Post by mick on Mar 4, 2015 5:48:54 GMT
Today I got it so wrong with regards to the weather.
The alarm went off nice and early, I peered out of my bedroom window to a clear blue sky, with a white coating of frost. Great perfect walking weather, quick wash and breakfast and off I went.
My target for today was the small town of Kirk Yetholm, from there a drive along the last section of the Pennine way, till I came to the small burn at Halter burn where I parked the car.
Fist thing that I noticed in the 60 miles I had driven was how the weather had changed, gone was the blue sky, instead I was greeted by a dull grey windy day with a lot of moisture in the air, crap for seeing thing, However after driving all this way I wasn’t going to be put off by a bit of wet weather, one other thing that I noticed was how cold it was normally I don’t feel the cold but today it just felt cold. It was at this point I was thinking of ringing up the BBC weather and asking how they could get it so wrong (again).
Anyway the walk, I had several routes planned into my head, but was going to play it by ear, and just see how things panned out,
However the start of the walk was set in stone this involved walking up along the Pennine way (which is also a section of St Cuthbert’s way) along the edge of Green Humbleton past STOB STONES (where the Pennine way and St Cuthbert’s way part company) then up to White Law (there is a old fort remains of up here) but I couldn’t make anything out.
It was at this point the wind really started to pick up, and for the first time in ages I had to dig my coat out of the rucksack, now I often go on about having a decent coat for out in the hills even though I seldom wear one, but today I was very pleased that I had it with me. In fact I would go as far as to say that if I hadn’t packed this coat I would have turned around and gone back .the wind was very cold and strong.
From this point I wandered along Steer rig then onto Steerrig Knowe however the wind was really starting to get up and the views which should have been good where really nothing to get excited about simply because the was a heavy mist .
The strength of the wind was really starting to give my arty leg a bit of a hard time and wouldn’t let it swing forward, so I had to “lock” it in a straight position. It was at this point just before Corbie Craig that I made the decision to get out of the wind and head down, fortunately the Pennine way splits at this point giving you the choice either walking back on the high route (which ive just walked along) or the low level route, so abandoning my planes I headed down along the low level route.
There had been a possibility that I might have had a mooch around the summits of the Curr, Latchly Hill or even Wildgoose Hill but in this wind that wasn’t going to happen, still always another day.
Any way the rest of the walk was a wander along the low level Pennine way past Pipers Faulds Settlement ( which I couldn’t see anything but then I never can) past the old ruin of Old Halterburn Burnhead where I took the optunity to get out of the wind and have lunch .
It was at this point the sky cleared, the sun came out and the wind even dropped a bit. But was too late for me to turn round and head back. BBC weather how good is they? Total opposite of what they said would happen.
From here just stuck to the Pennine way past the farm at Burnhead, and walked back to the car.
According to the GPS it was just less than 7 miles, I feel a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to mooch round some different hills, but the one thing I can’t do is walk in strong winds, sometimes being an amputee is a right pain.
A few photos.
First one, looking towards Green Humbleton
Not sure where this one was taken, but I am not lost as there is a way marker
Looking towards a distant White law
Crossing the wall at White Law
Looking back
Looking towards the early stages of Steer Rig
Looking back
Looking across towards the farm at Trowupburn
Again looking back
Looking down towards old Halterburnhead Head
Not really sure where this is as the crags have no name that I can find , I tried to sit down out of the wind here and have something to eat and drink but it proved to a waist of time . The views should have been good from up here but as you can see it’s just a dull old day.
Now looking towards the Schil
On my way back down, (note the first glimpse of blue sky)
A first glimpse of a distant Old halterburn head
Latchly Hill (will come back this way soon)
Old halterburn Head
And again
Sat down here and had my late lunch out of the wind.
Just look at the sky, it was wet and grey when I was up there.
The way forward
Small bridge by the farm at Burnhead
Back on the track now looking back at the farm at Burnhead
Looking up at the hills as I walk along the valley bottom
Looking back looks like the weather is starting to get bad again
Map.
