GR10 // day 5 // St Etienne de Baïgorry - St Jean Pied de Port

Distance: 20.0km (98.0km), time spent: 8:10 (41:59).
Ascent / descent: 859m (5036m) / 864m (4879m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 162m / 157m / 1021m.
Weather: Some sun, mostly cloudy during the day.

This is a special day for me. Today the walk goes to St Jean Pied de Port, the place where I started my fantastic adventure on the Camino Frances two years ago. I walk together with Didier today, while Marie-Agnes takes their car and is driving to St Jean Pied de Port and will meet all the pilgrims before us.

View of the Iparla ridge from the trail up towards Oylarandoy.

It's slightly cloudy overhead when we start the climb towards Oylarandoy (933m), the trail isn't going over the top but passes around the eastern side of it (in contradiction to what is described in Paul Lucia's guide for Cicerone where the trail that is described follows a track on the western side of the top). The route goes for the most part along a track upwards where we walk with our backs to the Iparla ridge. In the valley below we can see several vineyards. The track eventually goes over to become a path by an open cabane used by cattle. On the other side we can look towards Monhoa, which is covered by a solitary cloud.

Monhoa covered by a solitary cloud.

We join the road that is described as the GR10 route in the guide at Col d'Aharza (734m), the last bit of the trail is covered in sheep droppings. It's getting more cloudy overhead at this point. We're passing Col de Leizarze (829m) and Col d'Urdanzia (869m) before we start the ascent up towards Monhoa (1021m). It's a quite pleasant walk. There is no view whatsoever from the summit, we're enshrouded in the solitary cloud that is covering the top. At the summit a small disaster is imminent, the seams of one of the sides of my left shoe has gone loose, not a good sign with about 45 days left of the journey (I use the laces to keep the shoe together).

Dider next to a cabane being used by cattle below Oylarandoy.

We don't have to go far down to get out of the cloud and now I can see St Jean Pied de Port to the east of me. We descent from the top with a herd of cows on our tails. It's quite special to look upon the landscape that I walked through on my first day on my pilgrimage. Further down we walk past a young couple that both carries backpacks that seems to weight way too much, they're walking very slowly up the track.

At Lasse we orders a three course lunch at the hotel, Didier has phoned Marie-Agnés so she is meeting us there after having walked from St Jean Pied de Port. Both Dominique and Emilio are arriving after a short time. Inside the hotel there is a party going on, a lot of noisy Basque noise. Emilio is walking towards Estérençuby; it would be the last we saw of him.

View towards Col de Leizarze and Col d'Urdanzia from the climb up to Monhoa.

I share a room with Didier and Marie-Agnés at Gîte Zazpiak-Bat, but before I go there (the place is located a little bit outside of St Jean along the Camino) I have to buy some glue to fix my trekking shoes with. Later on me and Dider is standing outside the gîte fixing each our own shoe.

View towards the east where the path of the Camino Francis is crossing the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles from St Jean Pied de Port.

It's a strange feeling to be walking into St Jean Pied de Port, the first I notice is that there are a lot of more people here now than when I was here the last time. It's earlier in the year and still the high season of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. I wonder how many of the pilgrims that I pass that is just as excited that I was when I was walking around here for two years ago. I know that I someday will return here to do the Camino again, being here brings back a lot of good memories from that adventure.

St Jean Pied de Port.

We eat dinner at the gîte which is quite good. In the evening we go for a walk in St Jean before we sit down for a drink. It's dark outside; most of the pilgrims have probably already gone to bed with tomorrows walk to Roncesvalles in their mind. My thoughts are locked upon Iraty-Cize.

<- St Etienne de BaïgorryIraty-Cize ->

GR10 // day 4 // Bidarray - St Etienne de Baïgorry

Distance: 15.7km (78.0km), time spent: 7:15 (33:49).
Ascent / descent: 1260m (4177m) / 1248m (4015m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 150m / 162m / 1044m.
Weather: Fog and gloomy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, rain in the evening.

An absolutely fantastic day in the Pyrenees, but there was nothing indicating that in the morning hours. The sky above me is dark and gloomy when I wake up, and the Iparla-ridge is covered by clouds. Didier and Marie-Agnes has decided to skip todays stage and instead fetch their car and drive to St Etienne de Baïgorry, this stage is considered to be quite hard and Marie-Agnes has had problems with her back. Emilio has already left and is far away when I start to walk under the dark carpet of the clouds.

