead.  Then there are the deer gates where you cannot walk through with a big bag, and you either have to throw it over a high fence or push it through the gate and hope it does not get stuck.  I was just making conversation, he didn’t have an answer.

After breakfast I walked back up the hill leaving Bellingham.  As I moved up the road the rain cleared. The road disappears and after a farm building it turns into open countryside.  Moving across the open countryside in a Northerly direction the sun came out. 

Open countryside stretching for miles

Exmoor ponies? I knew I had walked miles but I did not think I was that lost

The countryside was wide, open and rolling, the higher up I walked the views became clearer and I could see for miles.  A group of two men and a woman strolled past me.  They were on a days walk.  When I reached one of the tops I could see a large feature in the distance and from my map and guide I knew I would pass close to this feature, Padon Hill.

The guide shows Padon Hill is named after someone called Peden who used to preach in remote locations to avoid persecution.  It says that every worshipper brought a stone with them to make a cairn.  These have now been turned into the pepperpot cairn that stands there today.  Talking about a remote location, it certainly is that.

Padon Hill

Leaving the monument at Padon Hill, it was a fairly steep path down to rejoin The Way.  At the bottom of the drop The Way then moves Northerly up the side of a wood and was very steep.  In places due to the water the ground was very soft and it took a lot of effort to move up.  A couple of times I was stuck in the mud and needed to pull myself up using the fence.  Anyway at the top the views were worth the effort as I stopped for a quick rest and a snack before moving off again.

Look at that view

For a short time The Way is in the open before moving next to a wood, then into the wood.  It took some time to move along this very soggy path, as it meant moving and crossing over many times and pushing through the trees in places to avoid the deep water.  Eventually the track joined a solid forest track heading North.  

Gabriel Hall, High Sheriff of Northumberland 1705 boundary stone

I made up some good time on the forest track.  The problem now was to watch out for the large logging lorries flying up and down the track.  It was along here I decided to sit and I had a long rest airing my feet and trying to dry off some kit.

I was fascinated by a tree that appeared to be dancing in the wind. The dancing tree?

(I have had to remove the video as it no longer plays.)

Lovely tree covered path

I didn't rest for long as I felt I needed to move on.  I followed the track North West, there is a picnic area about 1km before the caravan park.  This part of the track along here was very familiar, I could not remember when I last walked along here or who with, strange eh.  Anyway the track took me directly into the Border Forest Caravan Park at Cottonshopeburnfoot. At the caravan site I paid to stay and pitched my tent.  It was here the wind picked up and I had to use stones for my guy ropes.  It was strange looking around the site seeing people in their caravans watching their TVs when there was such beautiful countryside all around us.

Once I was settled I made a move to get some food.  I had e-mailed the Byrness Hotel before starting The Way about having an evening meal and a breakfast the next day.  The Byrness Hotel said I could, the problem I had now was that I was a day earlier than I had planned.  When I took a slow walk through the wood, crossed the road I found no-one was there.  I then went and had a look at the garage cafe.  I had seen this on a couple of websites and guides I had looked at.  As usual this was closed and even looked like it had been closed for a long time.  I took a deep breath and shuffled back to my tent to eat some of my emergency rations. 

Especially after such a lovely breakfast, this looked like it was going to be my last meal.

Track to the Byrness Hotel

View from my tent at the caravan site

I calculated I had walked 8 hours and covered approx 26 km.

More to follow


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The Pennine Way or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous - Day 12 Greenhead to Bellingham
Follow link to next - Day 14 Byrness to Hen Hole Mountain Rescue Hut