New Year, New You? or New Year, Same You?

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

Einstein was a clever bloke and realised that nothing will change if you keep doing the same old things. It is unlikely he was thinking of keeping active / running / walking / cycling when he said this and was probably deep in thought on some complex and meaningful physics related quandary; but I'm going to borrow this thought and relate it to either starting or improving a fun, healthy and active lifestyle. I don't think he woould mind.

The start of a new year is traditionally the time of new beginnings. Tradition is, for the sake of argument and to  allude to the Rule Of Three , anything that occurs three years in a row. In recent years the 3 most commonly heard vows on New Years Eve are usually for the holy trinity of  "lose weight; exercise more; drink less alcohol". All very worthy and no doubt genuine and heartfelt. We make our resolutions, we enter January full of enthusiasm for our 'new selves' , spend money on all the latest gear, and by March have given up!  Or even if you are already active and have all the gear [?can you ever have too much equipment and too many gadgets?!], we set our selves a new challenge, or goal, or dream to aspire to, yet don't do. Year, after year, after year. So, why, why , why???

Reasons why we repeat this kind of behaviour over and over and over again,are varied and many- and best left to sports / behavioural psychologists to explain. (Advice on activities and sports psychology is plentiful. Regular articles can be found in a wide variety of outdoor and fitness magazines such as Trail Running , Outdoor Fitness and  Triathlon magazines) . 

However, I often find it is 'life' that gets in the way of many of our good intentions! Yet there is one simple thing that can be done to begin the process of change: Do something different.

Without wishing to state the bleedin' obvious, Thinking about doing something, in itself, does not change anything; doing, does- and then only up to a point. And the two may be more closely related than at first seems, especially if we behave in the same way. Let me explain. Or rather, let someone else explain.

Step forward Albert: If we think the same way all the time, we get the same answers; if we do the same things all the time, we get the same results. If we want things to change, we have to both think and do things differently.

So the simple piece of advice and worldly wisdom I shall leave with you at the end of this year, to take forward through 2014, is 'do something different'.

Walk a new way to work. Cycle to work instead of using the car or bus. Walk a different way around the park. Run in the rain. Do more yoga. Try a 10km run. Try a 100km run. Cycle a sportive. Cycle to a friends. Cycle with friends. Go swimming. Walk in the countryside. Run across the Moors. Go out running in a group. Run alone. Look at the {outside} world in a different way.

  

Just don't do the same as you did last year. Unless of course, this was a great year for you! 

I'm not saying I had a bad year, or have any regrets; I didn't and I don't [well, not many!]. This is not about radically changing who you are, for as the late, great, Kurt Cobain once said  "wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are". This is just about maybe doing something slightly different, to maybe achieve different results. Or to just get a new perspective.

So don't be insane in 2014, do something different!

From Get Out Moor, have yourselves a great and safe 2014.

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”  -  John Bingham

Day 9 of Murray & David's Northern Frontier conquest: The Journey Home

Day 9: Bowness on Solway - Bere Alston

Weather: Sunny

Distance Traveled:  413 miles
New beers tasted: 0
Caffeine Consumed: Way too much!

Caveat & disclaimer: No laws [traffic or otherwise] were broken in the writing of this blog. I have exaggerated events for [hopefully] comic effect.

Tide Out

Tide In

Tuesday 10th September. Time to go home. Orla had kindly agreed to drive up [with Georgie] and collect us, but she wasn't arriving until about 11am, so David and I had time to explore the coastline of the Solway Firth. Apart from being spectacularly beautiful, it is