View down towards Bidarray under a dark and gloomy sky on the way up the steep ascent of the Iparla-ridge.

I walk fast up the steep climb from Bidarray and up towards the Iparla-ridge, covered by the gloomy weather. Contours of stones and trees appears and disappears again while I'm walking, In my mind I can see myself walking in eight hours or so in an endless fog. There are no views to be seen. I continue walking being a little bit disappointed to be doing this day in this weather, with the possibility of great views from the ridge a far-fetched fantasy, when I suddenly appear above the clouds. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Around me the landscape of the Pyrenees is covered by clouds, in front of me the Iparla-ridge is rising up from the layers of clouds and in the east the higher mountains of the range also juts up from the clouds. I get the sensation that I'm walking on top of the clouds, it is beautiful beyond description. In the west La Rhune is also a safe haven among the waves of clouds. The trail follows the edge of the ridge, further ahead I can see Emilio walking. On one side the mountainside is diving straight down into the sea of clouds, on the other side the green ridge is slowly rising up from the clouds.

A walk above the clouds. After walking in fog for the most part of the ascent up the ridge I suddenly appear above the layers of clouds.

Pic d'Iparla with the rest of the ridge rising up from the clouds.

Pic d'Iparla is with its 1044 meters the highest point of this day, but it isn't the last highlight on the walk. At Col d'Harrieta (808m) the path is going through a beech wood. Here I find a path that leads to a water source in the forest. After the ascent up through the forest the trail is continuing on a just as great walk as before over the two summits of Pic Astaté (1022m) and Pic de Buztanzelhay (1029m). Down the pass with the same name as the latter the route is going steeply down the mountainside. At this time the clouds has now disappeared and I can look out over the landscape below that was hidden from my sight earlier, it's a great view. A great tree below Col de Buztanzelhay (843m) is a nice spot for a lunch break.

Crête d'Iparla.

The nice walk on the ridge has made me forget the time and I've been walking quite fast (driven forward by the great landscape) so I arrive at St Etienne de Baïgorry a little bit too early, I really should have spent more time on the top of the magnificent ridge. In St Etienne de Baïgorry I get myself a bed at Gîte Gaineko Karrikan, a nice place where I get the whole dormitory for myself. The village is not that big, but it spans over a long stretch.

It's time for a beer so I sit down in one of the cafés in the center of the village when Didier and Marie-Agnes are driving by, with Dominique walking into the village just afterwards. He had dropped the walk to Espelette and had in fact also spent the night in Bidarray, at the camping site there. I eat dinner together with Didier and Marie-Agnes at the gîte, a good dinner with a nice company.

View from the Iparla ridge. The route is going down the ridge to the right in the picture.

At the end of the evening I relax with another beer in the nice backyard of the gîte. When they're closing the lights and I'm retreating to the dormitory (where I also had the kitchen and the living room for myself) the owner of the gîte comes and gives me a bottle of beer on the house. Apparently I'm the first Norwegian to be staying at the place. I didn't see anything of the announced thunderstorm.

The nice backyard of the Gîte Kaineka Karrikan.

<- BidarraySt Jean Pied de Port ->

GR10 // day 3 // Ainhoa - Bidarray

Distance: 20.3km (62.3km), time spent: 8:26 (26:34).
Ascent / descent: 976m (2917m) / 946m (2767m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 120m / 150m / 926m.
Weather: Fog in the morning, sunny, windy and hot during the day.

Fog covered Ainhoa during the night, but in the morning the veil had lifted a bit. The sun is breaking through the clouds when Didier, Marie-Agnes and I are ready to go early in the morning. Dominique is still sleeping in his tent when we're leaving, so we're not able to say goodbye to him. His plan is to go to Espelette today, which is supposed to be a nice village known for its spice (pimente d'Espelette).

Morning mist and sunrise in Ainhoa.

From Ainhoa the route goes up through the clouds to the Chapelle de l'Aubépine. All the crosses on each side of the road are culminating in the three crosses next to the chapel. From the chapel there is a lovely walk around Ereby (583m) to the Col des Trois Croix (510m) with great views to where the landscape below are being covered by a white layer of clouds, there are no crosses at the pass however. The clouds are rolling like waves unto the mountainsides with the sky above being sunny and clear, a strong wind blows through the grass.

The three crosses at the Chapelle de l'Aubépine. Clouds are drifting by in the valley below.

