England Coast Path & Thames Path Extension

Thames Barrier - Grain,   2^nd – 4^th Aug 2022

 

Introduction

 

Earlier this year, a new section of the England Coast Path was officially opened. My walking mate David was born and bred in southeast London so offered to accompany me and act as interpreter. We had planned for a trip in mid-July but were caught out by a heatwave, train cancellations and a declared state of national emergency. We deferred our hotel bookings for two weeks and rebooked our train journey for the first day of August. The railways were still in chaos, some of it strike-induced, so our express to London was declassified and we travelled first-class. The DLR from Bank took us rapidly to Greenwich where we checked into our hotel and then found a friendly coffee shop on the High Street. To stretch our legs we went for a walk through the foot tunnel onto the Isle of Dogs. The city farm at Mudshute was suffering from lack of rain. All grassland was parched straw and the heat would take some getting used to. Back on the south side to the river, we slipped past the Naval College and along to the Cutty Sark, an olde worlde pub on the riverfront. On our way back through Greenwich, we called in at Cafe Rouge to see whether we needed a table reservation. Then we went back to our pub for another pint and a change of clothes.

 

Stayed at the Mitre on Greenwich High Road. Ate at Café Rouge, black truffle & camembert burger, lemon tart, a bottle of red wine and an early night. 

 

 

Tuesday 2^nd Aug 2022                      Thames Barrier – Dartford Bridge

A Barrier to Progress

 

Descending to breakfast, we were informed that this was not included in our booking. I had not brought with me the details of the original reservation which stated breakfast was part of the deal. The girls gave us some bacon and eggs and suggested a lack of communications with the central booking office. Grabbing a butty from M&S, we leapt onto a bus heading for Woolwich, getting off at the pathway down to the Thames Barrier. I had wanted to start here as this is where my trip began along the Thames Path some 5 years ago. This time we were heading in the opposite direction, along the Thames Path Extension to the mouth of the river. A few photos were taken to commemorate the occasion and then, under a cloudy sky, we were off through the back streets of Charlton towards Woolwich. The ferry stopped working as we approached the South Circular so we went on to the subway which was the point at which the England Coast Path crosses the Thames. Our trek along the Kent section of this path was about to begin.

 

We passed some unusual metal sculptures at Woolwich Arsenal, a cluster of alien-like figures in dark steel. Under clearing skies and warming temperatures we walked passed mile after mile of riverside apartments. Then industrial sites became our companion as we rounded a bend in the river and saw Erith ahead. Digital technology was used to navigate into the town to find the Tropical Café where our first break of the day was taken. Returning to the coast path, we continued for another mile or so until a bench in the riverside gardens proved an ideal lunch stop to eat our M&S sandwiches. The route took to the streets to exit Erith before a track cut back towards the river at Crayford Ness and we came out into our first bit of countryside. As we rounded the Ness, the Dartford Crossing came into view. It looked so close. Little did we know what awaited us. The River Darrent blocked our way.

 

We had been aware that an excursion inland would be necessary to get round this impasse. What we had not realised was just how long it was going to take us to reach the point on the other side of the barrage gates. In total it took nearly two hours to get round the two prongs of this river system, a loop that brought us to the A206 dual carriageway at two separate points. By the time we regained the riverside not 100 metres further along, we had clocked up five miles of walking. The last mile and a half along the river was straightforward and we soon reached the site of the old Littlebrook Power Station, now being rebuilt as an Amazon warehouse To reach our hotel, we had to weave through an industrial estate, along a bus-only lane and across some busy roads. Luckily, we found a subway which took us under the worst of the traffic and into the car park of the hotel. It had been a long hot day.

 

Thames Barrier dep. 09.52, Holiday Inn, Dartford Bridge arr. 17.50

GPS 19.45 miles in 7hrs 12mins 10secs walking time, plus a 30-minute stop in Erith (Tropical Café) for coffee and cake and a 20-minute sandwich stop in Erith Riverside Gardens  

Stayed in the Holiday Inn on University Way. The beer was IPA from Goose Island (5.9%). Ate Chicken Masala followed by apple tart and custard.

 

 

Wednesday 3^rd Aug 2022             Dartford Bridge - Cliffe

Out into the Marshes

 

An early breakfast avoided the queues at the buffet. This enabled us to be walking well before 9am. The return journey to the coast path seemed much shorter than last night. In fact it was 1½ miles back to the Thames but a good night’s rest had filled us with renewed energy and we were soon standing under Dartford Bridge, a huge concrete structure. Then it was onwards into Greenhithe and the Asda supermarket for our daily sandwiches. A complex section around the streets took us round the town centre and out once more onto the bare and parched marshes. I paused under the immense pylons carrying the 400kV national grid over the Thames. This was a project my father had worked on over half a century ago. The route cut inland to get across Broadness and the bend in the river and then continued on an inland route through the industrial complexes of Ebbsfleet. Emerging onto the main road at the football stadium, there in front of us, like a mirage shimmering in the sunshine, was a Costa’s coffee shop and the end of our early morning endeavours.