View towards Scotland
From abandoned docks at Port Carlisle

View Towards Port Carlisle
From abandoned docks at Port Carlisle

renowned for its plethora of bird  life. Neither of us are 'twitchers'  and couldn't tell a Coot from a Tern, but I can report there were lots & lots of pretty looking birds. Yesterday evening the tide was very much in. This morning it was right the way out, so we took the opportunity to stroll across the mud flats to the abandoned docks. this was the West coast [well, sort of] and we had walked from Tynemouth in the East, to Solway Firth in the West. It felt good. It was also very quiet and very beautiful. Worried / paranoid that we may be caught out by the notoriously quick in-coming tides, we darted back across the mud flats to the camp site and struck camp for the very last time on this expedition. As we did so, one man and his dog walked in to the camp site and started to talk to us about our journey. Very nice man he was too. Turned out he was Henry Stedman, author of Hadrians Wall Path. We had many tales to tell and were very enthusiastic. Top of our priority was the closure of the Centurian pub in Walton. Nearly ruined our trip! Promised us we would be mentioned in the next addition of his book [out February 2014]. Fame at last!  

Packed up and ready to go, my dear wife Orla and devoted Greyhound Georgie turned up. Time to go home. Yay! After a whistle stop tour and revisit of Bowness, we headed south. We stopped off for a quick, yet delightful lunch at the Drovers Arms, Monkhill. Food was delicious, good choice of beer- but  I was driving, so had coffee. So the coffee fiend was born. As we wound our way through the sleepy Cumbrian coastal areas back to Carlisle, we recounted our stories of the past week. Oh, what fun we had had. As we hit the M6  at Carlisle, it was Motorway all the way South back to Devon. Orla had driven up to collect us- I was driving back. I was tired after 7 days walking. So I needed coffee. Motorway services, after motorway services were stopped at so I could refuel. Caffeine was consumed in huge quantities. Americano's with extra shots. I was buzzing. More Caffeine. GIVE.ME.MORE.CAFFEINE. I was gibbering. I stopped making sense. My driving became erratic and way too fast . Other drivers were not being considerate. Scenery blurred due to warp speed. My hair was blowing in the wind and the window wasn't even open! [or that's how it seemed; see caveat & disclaimer above]. 

Within minutes we were back in Devon. Time stood still. Relax. Breath. Reality. The warp speed journey of the M6 / M5 was over. Heart rate returned to normal. I was banned from any more caffeine.  Maybe none of the above really happened. It was light when we started our journey. The sun was behind us. Now it was dark. Perhaps it had taken longer than minutes. Maybe I shouldn't drink so much coffee. It makes me nervous. And loose track of time. Maybe my memory of the drive home was compromised. Maybe I made it all up. But we all got home safely [Legally. Honestly].

David & Murray's Northern Frontier Conquest was now officially over. We were home.

THE END!

Day 8 of Murray & David's Northern Frontier Conquest

Day 8: Carlisle- Bowness on Solway

Weather: Dry [apart from a 10 minute monsoon soaking]

Distance Walked: 13miles

New Beers Tasted: 2

The End is Nigh!

The morning of our last full day walking dawned. After an early night and a good nights sleep in a warm and comfy room [as opposed to a multiple occupancy camping barn], I jumped out of bed with a spring in my step. This was most definitely a 3 porridge sachet and a 2 cafetiere day [single sachet servings of flavoured porridge -with extra honey- had been breakfast every morning, accompanied with fresh coffee!]. Met a young woman in the hostel cycling Lands End - John O'groats. Her Aunt was car support. Hope she completed her challenge safely. We made short work of the walk out of Carlisle. Nice a city as it was, it was still a city, and walking through a city with a back pack is odd and well, just not very pleasant.

With actual remnants of the wall 'in situe' long behind us, our first interesting historical 'artifact' was the church of St. Micheal's, in Burgh-by-Sands. Interesting on several levels; it stands on the site of [and is partially built of stone from] the Roman Fort of Aballava; it is also partially fortified itself.  After Edward I , "Hammer of the Scots", had bankrupted Lanercost Priory , he continued his war on the Scot's, but not for long. He died not far from either Lanercost or Scotland, in Burgh Marshes,  of dysentery on 7th July 1307.

