It rained heavily overnight and showers were forecast today, but we were fortunate that these didn’t materialise. Our route took us back to Hadrian’s Wall and the Pennine Way and we parted company with The Wall shortly after the iconic Sycamore Gap to head north across moorland, accompanied by sheep rather than walkers other than one or two strays like us!

We skirted Wark Forest, part of the enormous Kielder Forest, which is one of the largest man-made forests in Europe, and then reached open moorland again, where we ate our packed lunch on a rock surrounded by sheep. We eventually climbed to high pastures where we encountered a ‘Pit Stop’: a farm outbuilding, with drinks and snacks available, with a courtesy box for contributions! The cold drink from the fridge was very welcome!

We finally reached Bellingham and Fountain Cottage Cafe, where we have a room with a spa bath – very much appreciated after a long walk!

A Backward Glance

Today I climbed over Everest, navigated through dense forests, and unexpectedly encountered Eden on the way – all in my mind of course. There are so many well written stories telling us how incurably stupid humans are: Henny Penny, The Emperor’s new clothes, The Pied Piper of Hamelin; but nobody takes any notice of them. The Pied Piper Legend is over 700 years old and his persona is written about in the Bible. Today as never before the jingle jangle of his flute is heard taking our children away from us into the mountain and it seems there is nothing we can do about it. Our walk today was along good paths through moorland but the curlew and Lapwing never followed us. Apart from the many sheep and occasional distant building I felt it was abandoned. We entered the planted conifers of Kielder forest and witnessed evidence of its timber abattoirs. To see trees only as ‘renewable’ and therefore sanctimonious about their exploitation says so much about us. The carbon capture of ‘old’ trees, the oxygen and moisture they breath into the atmosphere, the home and protection a varied woodland provides above and below ground is remarkable. Trees are royalty in the plant kingdom; shouldn’t we be more deferential? The shaved strips between the panicked green were like open graveyards where nothing stirred. As we continued with my heart feeling heavier with each step, we saw a piece of plastic with a rough note scribbled on it saying “Pit Stop ahead, refreshments and bed if your feet are telling you to stop. Open 24 hours every day”. Bloody opportunists I thought, they know there’s no civilisation within hours of here – so easy pickings. Temptation lured us into what looked like an abandoned gypsy site where two large horses were wandering among the shabby buildings. In a little hut adjacent to a courtyard with a dirty table and broken black plastic chairs strewn around, we found the unattended provisions and a rusted fridge humming. On a table was a glass jar full of money and a note stating “Crisps are free, Cans in fridge £1 each (but if you haven’t cash, just help yourself). If you have any items you don’t need, there is a box for you to deposit them. All other food is available at your discretion.” Suddenly I had an Irn-Bru moment, ‘my heart grew wings’ and my faith in humanity was restored. Again!