And Bellingham, is said like Bellinjam! In case you were interested. Up at 7:30am this morning (isn’t this supposed to be a holiday!), down to breakfast at 8, and packed, ready away just after 9. We set off with Debra and Ross who we met the day previously, and who were doing the same stretch as us today. First thr pennine way took us into some woods, a walk alongside a river, and then into forest. We were on a wide path, that was even, and so we made good time, having done close to 6 miles by 11:50. A small break and we were on our way again.

Out of the forest and through some soft ground, we were then onto a tricky, rocky descent… And then into a long gradual climb. It was around this time that I felt I ‘got my motor runnin’, as steppenwolf said in their song. A good pace, and I stretched out. We stopped for lunch up on the top of ‘Whiteley Pike’ … Sandwiches for the other 3, just a flapjack bar for me, but it was enough to recharge and on we went.

With about 3.5 miles of the days walk left the promised rain (forecast) arrived. I had been cursing the waterproof trousers I had been wearing all day, as they made me hot… But was grateful for them in the rain. We went slightly wrong and run out of path, but the map reading militia (Tricia and Ross) soon corrected that, and got us back on the way. We arrived in Bellingham around 4:30, so we had made good time, having walked between 15 and 16 miles.

Tricia and me checked into our accommodation, which has a very 70s / 80s feel, but is clean and welcoming for walkers. We enjoyed a tea / coffee and a biscuit with other walkers, before Tricia and I got freshened up and went to meet Debra and Ross for an evening meal at the Cheviot Hotel. Good food and company. They have a longer walk than us tomorrow, so are setting off earlier, and so we said our goodbyes and returned to our B&B yawning and tired. Weather forecast for tomorrow not good 😦