Edward I
Died near Here

St Michael's Church

When he died the Anglo-Scottish border area descended into chaos, lawlessness and violence. For several decades the violent clan rivalries of the  Border Reivers made life very difficult for those living in the area and houses, even churches, were fortified to provide protection for the local population from these raids. St Michael's church is one such example. By now we were very much looking forward to a pint, especially as the the local pub is The Greyhound Inn . Unfortunately it was not open when we passed. It looks like a very nice pub, but keeps 'odd' country opening hours. We had our sandwiches at the foot of the memorial statue to Edward I instead.

Fortified ourselves by the rest, we pushed on. The sun was out, the land flat and the scenery pleasant. We were not far now from our coast-coast destination. The flood prone road from Longburgh to Drumburgh was straight, exposed and prone to flooding from the Solway Firth. As we walked across, spirits were high, but we could see the weather in Scotland across the river. It was dramatic. And wet. Thankfully the tide was not yet in, as we could have got really wet! As we marched across Burgh Marsh, we kept a close eye on the weather- all of a sudden it came. Very quickly.

"When water reaches this point
maximum depth is 3 feet"

The Rain Commeth

The pressure dropped. The wind changed direction. It got colder. Then it rained. Hard. 

The scenery was quite dramatic and there were 'photo opportunities, so it wasn't all bad. We also found out what cows really do when it rains. They don't lie down at all. They shelter under trees. Or at least try to! In Drumburgh we passed 'Drumburgh Castle', another example of fortified residence from the Border Reivers era of 14th Century. 

Drumburgh Castle

Cows Sheltering from the Rain

The white door in the centre is the original main front door. The sweeping steps up to it are a modern addition. In the 14th & 15th Century, an extendable wooden ladder was used for entry / exit to the house. Drawn up at night for protection from murderous border raids. It was by now mid afternoon and we were thirsty.


The Greyhound had been shut and we were holding out that the Highland Laddie in Glasson would be open. It was. Dripping wet and thirsty we entered the Highland Laddie Inn . This was purely for research purposes, as like many buildings in this area, it is partly built of stone from the Wall. The pub was warm, friendly and served an exceptional pint of Cocker Hoop . Very well kept beer which slipped down a treat.

Highland Laddie Inn

David and I were now only a matter of miles from the end of our walk. The rain had stopped. The sun had come back out. We were good to go! We reached Port Carlisle and pitched our tents at the Chapel Side Camp site. Realisation came that this was the last time we would have to carry our ruck sacks. Bliss.

Chapel Side Camping
Port Carlisle

We would have sampled the Ale's at the Hope and Anchor Inn in Port Carlisle, but is was under new ownership and being gutted and re-furbished, so we had the arduous task of the last 1 mile walk to Bowness without the fortification of Cumbrian Ale. Countries have been invaded for less! In fact at Vindolanda [which we visited a few days ago], one of the tablets that have recently been uncovered was inscribed by a patrol commander, pleading for more ale for the troops, presumably before there was a mutiny! Ale does , after all, help one deal with the weather up here in northern climes. This was after the all, the Edge of Roman Civilisation.

Solway Firth
Looking North towards Scotland

It wasn't all about beer. We did take time to admire the natural beauty of the area and big, dramatic skylines. Before heading to the next pub!

The end was in sight. One mile to go. Tents up. Face washed [you can't arrive smelly & with a dirty face!], clean[est] cloths on, off we trekked. We arrived at Bowness-on-Solway and before visiting the last pub, the actual end of the Hadrian's Wall Walk needed to be visited, The Banks.The Bank is an Edwardian 'promenade', recently renovated, on the banks of the Solway Firth. Our 7th, and final stamp on our Hadrian's Wall Path Passport, was collected here. We had officially finished. Elated, it was time for a final drink. The Banks may be the 'official' end. The  Kings Arms is, however, the 'spiritual' end of the walk.

Is there no end to the
good beer Jennings brew?

