Day 6 - Sat 12 June - Allen Banks to Haltwhistle

So, recovered from my birthday celebrations (a lunchtime/afternoon visit to the Boathouse at Wylam) we slapped on the suncream (the sky was clear blue!) and set off out of the carpark towards the river. Negotiating around a crop-planted field was a bit tricky but led into a field of cows and their calves (ahh!) with a huge white bull keeping his harem in check, so swiftly into the woods and out of his glare.

Along very quiet country lanes and tracks nearby the river gave us tantalising glimpses of the water occasionally leavened by the rush of trains to and from Newcastle and Carlisle. Into woods once more for our views down to the river for lunch and thence on towards Haltwhistle via the newly opened bypass (A69) and onto the totally unexpected Alston Arches Bridge - now a wildlife corridor and into Haltwhistle station.

Sweating profusely, we rested a bit to watch some of the locals try to catch the train to Carlisle and not! Mind you, dashing from the pub as the train arrives and wearing high-heels and short skirts and having to negotiate the platform bridge didn't help! Anyway, they went back to the pub until the next one came!

We, however, decamped to our overnight stay in Slaggyford - the Yew Tree Chapel - quite stunning!

Next time - Haltwhistle to Slaggyford - a damp one!