Three bikers are passing me by on the trail up to Col Zuccuta (566m), from here the route goes down towards Spain before it turns and climbs up to Col de Méhatché. At Ferme Esteben (580m) they serve an absolutely delicious omelet with salted ham. After crossing the road that goes to Spain the trail climbs first through a path up the hill before it settles down on a bumpy road up to Col de Méhatché (716m). A flock of horses makes it impassable by car at the top of the pass.

To the north of Ereby a huge layer of clouds are covering the southern part of France and are rolling likes waves unto the mountainside..

At the top of the Méhatché pass the trail turns off the road and continues along an eastern path, but the lure of another summit makes me continue along the road and walk up to the top of Artzamendi (926m) instead. The view is great and there are literally no people at the top. To the east more and more mountains are appearing in the horizon, but in the focus of my view is the Iparla-ridge which I will traverse tomorrow. La Rhune is still clearly visible in the horizon.

View from Artzamendi.

After going down to Col de Méhatché and the GR10 again I pass another walker lying straight out on the ground after a while, but the way he's lying down tells me that nothing wrong has happened. Down towards the Bastan-river the trail goes very steeply down a ravine, but the path is however quite good to walk on (being careful is though important here). The heat is more of a problem now, it is getting very hot again. Down by the river I give my feet a well earned bath.

Before the last part of the walk to Bidarray I strike up a conversation with the walker that was lying flat down on the ground. Sacha is also doing the GR10 and is also going all the way to Banyuls sur Mer, however with a lot harder itinerary than mine. I later get to hear that he arrived at Banyuls after using only 37 days on the whole route.

Steep descent down towards the Bastan river and Bidarray.

I arrive at Bidarray in the heat empty of water after taking a wrong turn towards the end. Almost all the places to sleep in the village has been taken by a lot of youths on vacation apparently, but Emilio who has got a bed in the annex of the Gîte Aire Zabal arranges for a place for me too. There is nothing but hot water in the gîte, so I have to run to one of the bars in the village to quench my thirst. The heat is reaching 40 degrees again.

Youths playing peloton in the fronton in Bidarray.

Dinner is eaten at the restaurant of the one hotel in the village. I learn that Didier and Marie-Agnes are also installed in the gîte, being tired after the initial climb and with the upcoming heat they had opted to catch a ride again from Col de Méhatché. A great day on the GR10 with a lovely trail and great views. Tomorrow there are dark clouds in the horizon apparently, there is a forecast of thunder approaching.

<- AinhoaSt Etienne de Baïgorry ->

GR10 // day 2 // Olhette - Ainhoa

Distance: 21.5km (42.0km), time spent: 10:04 (18:08).
Ascent / descent: 937m (1941m) / 897m (1821m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 80m / 120m / 900m.
Weather: Sunny, clear sky, very hot.

I couldn't sleep at all during the night, a combination of a hot night, a too hot sleeping bag and snoring in the dormitory. At a certain time I go out and try to get some sleep under the clear and starry sky. But outside there is a sound like someone is slaughtering some animal, while someone is walking along the road with a light. I get the feeling of being in a horror movie, so I go back inside again. Breakfast is taken in the house next to the gîte.

Horse on the path on the way up to Col des Trois Fontaines, the green hills I walked over on yesterdays stage in the background.

From the gîte the GR10 goes steep up through the forest before coming out above the trees with good views back to where I walked down from yesterday, Col d'Ibardin is hidden behind morning mist. There are only a few remnants of clouds on the walk up towards Col des Trois Fontaines, the sun is still hidden behind the hill. A lot of day walkers out in the nice weather. I'm at the highest point of todays stage at the top of the pass, Col des Trois Fontaines (563m).

View east from La Rhune with the small cog train descending.

The route isn't going over La Rhune (900m), but with the great weather I have no choice but to climb up to the summit, something which adds about 337 steep meters of ascent to todays walk. At the top, there is an abundance of people, some has walked up to the top, but I think most of the people have taken the small cog train from Col de St-Ignace up to the summit. I meet Dominique at the top, which left Olhette earlier than me. The view is panoramic impeccable. To the west I can see the mountains that I will pass over in the next days towering in the horizon. A huge flock of eagles are circling above me.

The trail is then descending down to the lowlands again, but there is a nice walk between La Rhune and Altxanga (625m) before that. I meet again Dominique in Sare and we sit down in a café to have some lunch. While we're eating the temperature rises to above 40 degrees. I walk together with Dominique after Sare.