Just a quick one!
Well I have just walked 84 miles

The value of the food here is outstanding [not bad veggie options], as is the welcome from both landlord and locals. Beer isn't bad either (!), so we stayed for the entire evening. It would have been rude not too. We had to move tables for the Monday domino league, but we didn't mind. The diary / log book of walkers who have finished the trail is kept here and my entry is scrawled herein, dated 9th September 2013. Well worth a read in its own right [the book that is, not necessarily my entry]. Comments and bragging from all over the world. As for us, well, we broke no records [that goes to a local lad who ran it in just over 16hrs] and we didn't "do the wall" in 3 days, knee deep in snow. But we did have fun. We came, we walked, we conquered. And we drank beer!  It took us 7.5 days and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Highlights? As far as the actual Wall is concerned, the complete sections of the wall, on the Crags, the middle section [day 3,4,5]; museum & fort at Vindolanda; Halstead fort, were the most dramatic memories. But as for the whole experience? We went for the walk. We did the walk. Coast to coast , along the whole length of Hadrian's Wall. It wasn't just the Wall that made the memories- it was the people we met along the way, the fellow walkers, locals, the places we stayed, the pubs we visited, the general scenery, not to forget the all round great company, whit and intelligence of my friend David. And of course the beer we sampled was, in most cases, rather good.

WE DID IT!
[photo bombed by Georgie]

Or, if going West-East
The Beginning.

Day 7 of David and Murray's Northern Frontier Conquest

Day 7: Sandysike - Carlisle

Weather: Mostly dry, odd shower

Distance Walked: 12 miles

Different Beers Sampled: 3

Sandysike looking South to the Lakes & Pennines

Morning! Penultimate days walking. The sun was shinning. Porridge and coffee had been consumed in sufficient quantities. Time to leave the basic, but cozy camping barns and their eccentric owners behind. Our night at Sandysike had proved to be eventful, let's hope the days walking was as well. Classic Hadrian's

Cam Beck Weir

Wall country was now behind us, as were the hills and crags. As we walked, the Cumbrian countryside opened up into green fields and then the flood planes and water of the River Eden. It was nigh on flat from here. Our packs seemed less heavy as well. Fitter, or just numb to the pain?! 

Vallum on North Wall
Nr Newtown

Mmmmmm......
Inside Stall-on-Wall
Bleatarn Farm

 The remnants of Roman occupation were more subtle, such as the path following the North Ditch of the Vallum near Newtown; interesting & picturesque though in their own right. A welcome modern addition to the Wall,  was the Stall-on-the Wall at Bleatarn Farm , packed full of goodies. You can also camp here, which we didn't, having only been walking for 2hrs, but you could if you wanted.

Don't mind if I do!
 The Stag Inn

After about 3hrs of gentle walking the path enters Crosby-on-Eden and  The Stag Inn. It would be rude not to, especially as the sun was shinning! As with a lot of rural pubs, there seems to be a fashion for small stuffed dead things and the Stag Inn, does indeed have a Stag's head. Thankfully we could sit outside. Beer was well kept. Lunch was the Potato & Butter pie [a Northern special!] we had carried from Bramptom and ale was supplied by Jennings. Pie and Ale. Perfect marching food. Our new Dutch friends [although they live in Manchester!] had also stopped so lunchtime gossip was to be had as well. 

David and our new Dutch companions
Stag Inn, Crosby

M6
Modern Day Chariot Racing

 Post lunch saw us head across fields, along the Eden, before crossing the M6 and venturing into the suburbs of  Carlisle. Penultimate stamp for our Hadrian's Wall Passport was at the Sands Centre. No great ancient architectural sights here, but there is an impressive series of metal plates outside demonstrating the sites of the main Roman Forts along the Wall. It did, however, provide time to have a cup of tea and some cake. Always a good thing. Found out Vettel had just won the Italian FI Grand Prix. No surprise there. Being in a city, we were staying a YHA. But not just any hostel, Old Brewery Residence which was once home to the Theakstones Brewery. Quite fitting really! But we couldn't check in until 16.00hrs, so we had a mooch around town.