 

The entire riverbank now seemed to be under reconstruction and development. Firstly we by-passed the workings at Northfleet Harbour, then passed factory after factory, including one which had its own war memorial to workers killed in the last war. A coast path walker coming towards us gave us a tip about traversing the next housing estate. ‘Just walk straight through and ignore the diversion signs’, he said. And we did. This brought us into Gravesend and the pierhead at Tilbury Ferry. The attraction of a beer garden proved too much and we marched automatically into the Three Daws. A pint of Landlords later, we emerged into the intense midday heat and moved slowly on through the urban landscape. We encountered all sorts of problems getting out of Gravesend. First, we came without warning to a barrier across the path, ‘Footpath closed due to Dangerous Tyres’. With no diversion signs to be seen, we backtracked around a small harbour and back to the river using our digital mapping system. This took us into a long treelined ginnel the outlet of which was blocked by another  unclimbable barriers, the other end of the closure. So we backtracked once more and left town along a busy road.

 

We eventually found our way back onto the riverbank having walked at least a mile longer than planned. The only way we could get out of the sun on this shade-less path was by crawling under an industrial pier. Here we ate our Azda sandwiches. The last stage of the day was not without its mishap. It seemed so straightforward to walk along this dry cracked seawall over the featureless salt marshes but we ended up missing the turn off along an overgrown path to Cliffe Fort. An extra half mile was added to our days total. Round the vast old fort, now an active sand quarry, the route cut inland to a point where a good track headed east across freshwater pools left as bird habitats from previous extraction activities. Two tired and over-heated individuals struggled up the last hill and along the straight narrow lane into Cliffe Village. The Six Bells pub seemed an oasis.

 

Holiday Inn dep. 08.43,  Cliffe arr. 17.00

GPS 19.23 miles in 7hrs 11mins 34secs walking plus 30-min stop in Costas in Ebbsfleet, 15 mins in the Three Daws in Gravesend and 15-min lunch stop under a pier.

We stayed at the Six Bells in Cliffe, drank Whitstable Bay Pale Ale (4.0%) from Shepherd Neame and ate sea bass & chips. A bottle of Rioja was given a rigorous once over.

 

 

Thursday 4^th Aug 2022                     Cliffe – Grain

The Hoo Peninsular

 

Breakfast at the Six Bells was not until 8.30am. So we had a leisurely start to the day tucking into our bacon and eggs whilst scanning the morning paper. The doors of the pub were wide open and the heat of the day was infiltrating. In fact it was cooler outside where the breeze from the west cooled us as we left the village and descended to the water pools at marsh  level. Initially we could not gain the top of the sea wall and were constrained to walk along the grassy track on the landward side. This sheltered us from the cooling effect of the breeze and we got hot very quickly. A river drainage system ran through the grazed grassland, this being connected to the sea via sluices under the sea defences. Obviously, the flatlands could be inundated with brackish water should the situation demand.

The sea wall and our walking route was not always dead straight. Inlets and bays in the estuary led to detours and U-shaped loops that were the main features in this flat and featureless peninsular. When the path regained the crest of the sea wall, we passed the time by watching large container ships approaching on the incoming tide. Towns and settlements on the north shore were clearly seen and what we thought must be Southend came into view. Ahead of us, the village of Allhallows never seemed to get any nearer. The white tents of the holiday park dominated the coastal prospect for at least two hours. It got hotter and hotter and our water rations were long consumed. So it was a great relief to emerge eventually onto the waterfront of the holiday park. We turned into the entertainment areas where we emptied a huge jar of iced water into our water-bottles and then sat in the shade of one of the holiday homes to eat our sandwiches.

 

The last section of the day was thankfully a lot shorter. Leaving Allhallows and its noisy holiday village behind us, our view was now dominated by oil storage tanks, part of the legacy of the power stations which once provided much of the electricity for London and the south east. Passing a monument to the raising of the sea defences, the route finally turned away from the embankment that we had been following for the best part of six hours. The village of Grain was the end of this section of the Coast Path and my completion of the entire length of the Thames Path from its source in the Cotswolds to its estuary into the North Sea, some 230 miles of walking over three trips. Half a mile short of the terminal point, our journey was brought to an abrupt end by a supermarket, the Hogarth Inn and a bus stop. Clutching more sandwiches, we toasted the successful completion of our expedition with John Smiths Gold (not my drink of choice). It had been very hot walking under a blazing sun. Now it was time to go home. The bus was only a few minutes late.

 

Cliffe dep. 09.24, Grain arr.15.55

GPS 17.26 miles in 6hrs 4mins 32secs walking time plus a 30 mins water and butty at Allhallows.

 

Conclusion

 

The bus into Rochester hit traffic in the outskirts of Strood. I could see the prospects of catching an early train home disappearing in the rush-hour jams. A guy on the bus suggested that it would be far quicker if we abandoned our plans to go through to Rochester, get off the bus and walk to Strood Station. He came with us, showing us the underpass that took us under the line. Wonderfully, the train to St Pancras was running late and we had time to buy tickets and leap on. It was an amazing quick journey. The suburban unit joined the high-speed line at Ebbsfleet and shot under the Thames and under most of east London to get to St Pancras International. We summoned up the sinews to stride along Euston Road and into Euston Station. Here a very early evening train had been delayed and, not wanting to chance cancellations later on, we raced down the platform to claim seats for the trip north. My wife met the train and took David home first. Arriving so late and tired, I was ready to go straight to bed but was told in no uncertain terms to have a shower first, the sheets on the bed had been changed in my absence.

Peak District Boundary Walk (Part 1)

Bollington – Old Glossop,   17^th – 19^th June 2022

Introduction

 

It was the weekend of the Long Distance Walkers Association’s 50^th Anniversary and the South Manchester Group had asked for suggestions as to how this might be celebrated. I  proposed that a 50-mile walk might be appropriate and that the Peak District Boundary Walk was a local route that was easily accessible. The 50 miles between Bollington and Old Glossop had good transport links with Manchester, Stockport and Macclesfield. After a slow acceptance and much reconnoitring, the scheme eventually gained momentum and received  great support from both the South Manchester and High Peak Groups.

