Despite it being sunny, the wind was icy cold and we were soon wearing everything that we had with us. For the first 6 miles it was up and down over a number of hills, leaving us exhausted. Adding aching feet to the combination of weary limbs and heavy packs, we took a full three hours to walk the first three miles - but the views were fantastic:
However, as the day wore on so did the blisters and the swollen feet and the planned 19 miles (on top of the 41 miles already walked) started to take on an unpleasant aspect. Tiredness stops increased in frequency, and we had a lengthy lie down in the sun at Cawfields quarry - in the company of numerous frogs and a duck which had the lake to himself:
We increased the pace as far as the Roman Army Museum, but knees, toes and spirits were feeling bruised. After a soul-searching discussion which centred on the key points that: a) this was meant to be a holiday and b) holidays are meant to be enjoyable, we decided an alternative plan was necessary.
Our eagle-eyed team spotted a bus timetable and the plan was laid. We would walk the next three miles to Gilsland and bus the rest of the way - clocking up 12 walking miles and seven bus miles. As Bill Bryson says, the secret of a long-distance walk is knowing when to stop.
The thought of motorised transport cheered us considerably and we did the next three miles at a respectable 3 mph, pausing only to snap Thirlwall Castle:
At Gilsland the luck continued, with a (no-charge) cash machine and ice-cream freezer in the post-office and a sunny sit-down waiting for the bus. Disappointingly, the bus didn't go direct to the Centurion Inn, so we alighted at Brampton and got a taxi the rest of the way.
At the Centurion we sat quietly while our limbs calmed themselves and then ate an excellent dinner in the company of the pub's cat and washed down the food with Timothy Taylor's Landlord on tap.
Distance: 19 miles (seven by bus...)
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