Day 15 - Should he stay or should he go?

Garrigill to Slaggyford

Today's Miles - 12.4 miles
Today's Ascent -   2070 ft
Today's Descent -   2572 ft
Total Miles so Far - 200.3 miles

Star Team Member: Team Effort!

We have had a bit of a dilemma, here on our Pennine Way adventure. You see, Patrick, 25% of Team Pennine Way, has developed an injury...*sad melodic music*. Paddy has a saw paw! Read on to find out more....

We started off in Garrigill, where we had finished the previous day. We took a footpath that led us along the River South Tyne. Paddy was limping quite severely, and we rang Uncle John to ask him to come and pick Paddy up, as he wasn't looking good. Uncle John agreed that it would be better for Pads if he came home to heal his poorly paw *sad melodic music*. We were very sad and had to accept the loss of Paddy to Team Pennine Way.

South Tyne

It was nice and sunny and walking by the river was beautiful. Of course, now Patrick was making us looking like liars, as he was running like a thoroughbred race horse, frolicking for all it was worth (see picture). After a couple of dips in the river he was back to his usual self, and we were feeling a bit silly.

Following the river

We branched off from the river for a while and walked along a path, and Dad went ahead to see if he could buy Paddy some doggy walking boots-how cute? Leaving Mam and I alone to navigate, we walked along and picked up the path by the river again. Making our way into Alston, we met Dad in a pub, without any doggy boots :-(

Mam and I went ahead to set up the lunch things, and of course went completely the wrong way! oh, well, Dad found us in the end! After lunch by the river we set off to leave Alston.

Leaving Alston

Walking along the road, Paddy started to limp slightly. Typical! We made a huge detour, on the Pennine Way, simply not to walk on the road. This detour took us up a huge hill, and then back down to the river- what a pain! We walked along the South Tyneside Railway for a while and the train passed us a couple of times.

South Tynedale Railway

We passed through a field with plants up to our heads shaped like umbrellas, they were very strange.

Anyone seen Paddy?

After this we reached Slaggyford, after following the road down. But we were not done for the day! the Kirkstyle Inn, our bed for the night was 2 miles out of Slaggyford, yes, 2 MILES! We turned off the Pennine Way to walk along an old railway line parallel to the Pennine Way, a quicker route.

Slaggyford

We were so very tired and those two miles seemed to drag on forever! When we finally reached the Kirkstyle Inn, (Pads leading us in with a spring in his step) we had a well deserved meal and long sleep. Unfortunately, no WiFi though, so this report is delayed- sorry!

Caitlin xx