Bellingham to Bryness (15 Miles) Friday 23rd August 2002

The strange little guy takes our photo for us before we leave, but seems to make such a meal of it we stop behind a hedge and take a couple extra ourselves, as backups.

In the stands of woodland, navigation can be quite difficult, especially when several blocks have been felled, and what shows up on the map as green, is in effect, white. Looking at the narrow gravely roads flanked by piles of freshly felled logs, the mind boggles at the Rally Drivers who hurtle around here at insane velocities in appalling weather conditions. The hills are low and rounded, and there is openness to the landscape. The weather is good, but there is a sense that this place can be very grim when it is not.

When there is not a lot to look at the mind has time to wander, what would it have been like with Mike? And the first thoughts about life after the Pennine Way start to crop up. You also enter a temporal vacuum on a long trip like this; you are aware of days passing, you may see snippets of news in the Hostels and B&B’s, but none of it seems to apply to you. Real Life is happening Somewhere Else to Other People.

On arrival at Bryness we make a remarkable discovery, Linda and two children! They had enough of galavanting around in London with Auntie Geraldine and have decided to bring us some extra supplies and moral support for the final push. We drive up the road to a hotel and enjoy a pleasant meal. The kids are really happy to see daddy.

Back at the hostel there is concern at an overdue walker from the North who has rung from his mobile phone to say he is stuck on Bryness Hill and unwilling to risk a descent in the dark. The local Mountain Rescue Team are on standby to go and look for him. It is a reminder that these expeditions are not without risk.

The hostel is two ordinary terraced houses joined together, which makes for an interesting layout. If you want to know more, go there, stay there, and find out for yourself.