Old Brewery Residence

Carlisle Castle

 Carlise appeared to be an attractive and thriving city, steeped in millenia of history. The Roman Fort that once stood here was the largest on Hadrian's Wall and where the highest ranking officer of the Northern Frontier was stationed. Today however, there is very little in existence of this once mighty fort of Petriana or Uxelodunum [debate over name]. The current castle stands on part of the site, as does the A595 dual carriage way and part of the Tullie House. Having time we went inside the Tullie House and Museum .

The man who started it all

Attack!

Some things never change!

 An interesting museum, with not just Roman artifacts, but social and political history of Carlisle, art galleries and wildlife galleries. There were even interactive exhibits. The Roman shield was not particularly heavy on it's own, but I can imagine it felt that way after a days marching / fighting. What I was impressed with was the public underpass near the museum. Usually grotty and smelling of wee, this one was all 'pimped up'! A hot shower and food beckoned, so we checked into the YHA and headed back out into the city in search of food once cleansed. Now after 7 days walking, with packs, I had been fantasising about pizza and one of the first places we came across was a pizza place; so we had a Happy Hour Pizza at Franco's . Very tasty [and cheap] it was too. I was feeling quite tired by now, so a quick stroll around Carlisle, accompanied by a cheeky pint and a bag of chips [I've expanded a lot of energy over the past week!] before crashing out early at the YHA. Last full day walking tomorrow......

Underpass next to Tullie House

Day 6 of David & Murray's Northern Frontier Conquest

 Day 6: Birdoswald - Sandysyke

Weather: Showers

Distance Covered: 12 miles

New Beers Sampled: 2

Birdoswald Farm on site of Roman fort

Cheese of the highest caliber 

 After a superb nights sleep, breakfast was to be looked forward to, as cooked by Dianne. Every bit of it fresh, local & delicious. Bread, whole earth beans, scrambled egg. We were dry; we were warm ; we were rested; we had been fed well; we had bought exceptional bread & cheese for lunch; now walk! We revisited Birdoswald Fort first, to get stamp 5 of our passport, but didn't loiter. The rain came and went throughout the day, as did the sun, creating some quite dramatic & creative cloud patterns in the sky. Almost made up for being wet! But we had our Birdoswald bread and cheese [which we stopped for at Hare Hill]

South towards Pennines & Lakes

BATs on Hare Hill

Along this section of the walk, the scenery was changing quite rapidly. Down we came from the upper moors of Northumbria National Park, off the Crags and we we had crossed the border into Cumbria. In this part of Cumbria, the hills are gentle, with lush rolling green pastures. Less stark. The Wall was also changing in appearance and becoming less visible. Much of the wall from here [and in other stretches] had been constructed mostly of turf banks with timber palisade. Some was later replaced with stone wall and there are only fragments of wall- but stretches kept surprising us, such as Sandy Sike Turret 51a and ,a third of a Roman Mile, 333 marching steps away, Lea Hill Turret 51. Not to mention Pike Hill Roman Signal Station.  However, due to being rested and well fed the night before, and well fed by Birdoswald cheese at lunch time, we had stormed this section of this walk and had time to detour and visit Lanercost Priory. So glad we did, not just because of the historical & moody ruins, but we also wouldn't have met Angie, the highly entertaining, highly intelligent and highly energetic English Heritage member of staff.

Lanercost Priory

Lanercost Priory

  Lanercost has it's place in English history as after being fraternised and almost bankrupted by Edward I in 1306, repeatedly sacked by the Border Rievers during the 15th  / 16th Century before finally being dissolved [and dismantled ] by Henry VIII's policy of dissolution of the monastery's  between 1536-1541. A bit unlucky you could say. The ruins were impressive and 'moody' in the alternating sunshine and showers.

                                                      

Part of the ruins also now contain the parish church, which contains a William Morris Dossal, newly refurbished as well.

