Day 44 Bellingham to Byrness

Hmmm don't really have too much to say about today (for a change) although the weather was good again. The first mile or so was on road so I had to walk it before crossing a huge field and out onto heather clad moorland with one boggy area to be negotiated. Encountered a couple of nasty collies both with bad boy attitude before running downhill on a disused narrow gage colliery railway track to a road. It was then a steady uphill, again through heather so at least the underfoot was springy and dry, to the top of Deer Play. A couple of areas have recently been scorched by fire and this just added to the, dare I say it, dullness of the surroundings. There was absolutely no bird song and not even sheep dared to stray up here! On one of the Pennine Way signposts there were three slightly deflated helium balloons - who on earth would have a party up here? After dropping down along a nice grassy path it was then another long drag uphill, sometimes on flagstones Padon Hill. Skylarks were suddenly singing and I did spook a grouse so at least the birds are back.

Lunch was on a ladder style where a guy going the other way expressed concern that I would soon be getting very wet and muddy. He was pretty filthy himself but he didn't know me at all! Yes it was very boggy but using simple logic and working out the route several foot in front of me, not even my little toes went paddling....the girl done good! It was then a simple flat run over open moorland but to be perfectly honest, this is exhausting as I have to lengthen or shorten every single stride based on the terrain and is also mentally tiring. I then entered a huge Resdale Forest although there was an awful lot of deforestation and replanting so actually the route was very open and on chalky cobbled tracks rather than on shady grass tracks amongst the trees as I had hoped. Three miles later I dropped down to cross the river Rede and then a nice run through the trees then alongside the river into Byrness.

Nearing the village I passed three people and a cat! Apparently the feline had followed them for over a mile and as soon as I passed it the inevitable happened and it latched onto me loping along like a dog. Luckily it gave up after a half a mile or so.

Arrived too early for the Youth Hostel but got chatting to a lovely six year old girl called Caitlin who told me all about herself and the fact that she had to move to the school in the next village cus a nasty 13 year old called Jade had trashed the one in Byrness so badly it was closed down.

Mileage 15.54 Time 3.58