After 8 months of cancelled holidays, lockdown, and waiting, at last we were able to get away for a week's holiday. It's many years since we have had such a long gap between a full week away, so we really needed this.
We drove up yesterday, coming off the A1 at the A66 junction then after about 15 - 20 minutes came off at Barnard Castle and set off for an hour or so across the North Pennines; an area we had never been to before. And the scenery was stunning. After a diversion up to Hexham for some shopping, and a drink at a pub in Allendale we eventually arrived at our cottage at Finney Hill Green a little before 5pm. A stunning cottage, great views, and in the middle of open rolling countryside. A great place for a relaxing week.
And so to Sunday, it had rained quite heavily overnight and Sunday morning was rather grey and drizzly, so a morning chilling around the cottage with Mr YouTube was our choice of entertainment. Then lunch and off out for a hike.
The route we had chosen started at the cottage so that we didn't have to drive, which is always a good option the day after the drive north. And as an added bonus, it wasn't a particularly hilly route so would be a steady start to the week.
Now I wouldn't say that it was the most scenic walk, about 75% of it as it was just across open moors with very little to see other than swathes of fading heather with the odd patch of controlled burnt ground. On a positive note though, the trail was really good; probably because it's kept that way for the 4x4's traversing the moors during the shooting season.
By the time we arrived back at the cottage we had covered 7 miles and been walking for around three and a half hours so a steady walk. That said, these days the joints never feel like it's been a steady walk...
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