Day 11 - Staying Positive

Bowes to Middleton in Teesdale

Today's Miles - 11.9
Today's Ascent -  1909 ft
Today's Descent -  2129 ft
Total Miles so Far - 150.2
Star Team Member - Paddy, for picking himself up and lifting everyone's spirits (as well as learning how to get over stiles in the dry stone walls in rather incredible ways!).

Today was our first day of rain, but nevertheless we are staying positive, unlike Alfred Wainwright! In his book, 'Pennine Way Companion' (a definite recommendation if you are planning to walk the PW) at the back he reflects upon his journey. I thought I would put a short extract from it in;

' Well,I'm glad it's finishes, I must say. I mean the walking, not the making of the book, which has been very enjoyable.... Surely I must have been unlucky about the rain! I spent 18 months on the Pennine Way.... Mostly it rained- pouring rain, driven rain, rain that came down like stair rods. I came to pray not for fine days, which seemed too much to ask, but for gentle and not-too-wetting rain.'

On that pleasant note, let me tell you about today's walk....

We started off with a bit of drizzly rain and lots of fog. We walked over the A66 and then started to walk across Cotherstone Moor. The first 4 miles quickly went and we were optimistic about the rain, now dying down.

A bleak start but follow the signs

We passed a cool house with  a thatched roof- you don't see many of them nowadays. Mam liked how it was a bit wonky and very 'picture book' like.

Levy Pool

We had a break underneath Goldsborough Crags, but pushed on as lunch was 2 miles away.

Goldsborough

I cannot let this post past without mentioning Patrick's rather spectacular mission impossible stile move, used to get over the fence. It was quite something. There are lots of styles built in to dry-stone walls, with some stones jutting out like steps to ascend. On this particular style the was a plank of wood at the top of these stone steps that the walker had to step over before descending over the other side. This made it hard for Paddy as he couldn't get both feet on to the top to go over. So, feet on the second step he put his head under the plank of wood and shimmied through to the other side. It was rather spectacular. Well deserved of star team member-Tom Cruise, watch out!

Baldersdale

At six miles we stopped for lunch in Hannah's Meadow, a wild beautiful meadow with long grass and wild flowers, named after Hannah Hauxwall, the TV star! We had walked through Baldersdale for the duration of the day, but came to a Grasholme reservoir with a big bridge over it, leading us into Lunedale. We joined a little road and followed it up through a farm where we went over a style, and Pads went through the gate. We avoided some scary cows and moved on.

Grasholme Bridge

If you have ever been to Middleton before, you will know that there is a small hill with a clump of trees overlooking the village. It is called Kirk Carrion, and is very lovely. We walked towards the hill and joined the ridge but dipped down before we got to the summit.

Kirk Carrion

Middleton-in-Teesdale was in sight, only 1.25 miles to go! We slowly made our way down, and did some singing to boost morale, until we reached the Cattle Mart where a taxi picked us up to take us back to Bowes, from where we drove the car to Staindrop and spent the night with grandad eating Domino's Pizza; guilt free! Yum yum!

Finishing in Middleton

Overall, a really enjoyable day, with lots of things to see. Tomorrow we walk past Low and High Force to Langdon Beck. We are staying in a Youth Hostel, so I can't promise a blog for tomorrow, as they may not have WiFi, but one will be posted whenever I can. See you then,

Caitlin :-)