The Pennine Way // day 20 // Auchope Rigg - Kirk Yetholm

The Pennine Way, day 20.
Distance: 11.6km (478.1km), time spent: 3:51.
Weather: Heavy rain and wind.

I wake up in the middle of the night. By myself and not from the sounds around me. For outside it is far from being quiet, the wind is raging and the creaking from the hut is intense. Rain is pounding angrily on the hut, the window is covered by water. I am glad that I decided to stay in the hut instead of my tent. I wrap myself tighter in my sleeping bag, sheltered from the deepened darkness outside.

Looking outside the Auchope shelter in the morning, it is a grey world out there....and gusty.

The window of the Auchope shelter says all about what I can expect of the walk today.

It is no better in the morning, maybe even worse. Opening the door lets in a roar from the weather outside, it is all raging grey out there. I take my time in the morning, there is no need to rush, I have only about 12km to go down to Kirk Yetholm. Still, I have to brave the weather in the end. I have had a great time in this little shelter. It is also where I leave behind the little companion I have carried with me from the start, the Lego mini-figure Pennine-Jack has found a new home.

In a sudden gap in the storm, a view from Auchope Rigg down towards the College Valley.

Stepping out of the door, I am almost instantly gone by the wind, it will be tough going today. There is a short gap in the clouds, when I leave however, giving me some good and dramatic views of the College Valley below. Although it is closing again just as quickly. The wind is fierce. Everything of paths and surfaces that I walk on is soaked. The stone slabs are turned into small rivers, even resembling tiny waterfalls, Slab Force.

A wet surface to walk on.

The force of the wind is often catching my feet, getting me out of balance. Worst is it when the path is going close to a fence with barbed wire on. Then I am afraid to be pushed into the atrocity (barbed wire fences are just that, atrocities, relics of wars), possibly ruining my clothes or backpack, or me. Only thing to do is to buckle up, wrap my rain coat more tightly around me and use more force when moving my feet. Watching the clouds blowing hard over the ridge is however wickedly cool.

Rainbows below The Schil (but where do the sunrays come from?).

The Schil.

Even in this weather, I have to make the short detour to The Schil, at 601m. The summit is surrounded by clouds and the rocky outcrops feels like ancient tombs in the mist (you should know by now that I have a highly imaginative mind). Yesterday I went in and out of Scotland, but now after the Schil I am fully in Scotland. Going down, I feel that the rain as lessened some, but the force of the wind is still making it feel like a lot of rain. It throws the water straight at my face.

This is one of the worst things I have seen on any of the trails that I have done. Here the barbed wire was hidden behind the wooden board and so I could not see it when I climbed over the fence on the stile. Only by luck did I not put my hands directly on the barbed wire.

At Black Hag (what a name again), the Pennine Way orignally went down towards Halterburn. This is now an alternative route and is also the encouraged route if the weather is foul and appalling. Which it is now, but taking that option is still out of question. I will go the main route heading over Steer Rigg and White Law.

The wet Pennine Way heading towards Black Hag.

Despite the miserable weather, I am still enjoying the walk, only have to forget or put aside that I am wet and cold. I cannot see far away, but what I see is dramatic. Nature besieged by angry clouds are always fascinating and I can see the clouds flowing fast over the landscape. The valleys below are sometimes barely visible, mostly not.

Over Steer Rigg with barely discernible views of the landscape below.

Misty and rainful Cheviot Hills.

Walking the St. Cuthbert's Way to Lindisfarne was also included when I planned how many days I would have at my disposal in Britain. Either directly from Kirk Yetholm or from the start at Melrose. After I changed to a more leisurely pace due to my troublesome feet, time ran out for that option. I had laid out a too tight a plan, although those days would always be considered a bonus. Seeing the signpost is still making me feeling sorry for missing out on it, but the good thing is that it will probably still be there if I should return.

A view through the clouds.

Looking back up at the storm.

The end is nigh, but only for my hike of the Pennine Way. The last part of the walk is on road. I have come down from the hills, with both the wind and rain abating, the colors of the walk in dark blue and green. A strange feeling. The rain changes to a drizzle. I head over a low hill and then I can see the outline of Kirk Yetholm below me. There it is, twenty days later since I left Edale.

At White Law.

The Border Hotel marks the end of the Pennine Way, just as The Old Nags Head marked the beginning. From the nag to the border, I have done it. Underneath the sign announcing the end of the trail, there is a collection of discarded hiking shoes. I go inside and sit down for a break, with a coke and coffee. As I sit inside, the sun appears on the sky outside. I think I will call that arriving in nice weather and I have to go outside to the enjoy the sensation.

Descending underneath the clouds.

When I tried to book a place in Kirk Yetholm back in Cottonshopeburnfoot, every place that I called was fully booked, except for a cottage that the Border Hotel offer. Most expensive so far, but seeing that I most likely would arrive in bad weather and in that state would not want to spend time searching for a place to stay, I went for the cottage. Lets call it some well earned comfort at the end of long hike. It is not a cottage. At least not what I associate with a cottage, it is a full grown house that I get for myself. Two storeys, one big kitchen, a backyard with a barbeque, two living rooms, two bathrooms and three bedrooms to choose from. Best of all, it has a washing machine and I get some detergent so that I can wash all of my dirty clothes. The first thing I do, of course, is to clean myself and get into some dry clothes (although the clothes I wore had begun to dry).

A world in dark blue and green.

Back at The Border, I sit down with the half-pint you get for finishing the Pennine Way (you also get a certificate of completing the way here). I see in guestbook that Eloise and Deborah finished some days before me. The Australians has arrived too. They had been adviced not to go today and so instead of getting back on the trail had taken a taxi around from Byrness. Sophie and Roxanne had on the other hand disregarded the advice. I see they arrive, both of them wet, but seemingly happy. I eat dinner together with Kylie, Tracy and Peter, which is nice. In the evening, I return to my huge cottage and spend the rest of the time relaxing.

Kirk Yetholm and the end of the Pennine Way in sight.

20 days and about 480km through the backbone of England, the slog is done. Feet aside, it has been some wonderful days. Will I do it again? I guess not, but not because I did not enjoy The Pennine Way. There are just so many other trails to do out there, and also in England. But you never know.

The Border Hotel in Kirk Yetholm.

Highlights of the Pennine Way (or some of them) was for me High Cup Nick, the many waterfalls, the open moorlands, Pen-y-Ghent, exploring Malhamdale, the first day, Greg's Hut, the shelter at Auchope Rigg, the revisit of Hadrian's Wall. The best day was when I walked from Hardraw to Tan Hill Inn. Some of the letdowns was the descent from Auchope Cairn, the barbed wire fences (especially the one mentioned above), that yellow brick road, the sudden changes between soft and hard surface (from boggy paths to stone slabs), but most of all my shoes (which is not the Pennine Way's fault of course).

Cheviot Churches, Kirk Yetholm.

The Pennine Way is finished. I will not walk St. Cuthbert's Way. Tomorrow I will take a bus to Edinburgh and The Fringe, where I will spend two nights before the flight home back to Norway. Happy trails!

At the end of The Pennine Way.

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