New and Unusual Sightings!

Day15 Alston to Greenhead: 16.7 miles

Take a rest, a field that has rested gives a beautiful crop.  ~Ovid

But first, a Day 14 Update:  No, you didn't miss Day 14.  I chose not to blog on our second and final rest day (in Alston).  It was, however, another perfectly peaceful rest day.  We ate a late breakfast, bought pasties from the Moody Baker in Alston for lunch, read, napped and chatted with our hostess at the Lowbyer Manor Country House to pass the day.  We both agree the physical rest as well as the mental boost of knowing a rest day is coming has been great for us.  Yep, we traded in some shorter days for breaks, but even the longest day and toughest day felt just that much more do-able knowing the rest day just ahead signaled the end of another small bite of the overall trek. And, we returned to the trail today with energy for the final push!  

Cliff enjoying a sunny lunch break

So, back to Day 15 -- it was notable in many ways for what was new and different -- starting with the SUNSHINE!  For the first time in many (many) days we saw our shadows.  Now, who knew that could be such a kick?

We also walked for a while this morning on a mud- and rock-free path!  I know this sounds highly unbelievable at this point -- and later in the day we would payback this luxury in spades as we navigated the BeckinSOPp Commons (intentional emphasis on the sop), where the muck threatened to steal our boots and our feet recalled the squishy wet of the Cross Fell day.  However, our morning walk alongside South Tyne Train Line (a single track wonder) was a welcome respite; and we hustled along happily at our training pace, crossing quickly into our next (and final) county to traverse in England before we pass into Scotland: Northumberland.

The first half of the seven-hour walking day was pretty wonderful as we passed beautiful old viaducts, crossed rushing streams with dry feet and admired the continuing abundance of spring lamb in the rolling fields.  And as we entered the muck along the trace of the Roman Maidens Road, we maintained some hope that soon the magical slabs of stone would appear to save us from the worst of the bog.  Alas, the few slabs that were in place were completely submerged -- and by the time we hit the Common, slabs were but a distant memory.  Finally, we gave up our attempts to hop from reed tussock to tussock and trudged through the worst of it -- giggling at the steamy unseemliness of this very unusual day.  Thank goodness, the Greenhead Hotel had a terrific drying room to resuscitate our boots overnight!

And for a final unusual sighting:  Moles on the fence.

  

English farm trivia:  The appearance of dead moles strung along the top of fence wire is a bit bizarre and macabre.  Unusual to American eye for sure, but not so much to the English farmer.  So why are they there?  It seems there are a few theories.  The one most reported in the English news is that the "mole hunters" (I kid you not) tie them there as proof of their (the hunters') productivity -- and to help the farmer to quantify the extent of his or her rodent problem!

And with that odd thought, I bid you g'night!