 

Friday 17^th June 2022                       Bollington – Buxton

Hottest Day of the Year

 

Bridget and David had offered to pick me up on their way through Macclesfield and we called into the railway station to collect Andrea. We drove to the Vale Car Park in Bollington and walked up to Pool End, the official start of our walk. Frank and Quentin were waiting for us and just after 9am, the six of us set off on the first day of our 50-mile expedition. The forecast was for very hot temperatures so sun-cream and sunhats were the order of the day. The first 5 miles of the route were in a generally northerly direction taking us further away from Buxton, our ultimate goal. We stopped briefly to look at the capped coal shaft about Bakestonedale and again at the lovely cottages at Birchencliff. The Coffee Tavern on Shrigley Road was a tempting refreshment stop but it was far too early for such frivolities. Instead we paused for ten minutes at a bench on the canal tow-path before crossing the metal footbridge, listening to one of Quentin’s lectures, and ascending into Lyme Park.

 

The first major climb of the day led us up beside Lantern Wood and over the ridge to the old Moorside Hotel, now a school. An easy descent into Whaley Bridge emerged right opposite the Bridge Bakehouse where we sat in the sun and any shade we could find. I demolished a large piece of cake in preparation for the second half of our day’s walk and David went back for more. Down in the Goyt Valley and out of the breeze, it was really hotting up. We set off again into the park and up the side of the damaged wall of the dam which had made the national news three years ago. There was some shade along the wooded river as we walked through Taxal and up the valley passed Fernilee Reservoir. But once out on Errwood Dam and around Bunsal Cob, we were at the sun’s mercy. Andrea began to overheat as we traversed above Errwood Reservoir and climbed to the old railway line. The final climb over the last ridge at Beet Wood was a struggle in what we later learned was almost 30 degrees temperature.

 

It was a relief to be heading downhill at last and over the golf course towards Buxton. I had to wax lyrical about the bars of Buxton to prevent Andrea from disappearing into the golf club house for a drink. Instead she stood in someone’s front garden under a lawn sprinkler. Suitably cooled, we quickly dropped into town and through the Pavilion Gardens to the Buxton Brewery Tap where some local beers were quickly dispatched. Then Bridget, David and myself returned to my car which had been there overnight. I drove them back to Bollington and then drove home to a cold shower and a welcome meal.

 

 

Bollington dep. 09.04, Buxton arr. 17.30

GPS 19.09 miles in 7hrs 28mins 36secs walking time, plus a 40-minute stop in Whaley Bridge for coffee and cake and a 15-minute stop in the Goyt Valley.

We ended our day at the Buxton Brewery Tap and cooled off with a pint of Deepdale (4.0%), a session IPA from the local brewery.

 

 

Saturday 18^th June 2022               Buxton - Hayfield

Diversionary Tactics

 

My wife gave me a lift down to the bus station for the early bus over the Cat and Fiddle. David was also on the same bus. Thank goodness it was cooler today. Perhaps a little too cool as a brisk wind blew across the open spaces of Buxton Market Place. The customary group photographs were taken: a party some ten walkers strong set off at 9am heading for King Sterndale. Our numbers were swelled in the main by a group of women from the High Peak group of the LWDA. David G, the chairman of the South Manchester Group, regaled us with the story of his lucky escape from a rampant herd of cows in the very field we were passing through. The guidebook indicated that the original route turned into Deep Dale but this dale has long been closed due to erosion and industrial activities. So we were well prepared for the steep climb up to Caxterway Lane, the diversion route into Wye Dale. The bicycle hire kiosk was open for coffee and scones and the first refreshment halt of the day was called.

 

The next section began with a big climb up to Mosley Farm and over the fields to Wormhill. A road section took us passed Hargate Hall and over rough pasture to the descending path into Hay Dale. Our butty break was taken sitting on the rocks and shelfed grass half way along the dale. Then we quickly moved on along Dam Dale to Damside Farm. Here the route was signed towards Newhouses Farm and a busy road to Peak Forest. As we did not need to visit Peak Forest (no café, closed pub etc.) the chance of a short cut over the fields to Chamber Farm was too tempting. Looking behind us, we saw Frank, who had arrived an hour late at Buxton, coming up the road behind us. So now we were eleven, I had had great problems in finding the correct route around Middle Barwood Farm and up the gorsy bank above Boltedge Farm. But Gill and Bev, in the vanguard of the party, found all the stiles and overgrown paths with no trouble. After an altercation with a herd of cattle, mitigated by the Neil’s brave defiance, we dropped gentle down the fields to Blackbrook where we said goodbye to two of our group.

 

The afternoon section was short and sharp. After a brief refuelling stop at Bowden Head, the route climbed up to Malcoff Farm, dropped steeply down to the railway line before rearing up towards South Head. A wonderful high level track weaved between South Head and Mount Famine before beginning the long descent into Hayfield. Just above Peep-a-Day, we lost further members of the group but five staunch folk saw out the full route via Bowden Bridge and through the campsite into Hayfield Village. The Three Musketeers from High Peak continued down the road to their bed & breakfast. David and I jumped into David’s wife’s car for the drive home. A long and satisfying day, done to time and budget.