The alarm went off nice and early, I peered out of my bedroom window to a clear blue sky, with a white coating of frost. Great perfect walking weather, quick wash and breakfast and off I went.
My target for today was the small town of Kirk Yetholm, from there a drive along the last section of the Pennine way, till I came to the small burn at Halter burn where I parked the car.
Fist thing that I noticed in the 60 miles I had driven was how the weather had changed, gone was the blue sky, instead I was greeted by a dull grey windy day with a lot of moisture in the air, crap for seeing thing, However after driving all this way I wasn’t going to be put off by a bit of wet weather, one other thing that I noticed was how cold it was normally I don’t feel the cold but today it just felt cold. It was at this point I was thinking of ringing up the BBC weather and asking how they could get it so wrong (again).
Anyway the walk, I had several routes planned into my head, but was going to play it by ear, and just see how things panned out,
However the start of the walk was set in stone this involved walking up along the Pennine way (which is also a section of St Cuthbert’s way) along the edge of Green Humbleton past STOB STONES (where the Pennine way and St Cuthbert’s way part company) then up to White Law (there is a old fort remains of up here) but I couldn’t make anything out.
It was at this point the wind really started to pick up, and for the first time in ages I had to dig my coat out of the rucksack, now I often go on about having a decent coat for out in the hills even though I seldom wear one, but today I was very pleased that I had it with me. In fact I would go as far as to say that if I hadn’t packed this coat I would have turned around and gone back .the wind was very cold and strong.
From this point I wandered along Steer rig then onto Steerrig Knowe however the wind was really starting to get up and the views which should have been good where really nothing to get excited about simply because the was a heavy mist .
The strength of the wind was really starting to give my arty leg a bit of a hard time and wouldn’t let it swing forward, so I had to “lock” it in a straight position. It was at this point just before Corbie Craig that I made the decision to get out of the wind and head down, fortunately the Pennine way splits at this point giving you the choice either walking back on the high route (which ive just walked along) or the low level route, so abandoning my planes I headed down along the low level route.
There had been a possibility that I might have had a mooch around the summits of the Curr, Latchly Hill or even Wildgoose Hill but in this wind that wasn’t going to happen, still always another day.
Any way the rest of the walk was a wander along the low level Pennine way past Pipers Faulds Settlement ( which I couldn’t see anything but then I never can) past the old ruin of Old Halterburn Burnhead where I took the optunity to get out of the wind and have lunch .
It was at this point the sky cleared, the sun came out and the wind even dropped a bit. But was too late for me to turn round and head back. BBC weather how good is they? Total opposite of what they said would happen.
From here just stuck to the Pennine way past the farm at Burnhead, and walked back to the car.
According to the GPS it was just less than 7 miles, I feel a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to mooch round some different hills, but the one thing I can’t do is walk in strong winds, sometimes being an amputee is a right pain.
A few photos.
First one, looking towards Green Humbleton
Not sure where this one was taken, but I am not lost as there is a way marker
Looking towards a distant White law
Crossing the wall at White Law
Looking back
Looking towards the early stages of Steer Rig
Looking back
Looking across towards the farm at Trowupburn
Again looking back
Looking down towards old Halterburnhead Head
Not really sure where this is as the crags have no name that I can find , I tried to sit down out of the wind here and have something to eat and drink but it proved to a waist of time . The views should have been good from up here but as you can see it’s just a dull old day.
Now looking towards the Schil
On my way back down, (note the first glimpse of blue sky)
A first glimpse of a distant Old halterburn head
Latchly Hill (will come back this way soon)
Old halterburn Head
And again
Sat down here and had my late lunch out of the wind.
Just look at the sky, it was wet and grey when I was up there.
The way forward
Small bridge by the farm at Burnhead
Back on the track now looking back at the farm at Burnhead
Looking up at the hills as I walk along the valley bottom
Looking back looks like the weather is starting to get bad again
Map.