View west from La Rhune with views back to Hendaye and the Atlantic.

This stage is maybe the easiest stage of all the stages on the GR10 (if you go by the stages in the Cicerone guide by Paul Lucia); with only the small climb up to Col des Trois Fontaines as the only steep part. The rest of the stage goes through a relatively flat terrain, with 120 meters being the highest point. Still, I use over 10 hours on the stage. After Sare I became a walking waterfall alongside a nice route that brought back memories from the Camino two years ago.

The trail crosses the railway line of the small cog train, here going up towards La Rhune.

We encounter Didier and Marie-Agnes under a tree taking shelter from the sun. Together we walk to Venta Beruet where we stop for a cold beer and a break from the soaring heat. After a walk through small hamlets and farms it soon becomes evident that the heat is taking its toll, Didier and Marie-Agnes stays behind to catch a ride to Ainhoa. Me and Dominique are continuing through the dust in the heat, the rest of route to GR10 feels like it never ends.

View back towards the mountains from Sare.

Ainhoa greets us with its nice houses, peloton court next to the church and Emilio, Didier and Marie-Agnes (who found themselves a ride to the village). Emilio had walked fast ahead and had arrived in Ainhoa about two o'clock to avoid the worst of the heat. I arrange a bed for myself for the night in Gîte d'etape Harazpy (which in contrary to what is written in the guide is open); where Didier and Marie-Agnes are the only other guests, Dominique prefers to sleep in his tent in the camping site outside.

I enjoys a beer with Didier and Marie-Agnes at the bar besides the peloton court, where there is a match going on, before having dinner at the auberge in the village. Eager spectators follow the little ball bouncing against the wall. A very hot second day on the GR10 is coming to an end when it's getting dark with a more comfortable temperature.

The path towards Ainhoa with Ereby in the background.

<- OlhetteBidarray ->

GR10 // day 1 // Hendaye - Olhette

Distance: 20.5km (20.5km), time spent: 8:04 (8:04).
Ascent / descent: 1004m (1004m) / 924m (924m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 0moh / 65moh / 573moh.
Weather : Sunny, clear sky, hot.

There is always a special feeling to be at the start of a walk with your backpack packed and ready at your back (in theory all that you own on a walk), and with all of the walk in front of you. In my case it's the Pyrenees that I stand looking towards, over 900km and about 50000 meters of ascent and descent. A little bit uncertain of what I've really embarked upon. I'm in Hendaye; my plan is to walk the GR10 over the Pyrenees to Banyuls sur Mer. There isn't much to do than to start walking.

Hendaye Plage the evening before the start of my journey.

The GR10 starts at the old casino by the beach in Hendaye with the Atlantic behind, a sign marks the start of the long and varied journey (you shouldn't think too much of the distance yet). It's relatively quiet on the beach at the moment, compared to the crowded yesterday. The weather is nice, clear blue sky and sunny. With the waves rolling onto the beach behind me I start to walk.

At the start of the GR10. The sign displays the trail over the Pyrenees that I will go; it feels a little bit unreal standing looking at what I've got before me for the next 50 days.

The first stage to Olhette is for the most part quite easy, but it still contains a combined ascent of 1000 meters. It's a nice promenade alongside the bay of Chingoudy and through Hendaye in the start, before the route enters more countryside surroundings. At Biriatou, a small and cozy Basque village, I meet the first of other walkers on the GR10, Dominique.

The route goes alongside the bay of Chingoudy in the start, with the mountains in the background.

After Biriatou the trail becomes a nice forest and mountain path with a climb up to Col d'Osin (374m) with a nice view back towards Hendaye and the Atlantic. From Col d'Osin the trail is undulating up and down a green ridge, horses are grazing wild in the hills. I eat lunch in the shade of the trees at the Col des Poiriers (316m).

At Col des Poiriers the alternative route coming from Choldokogagna (what a name) is joining the GR10, in Cicerone's GR10 guide that is described as the main route of the GR10, but the trail over Col d'Osin is marked as the GR10.

The part up to Col d'Osin and over to Col d'Ibardin is the nicest part of todays stage. However, there is nothing nice about Col d'Ibardin, a tourist place on the border between France and Spain, a place to go quickly through. A nicer place to arrive at is Venta d'Inzola in Spain, a quiet and relaxed place in the shade of the forest.

View back towards Hendaye and the Atlantic from the climb up to Col d'Osin.