 

Buxton dep. 09.02,  Hayfield arr. 18.05

GPS 21.14 miles in 8hrs 18mins 10secs walking plus several short stops in Wye Dale, Hay Dale and Bowden Head.

 

 

Sunday 19^th June 2022                     Hayfield – Old Glossop

From Pike To Edge

 

It was my turn to drive. I picked up Bridget and David from Wilmslow and drove to Hayfield via the new road, the A555. My plan was to park up at the bus station car park and get a lift back at the end of the day with Steve and his son. But Steve’s son had withdrawn his offer so I drove in convoy with Steve to Old Glossop, dropped my car near the pub and returned with him to Hayfield. The car park was full with the competitors and supporters of the Tour of Tameside race. But we finally got away along the Sett Valley Trail some ten minutes late, picking up the High Peak Team from near their Birch Vale b&b. The climb up Lantern Pike seemed endless, initially up a rising track through some woodland and then up a step path beside a wall onto the summit ridge. The view from the trig point was restricted by grey gloom across the landscape.

 

The convoluted route down to Rowarth passed much more quickly and we were soon admiring the manicured surrounds of the Little Mill. On my recce I had followed the map but today I took the signed track to the right which was described in the text of the guidebook. I believe that this is not the only point where map and text disagree. I can only assume that the updates in the transcript are not reflected in the strip maps. Leaving the village on our second climb of the day we paused for a few minutes to eat our sandwiches and then completed our ascent onto Cown Edge. The flat grassy ridge was too wide to provide much in the way of good views but it was easy walking. The northern end of the ridge offered the best views down to Charlesworth and Glossop. I have a long history with the next descent, having failed to find the correct route on three previous visits. But now I had it spot on, aided of course by my new Ordnance Survey App on my phone. We soon were standing on a traffic island on the main road into Glossop.

 

The official route of course does not take the road but circumnavigated a new housing estate and by-passed Glossop Town Centre on a high-level path to the east. This eventually deposited us at a road crossing and the entrance into Manor Park. It was busy with Sunday family activities so we quickly passed by the bowling greens and out via the Queens Arms  into Church Road South. At the top of here stood the Bulls Head, our final destination and the end of our 50-mile treck. I was treated by Bev to a pint of White Rat (4.0%) from Ossett Brewing and we sat outside and toasted the LDWA, ourselves and our successful venture. I returned Steve to his car in Hayfield and then drove home with Bridget and David. A most enjoyable weekend for all concerned.

 

Hayfield dep. 10.10, Old Glossop arr.14.15

GPS 9.21 miles in 3hrs 45mins 03secs walking time plus a 15mins butty break above Rowarth.

 

Conclusion

 

We felt that we had done justice to the 50^th Anniversary of the LDWA. The South Manchester Group had turned out in force, nobly supported by our colleagues in High Peak. I have promised to lead the first section again next year for those who, because of work commitments, could not make this year’s Friday start. For my own part, I have made a start with a trail that I really should get to know better. So I plan to return to Old Glossop in the not too distant future and continue on to Marsden and Ringinglow. Perhaps next year I will have got all the way round, either by myself or with LDWA members who fancy the challenge.

 

 

Southern Upland Way (Part 3) & Berwickshire Coast Path

Galashiels – Berwick-upon-Tweed,   9^th – 13^th May 2022

Introduction

 

At last, the big moment: the opportunity to complete my last national trail. I had hope to finish the nineteen LDWA-designated trails by last year but everything was put back because of the pandemic and its restrictions on travel and accommodation. Last year Mike & I finished our second section of the Southern Upland Way (SUW) on the banks of the River Tweed opposite Abbotsford House near Galashiels. To complete the trail, we needed to return to Tweedbank and walk to the North Sea coast, a three-day trip. So we had the opportunity, in our week-long expedition, to wander down the 30-mile Berwickshire Coast path, one of Scotland’s Great Trails that links in with the SUW at its trailhead in Cockburnspath.

 

All we had to do was get back to Galashiels, in principle a straightforward affair of taking a train to Carlisle and jumping on a bus. But it did not work out to be that simple. Our various train connections worked well but we just missed the bus in Carlisle and had to wait for two hours for the next. I had not twigged that, since the pandemic, the hourly bus service had been reduced. Then a set of road works delayed us by another half hour. Sheep on the road and Hawick diversions added to the nightmare so we final dismounted at Kingsknowle roundabout at 3pm, some 2½ hours behind schedule, still with 13 miles to walk to our overnight accommodation.

 

 

Monday 9^th May 2022                       Galashiels – Lauder

Crossing the Tweed

 

From the bus stop, we walked back along the A7 and down to the river passed a couple who were grooming a huge black dog in their garden. We quickly reached the car park where we had abandoned our trip last year and at last were on our way. Down the road and over a footbridge alongside the railway, the route was well waymarked passed Tweedbank railway station and along the river to Gattonside suspension footbridge . After crossing the Tweed, the route ran westward along the north bank until we reached a road. A took us uphill on what appeared to be an old drovers’ route heading northwards for more than six miles. In places it was stony, sometimes tarmacked and some sections crossed grassy fields but its line was straight and true.

A light shower of rain came through. It was getting late and I was increasingly concerned that we would not get to the pub before they finished cooking. I rang our b&b and asked if they could contact the pub and tell them we might be late. It was nearly 7.30pn, the time the kitchen was due to close, when we pulled over a grassy ridge and saw the village of Lauder below. Running down the finally grassy slopes, we decided to forego a check-in at the b&b and go straight to the pub. Apologising for our late arrival, we were told that they were so busy and short of kitchen staff that we would have to wait 15 minutes before ordering. So we had plenty of time to quench our thirst whilst studying the menu.

