Day Three – contributed by Ian S.
Some of us stayed overnight at the Border Hotel and some at the Mill House in Kirk Yelthom but we all met up on the village green on a crisp morning at 09.45. After a quick look at the ‘gypsy stone’ we set off up the hill. Today we were down to 11 as one opted for the bus due to foot problems. After strolling up the first hill we then started climbing the hills proper. A few miles passed and we reached the official England Scotland border, complete with Welcome to England/Scotland signage. I wonder if this will become an official crossing point with border control should Scotland eventually opt for independence? After an official photo shoot those who aligned with Scotland lined up on the Scots side whilst us Sassenachs lined up on the English side!
The miles passed and it was turning out to be a pleasant walking day, not too warm and not too cool, generally.
Our lunch stop was by a stream but sadly, in the 20 years or so since Toby last passed this way it has been fenced off, so we sat nearby amongst some gorse bushes sunning ourselves. It turned out that we were not the only ones enjoying the sun as Alan (who is coping manfully with a Lake District injury) spied an adder doing likewise. It was viewed by most of the group until it was approached by Vickie and it slithered away deep into the gorse.
View over Cheviots
We cracked on further and climbed the second hill of the day. It was still lovely walking conditions and up onto the moors we went. Yet another adder was spotted curled up and sunning itself by the gorse but it quickly slithered away as we approached it.
We spotted this braw lassie who posed for us.
It was up on the moors that Miriam & Paul decided to serenade us with a sea shanty ‘a drop of Nelsons blood’. Apparently a drop of ‘Nelsons blood wouldn’t do us any harm’ and equally ‘an ice cream with a wafer/a pint of your very best/a drop of Famous Grouse/a ride on the bus’ wouldn’t do us any harm either. It was a very entertaining sing song!
We finally dropped down from the hills and joined a C road. It was pretty tough walking on the fairly steep road after all those miles and it seemed an interminable trek down but eventually we arrived at our accommodation for the next two nights.
After sorting ourselves out cuppas etc. we walked into Wooler where we had a table booked at Milan restaurant which, you will not be surprised to learn, serves Italian food – which was superb and really good value.
We wandered home and apart from one idiot cracking his head on a door frame all slipped into well earned slumber.