La Rhune (900m) has been visible in the horizon all through the day and is following me with eagle eyes on the last part of todays stage from Col du Grand Escanga (273m) and down to Olhette (65m). The gîte d'etape in Olhette is a nice place, but since I haven't booked a place I have to eat dinner at the hotel further down the street. There are a couple of other walkers in the gîte walking the GR10 as well, though not all of it, Emilio, Didier and Marie-Agnes, together with Dominique who also has arrived at the gîte.

View from Col d'Osin. La Rhune in the horizon to the left. The GR10 goes over the ridge in the middle of the picture.

Todays walk was a nice start of the trail that didn't contained the steepest of challenges, but yet climbed enough upwards to get a nice view. It got hotter after a while making it heavier to walk. A lot of days left to go.

La Rhune. The GR10 are not going up to the substantial summit but are passing over the ridge to the left of the summit.

Ainhoa ->

Hadrian's Wall Path @ 12:00

Hadrian's Wall Path @ 12:00 from Tarjei Skrede on Vimeo.

Each day at 12:00 while walking the Hadrian's Wall Path I took a picture of myself.
This is the result.

Hadrian's Wall Path

The Roman Empire extended far, extruding into England as far as close to the current border of Scotland. To the North of their reach was the land of the Ancient Britons, which included the Picts. Said to be built to separate the Romans from the barbarians, Emperor Hadrian began construction of a wall in AD 122, although there are no clear evidence that this was the sole purpose of the wall. Other reasons noted are to control trade. The construction of the wall lasted for six years. Now only parts of the Hadrian's Wall remains intact. A long-distance trail was constructed following the line of the ancient wall, Hadrian's Wall Path, enabling hikers to walk next to the remains of the wall and experience the history surrounding the old Roman legacy. The trail runs for about 135km between Wallsend outside Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway on Solway Firth.

In the summer of 2013, I journeyed to England and the end of the Roman Empire to walk the Hadrian's Wall Path. Here you will find my tale from my walk next to the Hadrian's Wall:

Day   1 (09.06):Wallsend - Heddon-on-the-Wall

Day   2 (10.06):Heddon-on-the-Wall - Wall

Day   3 (11.06):Wall - Once Brewed

Day   4 (12.06):Once Brewed - Walton

Day   5 (13.06):Walton - Carlisle

Day   6 (14.06):Carlisle - Bowness-on-Solway

Hadrian's Wall Path @ 12:00

Hadrian's Wall Path // day 6 // Carlisle - Bowness-on-Solway

Distance: 23,8km.

A last morning on the walk and it is always a thoughtful morning when you know that by the end of the day you've completed the walk. We decide to quickly go through the streets of Carlisle after breakfast and to the Sands Centre where we will come back to the trail where we left it yesterday. The flag on Carlisle Castle greets us blowing in the air. We walk under the bridge and are on our way towards Bowness-on-Solway and an end to a journey along Roman and English history.

The trail goes under the bridge built for Border Union Railway after Carlisle, the bridge is now closed.

There are no signs of the Romans when we continue the walk in a loop around Eden and out of Carlisle. The weather is cloudy on our last day of the walk alongside a wall we no longer can see. We pass under a bridge that was built for the Border Union Railway; the bridge is built on the skew on purpose and was opened in 1859. The bridge is now closed and by that we're leaving Carlisle behind us. We are now at the same time following the Cumbria Coastal Way alongside the river towards Grinsdale.

Alessandra at a gate before Kirkandrews-on-Eden.

Between Grinsdale and Kirkandrews-on-Eden we can still see what was once upon a time the vallum of the wall. The horizon bears portents of rain when we cross a tiny stone bridge with the amusing name of Sourmilk Bridge. A part of the trail alongside Eden are closed before Beaumont due to erosion, instead we have to go to Beaumont by the road (later on we got to hear that someone else had walked the part without problems). Just before coming to Beaumont we're crossing a field where we are so lucky to arrive at the same time as the farmer fertilizing it, smell-on-the-wall.

The church at Beaumont which is literally built on top of where Hadrian's Wall went, the Normans used the stones from the wall to build the church as well.

In Beaumont the church is standing right on top of where the wall went. The Normans used the stones from the wall to build the church as well. We're still accompanying the Cumbria Coastal Way on a small and quiet road after Beaumont. We switch between two roads by a short green interlude before we arrive at Burgh by Sands and the Roman fort Aballava (apple orchard) that no one can see anything of. We are the first guests of the day at The Greyhound Inn having decided it's time for a little break.