 

 Kingsknowle, Galashiels dep. 15.05, Lauder arr. 19.35

GPS 13.39 miles in 4hrs 28mins 06secs walking time, plus a 10-minute stop.

We went straight to the Black Bull and downed a couple of pints of Black Sheep Best Bitter (3.8%) from the Masham brewery. Chicken Balmoral was on the specials board. This came with haggis and mash with whisky sauce. We finally checked into our b&b, Lornebank Homestay, at 9.30pm. It was far too late to have a shower and I went straight to bed.

 

 

Tuesday 10^th May 2022                Lauder – Ellemford

The Operatic Hills

 

Before setting off, we went up to the general store and bought some sandwiches and cakes for our lunch. Then we picked up from where last night’s finish and set out on a bright morning towards the Lammermoor Hills. Pertinent since the opera Lucia di Lammermoor is being streamed from the Met in two-week’s time. Crossing the cattle-filled fields, Thirlestane Castle loomed austerely over us. A friendly farmer told us a story about how one of the pubs in town was called the Dipper by the locals. Allegedly the beer used to taste like sheep dip. Up on the hills w found much forestry damage. Storm Arwen last November caused much havoc in the area. On Scoured Rig an entire strip of pine plantation had blown down across the SUW path. A deviation across a field took us round and then through the devastation and down to the farm at Braidshawrig.

 

As we climbed towards the day’s high point, a sharp shower came through, blown on a cold north-westerly wind. By the time we crested Twin Law the sun was out but it was far too exposed to stop to eat our butties. So we strode out downhill towards Watch Water reservoir. Eventually we found a sheltered spot for our lunch stop near Scarlaw in an undamaged woodland of deciduous trees. Our native trees seemed to have avoided the storm damage. As we circumnavigated the reservoir, the fields leading down to the water were full of bird-life, in particular families of Greylags and their goslings. Amongst all this activity stood one solitary Barnacle Goose looking lonely and lost.

 

A road section took us along to the hamlet of Longformacus where we stood for a few minutes watching a young shepherdess training her sheep dog. As we climbed over our final moorland section of the day, the rain and wind came in again . At least it was at our backs and blowing us towards our haven for the night. A steep grassy descent brought us to a road and the end of today’s stage. But we still had over 1½ miles of tarmac to reach our accommodation. It was a glorious moment when we finally looked down onto the house at Green Hope in its idyllic forest and valley setting.

 

Lauder dep. 09.03,  Ellemford arr. 17.15

GPS 21.11 miles in 7hrs 57mins 17secs walking plus 15 mins lunch break near Scarlaw.

We stayed at Green Hope, a lovely house in an idyllic settling a mile from Ellemford Bridge. Alison and Bill looked after us like royalty and catered for all our logistical needs for the next two days.

 

 

Wednesday 11^th May 2022               Ellemford – Cockburnspath

And What Did We See, We Saw the Sea valley

 

After a leisurely breakfast with much chat, there was always so much to talk about with Alison and Bill, we set off up the valley to retrace last night’s diversion from the SUW. Today, we travelled light because Alison was coming out to collect us and bring us back for a second night in paradise. The trail started with a steep climb along the edge of a wood, over a grassy field where I nearly stepped on a hare and across a deep defile to reach a woodland track that took us all the way to Abbey St Bathans. Here we crossed a footbridge over Whiteadder Water and turned to follow its north bank until the route turned north again and started to go uphill. Gaining higher ground we passed a magnificent cairn with a weathervane on top, which commemorated a now non-existent airfield. By-passing another storm-devastated plantation, we came out at a farm specialising in quad bike activities. Then over more fields to Blackburn Mill Farm where the official route was diverted into the most appalling rutted field imaginable. In wet weather this would have been a nightmare. 

Soon we were out onto smoother tracks to Blackburn and along their newly tarmacked drive to the A1. After dicing with the fast-moving traffic, we entered a roadside area of scrub and emerged onto a bridge over the railway. Initially the track through Penmanshiel Wood runs parallel to the road and railway through a steep-sided valley but then begins to climb into the forest. Bill had urged us to consider a low-level short cut but I was adamant that we would take the zig-zags to the higher traverse. It was beginning to rain as we searched amongst the dark and dismal trees for a dry and flat place for lunch. Eventually we just sat down on a bank beside the track and ate our sandwiches. The rain had passed through as we descended to the Pease Bridge, a narrow viaduct over an impressive drop to the railway. Then it was down all the way to the sea, down step after step and through the verdant gorge of the Pease River. We broke out onto the road opposite the Pease Bay Leisure Park. Our next two miles were to be shared with the Coast Path. Ascending a steep road, the path turned onto the headland above Cove harbour and then turned inland just before the car park to pass back beneath the railway and the A! and into the village of Cockburnspath. 

There was a SUW notice board at the entrance to the village but we thought that the official end of the trail was further into the centre. So we passed the village cross, a memorial to Queen Margaret, and continued to the community shop near the village hall. It was only then that I was happy with another national trail completion, this my nineteen and last trail. After a cup of coffee from the shop, we returned to the cross and sat waiting for Alison and our lift back to Green Hope and another wonderful meal.

Ellemford dep. 09.10, Cockburnspath arr.15.30

GPS 15.81 miles in 5hrs 58mins 54secs walking time plus a 20mins butty break in Penmanshiel Wood.

