[Home] [Background and Preparation] [The Walk] [Postscript]     Day 18 Wednesday 6th June 2012 Bellingham to Byrness I was getting a bit short of money and last night had found that the cash machine in Bellingham had run out, probably due to the double bank holiday of Monday and Tuesday for the Queen's Jubilee. Fortunately the machine was restocked fairly promptly this morning so I was able to draw out another £200 to keep me going. A wet morning in Bellingham Leaving Bellingham Overnight I had heard rain drumming against the window so I was expecting a wet day of it. By the time I set off, however, it was more or less dry and after picking up a sandwich and a nicely-rounded tart (apple and raspberry) at the local bakers I set off for Byrness. Crossing moorland on the west side of Corsenside Common Further on, to the north-west of   Troughend Common There was a steady climb out of Bellingham but then the bulk of the walk developed into fairly level, undulating moors followed by the sometimes boggy tracks through Kielder Forest. En route I met Dave Taylor from Bolton who was doing the Way in two weeks in aid of his local hospice (Justgiving page DaveTaylor70) - and also because he liked walking. He was a nice chap - short, fair hair, light beard just for the walk, shorts, about early 40s - and was doing things on the cheap and camping each night. That didn't sound like much fun to me and he admitted that he wasn't sleeping very well because of the cold. Entering more forested areas Start of Redesdale Forest Dave Trekking through light woodland As we ascended a rather steep climb by the side of the forest - atypical for the day - it began to rain moderately heavily. This lasted for about 20 minutes or so and that was then it apart from the odd spot or two. Not too bad really as I had been expecting a lot more rain today. We met a bloke and his girlfriend on the way and I recognized them from the night before, when they'd been sitting in the pub at the next table to me. They too were camping but were only doing the Greenhead to Kirk Yetholm stretch of the Way. We also met briefly a trio, two blokes and a girl, who were to end up in the Byrness Hotel with me later. I didn't say much to these three though. My arrival at Byrness The Byrness Hotel The rain had left me a bit soggy and boggy and I was getting quite footsore by the time we rolled into Byrness. Dave went off to camp at the Youth Hostel while I made my way to the decadent comfort of the hotel. Distance: 15.6 miles Average speed: 2.7 mph Total ascent: 2532 feet Total Distance: 253.44 miles