An easy and pleasant 15 miles today, mainly in company of the group who are also aiming to complete the Way on Sunday.
...Adele and Richard from Sheffield, known to ourselves as “The Ferrarris” who seem to have gradually adopted a more relaxed attitude to timekeeping and average speeds over the last few days.
...Nick, from Bournemouth, who is fitter and faster than any of us yet occasionally drops back to join one of small groups for some company.
...Peter and Tony, completing the second half of the Way from Bowes to Kirk Yetholm. Totally relaxed, loathe to pass an open pub and like two English cricketing gentlemen out for a day’s stroll, simply eating up the miles with a rolling pace.
...Ron, probably the more experience walker, especially as he keeps leaving things behind and ends up gong back for them therefore walking twice the distance yet never loses his sense of humour…and always the first to offer help to anyone.
…and finally Mark from Adelaide. Mark was walking from Land’s End to John O’ Groats. In his gardening shoes. With 300+ small pieces of paper making up his strip map. A diet of chocolate. And the smallest backpack of any of us.
None of us were in a formal group, but all the way to Byrness we mixed and matched as the conversation took us, finally stopping for coffee and ice-cream at the café – and only shop – in Byrness. A good, happy and satisfying day although in the back of all our minds was the thought of tomorrow: the 26 mile slog across deep bogs and up steep hills to the finishing point.
YHA Byrness is two small, converted Forestry Commission houses. Frozen meals are available for dinner and the warden will take orders for early breakfast (which she leaves out and you heat yourself) and packed lunches. No alcohol for sale. An alternative is to make a prior meal booking with the Byrness Hotel: not really a hotel at the moment, but a B&B. Nearest pub is 5 miles away (price for a taxi was quoted as £10 each way).
...Adele and Richard from Sheffield, known to ourselves as “The Ferrarris” who seem to have gradually adopted a more relaxed attitude to timekeeping and average speeds over the last few days.
...Nick, from Bournemouth, who is fitter and faster than any of us yet occasionally drops back to join one of small groups for some company.
...Peter and Tony, completing the second half of the Way from Bowes to Kirk Yetholm. Totally relaxed, loathe to pass an open pub and like two English cricketing gentlemen out for a day’s stroll, simply eating up the miles with a rolling pace.
...Ron, probably the more experience walker, especially as he keeps leaving things behind and ends up gong back for them therefore walking twice the distance yet never loses his sense of humour…and always the first to offer help to anyone.
…and finally Mark from Adelaide. Mark was walking from Land’s End to John O’ Groats. In his gardening shoes. With 300+ small pieces of paper making up his strip map. A diet of chocolate. And the smallest backpack of any of us.
None of us were in a formal group, but all the way to Byrness we mixed and matched as the conversation took us, finally stopping for coffee and ice-cream at the café – and only shop – in Byrness. A good, happy and satisfying day although in the back of all our minds was the thought of tomorrow: the 26 mile slog across deep bogs and up steep hills to the finishing point.
YHA Byrness is two small, converted Forestry Commission houses. Frozen meals are available for dinner and the warden will take orders for early breakfast (which she leaves out and you heat yourself) and packed lunches. No alcohol for sale. An alternative is to make a prior meal booking with the Byrness Hotel: not really a hotel at the moment, but a B&B. Nearest pub is 5 miles away (price for a taxi was quoted as £10 each way).
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