 

Thursday 12^th May 2022                  Pease Bay – Eyemouth

Berwickshire Coast Path

 

It seemed pointless to repeat the 2-mile section of the coast path that we had walked yesterday so, when Bill offered to take us back to the start of today’s walk, we asked him to drop us in Pease Bay. At 9.45am we were off on a new trail, the Berwickshire Coast Path. The well-signed route was initially onto the cliff tops but soon retreated inland up to a high lane and farm track. We climbed even higher to a grassy plateau and then walked on a trod parallel to the lane to Dowlaw. Just before the farm, the coast path joined the road. We could not use the farm bypass due to tree wind-blow in the adjoining plantation. We apologised to the lady farmer and passed onwards down a grass track to a delightful old bridge that is now no longer in use.

 Up the other side of the burn the coastal views opened up as we crested the next grassy field. Then it was a sheer delight to stride out over sheep-grazed cliff tops with St Abbs head dominating the view ahead. One huge drop took us almost down to sea-level, crossing a damp valley full of orchids, primroses and cow-slips. Lunch break was declared at the top of the next climb before another grassy descent took us down to St Abbs Head and its dramatic lighthouse.

 

The next section of clifftop paths was not near so exciting but it led to St Abbs village and the great Old School Café. After a scrumptious slice of Eyemouth tart, we walked down to the  lovely harbour, then back onto the cliff-tops via a devious path up a grass bank and along a cottage-lined street. Eyemouth was now visible a few miles ahead but the panorama was spoilt by a huge holiday park of static caravans. Weaving round the edge of this, we eventually reached the old French fort and had a view of the beach and harbour of Eyemouth. Over the end of the beach, we continued along the promenade and round the corner into the inner harbour to find our accommodation above the Ship Bar & Restaurant.

 

Pease Bay dep. 09.45, Eyemouth arr.17.15

GPS 13.98 miles in 6hrs 35mins 39secs walking time plus 15mins butty stop above St Abb’s Head and 30mins in the Old School Café in St. Abb’s village.

 

We stayed in the Ships Quarters on the harbour in Eyemouth. We ate next door, at the Ship Restaurant, steak & ale pie, chips and stramash of vegetables, with a dessert of apple tart with vanilla tablet ice cream. Two Scottish words here that are new to me. A new beer as well:  Pagan Queen (4.1%) from Firebrick Brewery, Blaydon.

 

Friday 13^th May 2022                       Eyemouth – Berwick on Twee

Crossing the Border

 

No breakfast include, said the booking. So we were out into the town at 8am looking for an early café. There was a queue outside Loughs bakery and here we bought bacon and sausage baps which we devoured seated above the beach. Then we walked round the harbour looking at all the fishing boats and up over the golf course onto the cliff path. A roller coaster route ran round the edge of the verdant fields, some growing oil-seed rape that was not helpful to my hayfever. We emerged onto a road that took us steeply down to Burnmouth. The climb out was quite strenuous, first up some wooden steps and then zig-zagging up the grassy cliff-face and final up a steep meadow to join a track running parallel to the railway. We followed the railway for miles, on a so-called nature trail passed signs to peregrine nesting sites. A wire fence eventually blocked our progress and as we headed towards a kissing gate, we saw that it was the English border. What this tiny gate might be like in a few years’ time, I dread to think. A national crossing point and immigration control? 

Industrial units filled the land over the other side of the railway line. The character of the landscape was changing rapidly as we approached Berwick. Then the perennial golf courses and holiday parks pushed us back to the cliff edge. We paused briefly near Brotherstone’s Hole to eat our butties and then walked on and on, bypassing the town centre and across sandy beaches and dunes until, there in front of us was the sea wall. Here was the mouth of the River Tweed and the end of the Berwickshire Coast Path. Turning back along the wall and into the wind, we struggled up river to the bastioned town walls which led us round to the beautiful old Berwick Bridge, the end of our trip. We quickly retreated into a coffee shop to await our train home.

 

Eyemouth dep. 08.25, Berwick upon Tweed arr. 13.45

GPS 12.63 miles in 5hrs 03mins 10secs walking time with a 15min lunch break near Brotherstone’s Hole.

 

Conclusion

 

We started beside the Tweed and finished at its mouth, from Tweedbank to Tweedmouth in five days. We walked 80 miles and had a hell of a lot of fun. And somewhere in between, I achieved my quest of completing all nineteen of the LDWA-designated national trails. We have put ourselves in the perfect position to start the English Coast Path, itself now categorised as a national trail. The trains worked perfectly and we had the joy of standing briefly on York Station and the interest of looping round Manchester on the link between Victoria and Piccadilly Stations. Wives were awaiting us in Macclesfield and another adventure was over.

 

 

 

Viking Way (Part 2)

Fiskerton - Oakham  28^th – 31^st March 2022

Introduction

 

Spring was in the air; the clocks had gone forward and another winter of restrictions was behind us. It was time to learn to live with Covid and complete some unfinished business. Autumn last year left me halfway through the Viking Way (VW). I did not quite get to Lincoln. My trip was abandoned at Fiskerton, 5 miles and a short bus ride from the Cathedral. So I started this year’s campaign by reversing my homeward journey with an early morning train to Stockport and Sheffield, to reach Lincoln at 11am. The 11.15 bus dropped me in Fiskerton village at 11.45 and I set off directly from the bus stop on a beautiful sunny morning, much warmer than forecast.

