Pennine Way 2024 - Day 16: Greenhead - Bellingham

Pennine Way 2024 - Day 16:  Greenhead - Bellingham

Distance:   25.7 miles      Total:  247.72     (Tracklog: 22.10)   Steps:  51,928

Things seen: some bunnies. an old wall badly in need of repair. Lots and lots of people. One Spine racer

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This was a nightmare day, disastrous. 

I left Greenhead about 8.45am and headed off up to Hadrian's Wall. Once I got there I followed the PW alongside the wall. This was difficult, because it seemed to consist mainly of steps, so steep it is both up and down. And people. . And oh yes, it rained. It follows the wall for about 7 miles, and for one reason or another, it was 2pm by the time I finally got to Cuddy's Crags, where the PW goes through the wall and heads off towards Bellingham (pronounced Bellinjam), with 12.5 endless, boggy miles still to go. It was almost 9pm by the time I finally got to Bellingham, and by then I was not a happy bunny. Everyone had stopped, serving food, though I did have a much-needed pint of Stella in the Cheviot hotel. Then off to find a campsite, pitch the tent, and then to the only food still available in town,  the Nazeem Indian takeaway. I had "classic lamb curry" which was indeed just a I remembered it from student days, half a dozen lumps of very chewy meat in a curry sauce. And a pappadom and some pilau rice. Finally got to sleep about 11.30am, rather tired. 

Today I saw my first Spine racer.. the race does rather take over the PW, while it is on. The Alston hostel was a checkpoint, thus fully booked for the week following my stay there. 

A Hadrian's bunny

this is Milecastle 42. Exciting! (not)

Some wall. 

Some more wall. 

Shitlington Hall, always good for a titter. Shitlington Crags can be seen up behind. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

highlight of a difficult day