Day 6: Wooler to Fenwick

 

Well, I'd like to say I had a good morning walking... but it was definitely the least enjoyable part of the walk so far. 

 

 

 

Now, don't get me wrong. I did have a lovely day today. And it started out very nicely with a little climb up the hill east of Wooler and then it descended to the valley on the other side at Weetwood Bridge...

 

 

... but then it followed paved and dirt roads for four miles. Four miles. That's hard on the old feet. And with another lovely, sunny day, having almost no shade the whole way makes it a little tedious after a while. 

 

 

 

But, I shouldn't complain. The rest of the walk when I finally joined up with some proper trails was an absolute treat. I found this life size wooden sculpture of St Cuthbert (he had a thing for otters) and some amazing views of the Cheviots before coming to the highlight of my day:

 

St Cuthbert died at Inner Farne but was buried on Lindisfarne. Eleven years after his death his grave was opened and his body found to be perfectly preserved. This led to his canonisation and ultimately to the cult of St Cuthbert. After some particularly devastating Viking raids on Lindisfarne some of the monks took his body (or perhaps just some relics) and hid in what is now St Cuthbert's Cave. 

 

 

 

 

It's a beautiful, quiet place and I could just imagine the monks hiding there with their precious cargo after their particularly harrowing time the night before at Lindisfarne. It's also a wonderful place to sit in the shade and have a cup of tea. 

Then, just another 200 metres up the hill...

 

... I had my first peek at the sea - and Lindisfarne! 

 

 

 

The route then descended towards the valley near Fenwick. There was indeed a bull in that field but thankfully he was too busy keeping his ladies happy to notice my rather hasty walk through his field. 

 

 

 

 

The trail then followed the edge of a wood for a piece and then joined up with St Oswald's Way (a mentor to St Cuthbert) and through the woods where I saw lots of interesting wildlife including a tiny little lizard/gecko/newt thing which couldn't have been more than four centimetres long and was very camera shy. The woods smelled exactly like the trail to Michael's Point back home and I found myself getting a little homesick. It was a particularly lovely part of the walk. 

 

At last I've settled into my swanky little room and I'm looking forward to a G&T to celebrate the day. Tomorrow is the last day of the walk and poses some of the more interesting logistical challenges of the journey. Stay tuned...!