 

 

Monday 28^th March 2022                 Fiskerton - Harmston

Lincoln Cathedral

 

Knowing the route out of Fiskerton was a great advantage. The narrow passage between two cottages must only be known by locals but I was quickly out into the flood meadows and heading for the wooden footbridge where I had called it a day last year. Amazingly the only two people in the entire landscape were sitting on the raised bank of the River Witham and they willingly took my photograph and recorded the start of VW Part 2. I was soon sweating profusely under my winter walking clothes. Stopping to take off two layers, I was mesmerised by a Little Egret rising majestically from the river’s edge and flapping slowly up-stream. More white birds, swans this time, glided on the slow flowing water. A couple of volunteer footpath conservationist put me on the right route to the Saxon church at Greetwell Hall. Only an industrial estate stood between me and the centre of Lincoln.

 

Passing the County Hospital and a small park, the route headed uphill passed the Minster School to emerge opposite the east window of the Cathedral. A quick look into the great nave (there was not enough time in my schedule for a tour), and then it was through the west gate and into the old town and its steep cobbled streets. Jenny’s café in Saltergate provided a quick lunch. High Street seemed endless but eventually I found another ginnel out onto South Common, passing my accommodation for the night. But there were still five miles to be walked so I pressed on across the common and over Grantham Road onto a rising field path. A young girl offered me some nettles for my compost heap but I could only thank her profusely and walk on.

Views opened out to the west as the path kept to the escarpment edge around Waddington. At Harmston, it was time to head to the bus stop and take the 5pm bus back to Lincoln and my guest house. This was unstaffed. I has received an e-mail with the code to the key box and access to my room. The southern end of High Street had no eating houses. I popped into the Golden Eagle for a swift pint and was recommended the Ritz, a Wetherspoons further up High Street, for the nearest food so it was another tramp up and down this boring thoroughfare.

 

Fiskerton dep. 11.50, Harmston arr. 16.50

GPS 12.35 miles in 4hr 22mins 23secs walking time with a 40-minute break in Lincoln

Stayed at the Tennyson Guest House, South Park, an unmanned house a mile south of the city centre. A pint of Lush (4%) from Tiny Rebel Brewing in the Golden Eagle was followed by  Summa This (4.2%) from Branscomb Vale Brewery and a chicken tikka masala in the Ritz.

 

 

Tuesday 29^th March 2022             Harmston – Marston

Street of Ermine

 

With an unstaffed hotel, breakfast comprised of a porridge pot and a slice of toast. A bus from round the corner took me back to Harmston crossroads where I re-joined the VW and a half mile section of roadside footpath. It was a damp and cold, foggy morning with dew on the grass. As the trailed headed back to the edge of the high ground, all yesterday’s views had disappeared. The lovely church at Coleby appeared out of the mist, Navenby was completely bypassed and the path did not emerge onto a road again until Wellingore. I was hoping to find a café or shop in the village but, stopping a postman on his round, I was told there was nothing in Wellingore. So, rather forlornly, I had to press on.

 

My phone beeped. My daughter was seeking a chat which I suggested might be delayed until I reached a boring section of the route. I then had to navigate carefully over a series of ploughed fields before arriving at Ermine Street, an old Roman road and one of the straightest tracks in England. The first few miles passed quickly as I chatted on the phone but then I had to concentrate on keeping up the pace on this undulating six miles of grass track. After almost two hours, I saw some vehicle movement ahead and realised I was approaching the major junction at Byard’s Leap. I stopped to talk to a lady in a van parked on the grass. She must have appreciated the conversation because I found it hard to get away. The café near the junction was closed on Tuesdays, the only café directly on route and I had chosen the wrong day. So I walked a further mile, turned into a field and sat beside the path eating a banana that I had taken from breakfast.   

 

After clinging to high ground since leaving Lincoln, the VW finally descended into the lower world of Carlton Scoop. There were signs of life at the golf club but nothing anywhere else. After a brief look into the church, a rising farm track led me to a quiet lane near Carlton Ashes. A mile of downhill brought me to a farm track heading west towards tonight’s destination. But this promising line was soon thwarted by a southward excursion into the headwaters of the River Witham, which I had not seen since Lincoln. A very busy railway dominated the view ahead as high-speed trains flew across the landscape. The VW passed under the line and around a sewerage works and waste disposal site before emerging into Marston. Near the church, I left the trail and headed down Tollbar Road to find my hotel.

 

Harmston dep. 09.37, Marston  arr. 17.00 

GPS 20.91 miles in 7hrs 9mins 42secs walking with a 10 min break. (20.37 miles on route).

The Old Barn Hotel was a low series of buildings just outside the village. I felt disincline to use the spa facilities but headed instead for the bar and a very expensive pint of Goose Island IPA (5.9%). I chose chicken breast with tarragon cream for main course and a stick toffee pudding as a dessert.

 

 

Wednesday 30^th March 2022           Marston – Buckminster

Got My Drift?

 

In an attempt to beat the rush, I was in the breakfast buffet before 8am and eating a full English. Settling my bill before queues began at reception, I was out onto the busy road before 9am heading back into the village to re-join the VW. The temperature had dropped even lower and the gloves were on to counter the cold, damp air. The route over to Long Bennington was in the main on flat and firm field paths. I met several dog walkers, one gentleman in particular was up for a good long chat. The small hamlet of Westborough had a beautiful church looking a picture with its foreground of daffodils. The VW hardly touches Long Bennington. Soon after the footbridge across the River Witham, the path emerges into a built-up-area and the VW turns southwards towards the A1. On the bridge over the Great North Road, a vehicle pulled up beside me and the chatty dog-walker, now in a white van, wished me a good day’s journey. Then I turned into a dead straight road, Sewstern Lane, which I was to follow in its various guises for the rest of the day. 