William Morris Dossal

 
Filled full of even more English history , it was now off to the Centurion Inn in Walton for food & beer. Except when we got there, the Centurion was closed down. Don't panic. Breath Deeply. Relax. There will be a solution. Walton, thankfully , had a little cafe, where we sat and planned our next move. A big mug of tea and a sublime slice of meringue pie put things in perspective. We were staying at Sandysike Camping Barns and B&B, only a few miles away. The nearest settlement with food and beer was Brampton, 3 miles away from where we were staying. Fortified by tea and pie, we came together with a plan during our walk to the Bunkhouse. Let's get a taxi into town. Problem sorted. The plan got even better as a Belgium man and his son who were also staying there, shared the taxi. Brampton. A Cumbrian Market Town which has fallen on bad times. It reaked of faded glow, its glamour now a bit tatty. Shame. The first pub we entered didn't do anything to change our minds, The Nags Head. Rough, ready and smelly. We had a [bad] pint of -wait for it - Doom Bar. We didn't stay long, before heading back out on the thriving Saturday evening streets Brampton. Our next choice of pub was better with The Howard Arms being much more salubrious.  An excellent choice of Thwaites Ale to be supped ; 'Little Bewdy' a little fruity & hoppy number, and a 'Lancaster Bomber' and a full bodied, chestnut coloured ale  [the menu was OK as well]. Feeling refreshed and emboldened by ale, we did a little shop for the following days supplies, before deciding to walk back. Lovely evening for it. The rain has cleared and there are stars in the sky.

Further chess games were to be had over a beer, back at the bunkhouse; I think I may be getting better!

Day 5: Persistent Precipitation!

Day 5: Twice Brewed - Birdoswald

Weather: Persistent  Precipitation

Distance Walked: 10 miles

New Beers Sampled: 1

Vindolanda

Daybreak on day 5 didn't so much break on a crest of golden sunshine as we had been used to, but was washed in; the predicted rain had arrived. But, unlike the Tories, we had a Plan B. Or rather, David had organised a Plan B. Whilst I has half asleep in the pub, David was running around being very organised sorting out our day. Thank goodness for David. The forecast had been grim , and it was grim, but David had not only booked us into the bunk house at Slack House Farm, but also planned to have our luggage sent on to the bunkhouse at Slack House Farm. There are several services which do this along Hadrian't Wall and are very useful at times such as this. So we walked today with no packs and had a guaranteed dry place to stay and dry packs when we got there. Thank-you David.

Looking towards fort
from civilian village

Site of civilian village
Vindolanada

This meant we had time to spend a few hours this morning at Vindolanda Fort , which was one of the highlights of the trip. Hadrian's Wall Bus 'AD122' handily stopped at the YHA and went the short distance to Vindolanda. The bus arrives a few minutes before opening times, and today the very kind staff took pity on us and let us in early.  This fort spans many centuries and has several incarnations , both wood, earth and stone built, literally on top of each other over the centuries. The museum , unlike the weather, was exceptional. Every artifact on display was uncovered on site- and there are many thousands of them- and they offer a unique insight into daily life on a frontier town. From a vast collection of leather footwear [over 4,000!], to pots, pans, coins, armour, weapons, beauty products,  clothing and the 'piece de resistance' being the recently uncovered haul of writing tablets. These are an eclectic mix of letters & postcards written in ink on wood blocks, detailing daily life in a frontier settlement. Ordinary tales of invitations to parties, concerned parents, requests for clean underwear and demands for more beer to sent out to troops on patrols! Not much has changed in 2,000years really...

East Gateway Vindolanda

Vindolanda

After a relaxing and, mostly, dry morning in the fort and museum, it was time to get walking again, so bus AD122 back to the YHA and picking up of the trail where we left off yesterday. It was wet, but visibility was OK  and walking without a pack was a doddle!