Alessandra outside The Greyhound Inn in Burgh by Sands.

At Dykesfield starts the part of today's walk that I have been looking forward to the most, the passage over the marshes by Solway Firth. A tide table has been posted at Dykesfield, for by extreme high tidal water and a lot of rain the water here can stand several feet above the ground. Its low tide when we arrive at the Burgh Marsh, so there is little danger for us having to swim across the long and flat stretch. A bird wails in the distance.

Walking over the wetland at Solway Firth in rain. A desolate stretch of marsh and bog. The water can stand as high as three feet above the road at its most.

We start the walk alongside the marshland and the dismantled railway line, the sky changes to a dull grey color. More and more darker spots are appearing on the road. The rain is washing over us. Under the grey blanket we can barely see the rivermouth that goes out into Solway Firth. Cows wanders wet over the marshland. There is an embankment by the side of the road, which is not a part of Hadrian's Wall, but a wall against the tide water. It is flooding from above; several walkers are seeking shelter under a bus stop at Boustead Hill. The grey wall is hammering down upon us while it passes overhead.

A cow walking by the wall walkers at Easton Marsh. The rain is abated a little and is moving on towards Scotland.

We continue walking through the desolate stretch while the rain is abating little by little, this is the biggest rainfall we've had on the whole walk. I would like to experience how it is here when the tide is at its highest. The rain clouds drifts further on behind us and in the direction of Scotland. We can look out towards Solway Firth and the sea. There is a line of walkers over the marsh. We arrive on safe ground in Drumburgh on the other side.

The long and flat stretch over the wetland between Burgh by Sands and Drumburgh.

At Glasson it's high tide for lunch. We occupy The Highland Laddie Inn, so named since it's said that Bonnie Prince Charlie stopped here. While we're eating lunch our clothes dries up after the deluge. A couple of other walkers are here as well, we talk for a while with a couple from the Isle of Man.

Lunch at The Highland Laddie Inn in Glasson.

Then the last verse of the walk remains. At Solway Firth we can see two haaf-net fishermen out in the water; these are standing out in the water with water up almost up to their chest and are fishing with a large net strung up between them. The waves are rolling onto the beach while we walk towards Port Carlisle. Since all the places to stay in Bowness were occupied we found a place for the night here, The Hope & Anchor. Before we take the last steps on the walk we check in and take a short break.

Out from Port Carlisle with the last steps on the walk towards Bowness-on-Solway.

We move quietly over the small and abandoned looking stretch between Port Carlisle and Bowness-on-Solway, on the other side of the water is Scotland. The waves are continuing its dance towards the beaches just before we arrive at the last stop of the journey. A sign greets us welcome to the end/start of Hadrian's Wall. Now only a short promenade down to The Banks is remaining. Ave Terminvm Callis Hadriani Avgvsti Pervenisti. We are at the end of the wall and have walked all the way from Wallsend. In the little hut that marks the end of the walk is also George, who we've met several times on the trail. A last stamp in the passport.

Alessandra and me at The Banks in Bowness-on-Solway and the end of the walk. At the end of the wall all the way from Wallsend.

Down by the water I take a look out towards the sea. We sit down at the end of the walk and enjoy the peaceful moment for a while, listening to the peculiar sound of the sea rolling in onto the beach. Clouds drift by over the horizon, small glimpses of sunlight in the sea.

Solway Firth and Scotland.

And then we leave the Hadrian's Wall Path and take a look at Bowness-on-Solway, which is a cozy, but sleepy place. It's sort of customary for the walkers finishing in Bowness to meet at the King's Arms, so we pay a visit to the inn for the mandatory celebration. Here we meet again Karl, and his parents. Not long afterwards George is coming before Truls and Kristian arrives a little bit tired after celebrating a little bit in advance in Carlisle. Another walker we've met, Graham, is also joining us, as well as the couple from Isle of Man. I order salmon from Solway Firth for dinner, hopefully fished by the haaf-net fishermen. A nice evening finishes a great walk across Northern England.

Celebrating the end of the walk at The King's Arms in Bowness: Karl, Alessandra, George, Truls, Kristian and me.

When we leave in the evening it has become dark outside. And it has started to rain. We make our way in the small light of our headlamps alongside the little desolate stretch back to Port Carlisle. It is quiet. Small lights can be seen from Scotland on the other side of Solway Firth. A journey is over...another begins...

A journey is over...another begins.

<- Carlisle