 

This lane follows the line of an old drove road once used by, amongst others, Scottish drovers taking their cattle to the London markets. Whilst some parts are wide dry tracks, other sections have been churned up by off road vehicles, mostly grass track motorbikes. Deep ruts over water-filled channels made fast progress impossible. After an unmanned level crossing and a major road there was a four-mile trek to where the route joined a canal. A short walk through a narrow woodland brought up the spectra of a pub and all thoughts of a fast time and early finish disappeared. I crossed the canal on the old humped-backed Woolsthorpe Bridge and ventured into the Dirty Duck for some sustenance. This included a brie and bacon baguette and two beers from Batemans Brewery, Gold (3.9%) and XB (3.7%).

 

I certainly went well in the afternoon. Along the tow path of the Grantham Canal and over the first bridge, then uphill onto the Wolds where the route passes Brewer’s Grave. I saw no dead beer producers. One of the most pleasant sections of drove road, known as ‘The Drift’, is a wide grass-way now designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. A jay flew along in front of me and red kites circled overhead. A war-time airfield (Salty was the base of the Douglas C-47’s flown to France to support the D-day landings) was crossed, the route running along the runway around the hangers to the gliding club. A steep-sided wooded valley was crossed, a horribly mudded section being negotiated with care at the lowest point. Then it was up to civilisation and a long road toward Sewstern. At Stainby Road I turned right towards Buckminster and stepped into Leicestershire.

 

Marston dep. 08.56, Buckminster arr.16.55

GPS 20.46 miles in 6hrs 59mins 49secs walking time plus an hour in the Dirty Duck at lunchtime. (19.50 miles on the VW)

The Tollemache Arms in Buckminster had reserved a lovely room on a room only basis. From the bar, I ordered several pints of JHB (3.9%) from Oakham Brewery in Peterborough. I ate a large plateful of fish & chips. I enjoyed good company with a fellow VW walker, Simon Butterick from Darlington. So, instead of a dessert, I had another Oakham beer, Bishops Farewell (4.6%), and continued our conversation a little longer.

 

Thursday 31^st March 2022               Buckminster – Oakham

Early Start in a Blizzard

 

What a shock to look out of the window at dawn. Snow was falling and the roads were covered in an inch of the white stuff. As there was no breakfast on offer, I decided to don my full winter gear, thermals and over-trousers, and step out into a blizzard. To be fair to the hotel, the kitchen had produced a sandwich for me to eat on route. And they had refused any offer of a payment. Soon after 7.30am  I was outside the hotel and playing in the snow. Some kids waiting for their school bus took my photo to record the rather unseasonal weather. It was unnerving walking down the busy road in these dangerous conditions with heavy traffic struggling to keep on the straight and narrow. There was a brief break in the snowstorm when the sun came out but, as I struggled with the mud and ruts in the tracks south of Sewstern, the blizzard returned.

 

Nearly two miles of busy roads made for faster progress on the approach to Thistleton. Then some firmer paths across snow-covered fields led round the end of the runway of Cottesmore Airfield looking sinister behind its ‘Official Secrets Acts’ signs. At the entrance to Great Lane, now a cycle path to Greetham, a bench provided a suitable place to eat my sandwich. South of Greetham, the track broadened into a wide gravel lane that wound its way round Exton Park. In Exton itself, I momentarily made a navigation error and had to backtrack onto the correct road out of the village. Pleasant field paths led across a low ridge of high ground and descended gently into Whitwell and its busy road. A sheet of hail came down once again as I braved the traffic and made my way down to  the car park on the side of Rutland Water. I ignored an open coffee kiosk and walked on westwards along the north shore of the reservoir.

 

It was a good three miles into Oakham, much of it on tarmac beside the main road. Signs were being put out for the half-marathon race scheduled for the following weekend. The weather was improving and there was no snow lying here, no indication of the awful conditions I had come through that morning. At the by-pass, the VW heads straight into the town centre, along Stamford Road and into the Market Place. A dark alley led to the spectacular parish church which looked a picture in the sunshine. The maps indicate that the trail continues along Northgate to its terminus. I followed but could see no sign of an official end point. But I was next to the station so I bought a ticket for the next train and asked where the nearest café was. Look no further that the Grainstore, the brewery next door, said the station master. And I didn’t.

 

Buckminster dep. 07.37, Oakham  arr.13.34

17.72 miles in 5hrs 56mins 26secs .

 

 

Conclusion

 

I sat waiting for my train, eating a very welcome lunch, my first proper meal of the day. It was too early to start on the wonderful array of Grainstore beers lined up at the counter. A cappuccino was more suitable for this time of the day. I sorted through my notes and just had time to summarise the last four days, my second and final visit to the Viking Way, I had covered 71 miles in completing the trail, all but a couple of miles being on route. The accommodation was close to the route and had worked out well except for one missing   breakfast. Even this had been turned to an advantage and it had enabled me to get an earlier train than planned. I was soon travelling through the East Midlands countryside, heading towards the pleasures of Birmingham New Street. As I got home so early, there was no one to meet me at the station and I got in another 1.5 miles of walking as an encore. I felt really good as I walked home and my feet were still in good condition. I am finally getting the hang of this long-distance walking.