Looking East towards Winshields Crags

We were making good time, no pain in shoulders or back and we could even pose happily for photo's .

Me! Near Caw Gap [East View]

Above Bogle Hole

Milecastle 42

Cawfields Quarry
Where once there stood a wall

Keeping Lookout
Milecastle 44b

As was the case yesterday, today offered up classic, exceptional, if wet, views of Hadrian's Wall. Mile upon mile of wall of sections of wall and its turrets and milecastles'. Roman imperial authority stamped across the landscape, disrupting trading routes [as at milecastele 42 where the Roman's decided the 'natural route' where there is now a gate, would need to go uphill to their fort] which most likely pissed off the locals and onto myth and legend such as at Bogle Hole [which means 'goblins hollow', its name betraying local superstition about the little folk.]  Unfortunately, even in the high crags, in places the wall has gone completely, thanks to 19th and early 20th Century quarrying. Actually, as can be seen from the photo of Cawfields Quarry, not much remains of the crags either! Blasted apart  and carried off for building material. Progress. But then again, Hadrian's Wall is a symbol of an imperial conquering army and was no doubt hatted as a symbol of oppression. No wonder it's gone in places. In fact, it's a wonder there is anything left all.  Mussings' over 'twas time to continue our mission for the day, which was to get to Birdoswald via  pub. We were beginning to get a little damp, Gortex or not , this northern rain was persistent. My feet were wet now as well. Pah. Blimmin' Romans! And then we saw it. A cafe at Walltown Quarry. Hot tea and cake. Mmmmm. We also came across some fellow travelers, of the feathery kind, also wet and weary, also seeking shelter from the storm. 

Interesting section of wall,
built below the natural high ground
 'Heathen lands ' are on the left and
'Conquered Land' is on right

Shelter from the storm

No, you can't come in to my field.

Whilst we enjoyed a well earned and well timed cuppa, our feathery friends [house martins?] huddled together for warmth.  It was time for food and beer. The packed lunch from the YHA was all gone. The cake wouldn't fill me up for long. I was hungry. And damp. Pub beckoned  There was, however, the small matter of getting there. This cow was not going to let David [nor me!] get over the stile. It's calf was in that field and we weren't allowed in; right of way or not. So we had to make a slight detour. Cow is bigger- and never, ever, get between a mother and it's child. Unless you want trouble, which we didn't. Soon, and without further incident, the bright lights of Gilsand came into view, and more particularly the lights of the Samson Inn and a pint of Wylam Angel. 

Wylam Angel

Several pints actually, as it kept out the cold. Drying out and warming up in the inn were also a few other 'groups' of walkers we had come across over the past few days, including our new Dutch friends who very kindly bought us a pint.  The menu of the Sampson also looked good. A puye lentil and root vegetable stew with roast squash, deep fried camembert and toast. Divine. 

It was very, very tempting to stay in the in, as the wood burner was on, my tummy was full and the beer and company were equally as pleasant. However we still had over a mile to walk until we reached Birdoswald, it was still raining and it was getting dark. Head torches ready, we braved the wet once more.  

Looking down towards bridge abutment
nr Willowford Farm

Funnily enough, the rain didn't seem so bad after a few pints! There was some interesting sections of wall to view along the way, which we duly did and by the time we got to Birdoswald, we needed our torches. Our bed for the night beckoned. It was dark. Only another half mile until we reached  Slack House Farm . We were settled in to the camping barn by Dianne Slack who is one of life's dynamo's. A truly inspirational and interesting woman. Passionate about food, where it comes from, its trace-ability, the sustainability of food sources and power sources, helping people set up local sustainable businesses.

Slack House Farm

Bunkhouse at Slack House Farm

 Dianne and her husband also run a cafe, tend to an organic dairy herd and make the one of the tastiest cheeses I have ever had- and I like my cheese, so that is high praise indeed. The bed was comfy as well and the wood burner was very welcome. After a few games of chess, we slept well that night. Warm and dry at Slack House Farm.