Day 3 – St Cuthberts Way
It’s amazing what a good nights sleep will do. I felt much better though I was beginning to think that yesterday’s struggles might be more than the heat and the weight of my backpack. It was thick fog when I woke up but as my Met Office App assured me it would burn off quickly I thought I would take my time and not push to leave at my normal 6.30am. I had a liesurely breakfast then set off even though the fog was still lingering. I knew today was a shorter walk than yesterday.
I was climbing into the fog and was wondering how much of the Cheviot Hills I would see. I didn’t feel too bad though and was confident I could do this.
I was climbing steadily not being able to see very far – though I could see the path fine until I got to the border with England. I wouldn’t have noticed it was the border if I hadn’t noticed a waymaker on a post mentioning Public Rights of Way. I am sure it’s just the way the hills are but it seemed strange that Scotland was still shrouded in mist but England was basking in sunshine; for today at least!
As I looked over the hills I thought it was so good that so far every day had very different scenery. Apart from a brief Nordic walk the previous January this was my first experience walking in the cheviots. Just after the border I met a large group of walkers coming in the opposite direction – they were on a day walk from Tyneside which reminded me how close to home I actually was, and that it was the weekend. I had lost track of the days of the week since it wasn’t really important.
As I walked into Hethpool I stopped and chatted to a couple walking again in the opposite direction to me. They were out for a day hike but were happy to share stories of other longer walks they had been on. Despite walking on my own I met several interesting people on the way. I stopped for some lunch just after Hethpool in some shade – accompanied by loads of flies sadly.
I was trying to pace myself better than yesterday afternoon so stopped more often. It was getting hotter so I made the most of any shade I could. I was still a bit concerned about my lack of energy though and the beginnings of a cough.
I managed the climb past Yeavering Bell and was trying to convince myself that it would be easier from now on and that I was almost at Wooler. Except that I never seemed to get there for ages at least. One ridge led on to another.
I did finally start the decent towards Wooler through some welcome woodland with it’s shade. I decided once I got to the car park and picnic spot at the bottom to walk into the town via the road as there were signs showing a diversion from the official route. I wasn’t feeling so good by this point and was desperate to get to the campsite.
As I was walking on the road I was thinking I could call at a pharmacy and get a lateral flow test. I hadn’t packed any since it said they they shouldn’t be stored above 30C and I knew that my backpack would be hotter than that. However I was too late getting into town so the only shop that seemed to be open was the Co-op. On that road I fantasized about Lucozade for some reason and was grateful they Co-op stocked it. I was able to have a short rest on a bench and summon up the strength to walk to the campsite.