Finn and Susan’s big adventure - Day 6 – Friday 21 May 2010 – Garrigill to the Kirkstyle Inn, Knarsdale

Finn and I were walking at nine o’clock today along the South Tyne river towards Alston. It was a very gentle riverside walk for quite a way before heading up into sheep pastures where it stayed all the way to Alston. I spoke to Morecambe and Wise early on as they had started at about the same time I had and we checked each other’s progress all day – I think they were running out of conversation as I kept receiving texts asking obscure geography questions – I did feel a bit like I was being quizzed!

(The Morecambe and Wise comment came about one evening in the pub as Steve and Tristan have twin rooms for their holiday. I did ask if they sat up in bed together in their jimjams discussing the day’s progress – for some reason this image really tickled me!)

From Alston, the path became very different as it climbed up over the fells to enter Northumberland. We then followed the route of the old South Tyne railway line which closed in 1976, but which has now been turned into a trail.

At Slaggyford, the path heads along the road for a while before turning left and heading uphill again. I had meant to stop at Slaggyford to try and get a taxi back to Garrigill and my guidebook showed a post office and ‘phone box which I was intending to use as I had no mobile signal. Sadly though the ‘phone box has long gone and the post office closed twelve years ago!!

A quick glance at the map showed a village three miles further on with a pub – decision made! The landlord of the Kirkstyle Inn furnished me with a lager shandy, Finn with a bowl of water and procured us a taxi ride back to the car at Garrigill, at a fare less than half what I’d been quoted by a rival taxi firm. Bonus!

So a very good day – and the bonus miles means less to do over the next couple of days.

(As I sit here on our new campsite writing the diary, Finn has – cool as a cucumber – wandered down to some campers a bit further down the field and got into their car and laid down. Unbelieveable! Luckily the couple were laughing at his antics, but I’m so mortified, I’m off to hide in the tent now!)