Day 41 begins

31/7/2012

Day 41 begins

As I was heading inland now I couldn't use the coast as a guide anymore. The road headed into Morpeth and was a drag for over an hour. I passed the entrance sign and commented on the gardens at the roundabout here, how lovely were the plants and arranged flower beds. I wish I had camped on this island, it was like a mini paradise. I saw some digging going on by cable laying teams and stopped to ask about the technology they used. Apparently they could steer the head of the boring tool to get it to flatten off and follow a line below the surface and get it to come out in the next manhole they had excavated some hundreds of yards away. Well it interested me for a few minutes.....

Sadly Morpeth again didn't capture my desire to see more, I used a spot at the Electrical Wizard public house (Wetherspoons) to get a bit done on the blog that was getting further behind.....Aargh.....!!!

Lots of people soaking up the chance to wear flip flops and short and revealing tops... but nothing grabbed my attention more than the healthy young ladies wandering about.

Something had been said I can't remember who said it but Rothbury was mentioned and the Cheviot mountains so I had felt drawn to go out that way into the more inland places and hilly terrain. 

From Morpeth I headed towards the A1 again and went beneath it west towards a village called Pigdon, where I stopped for a bite to eat. I couldn't call it lunch it was more like evening meal. Then I walked on a few more miles along windy and sometimes dangerously narrow lanes to a place called Netherwitton. A large country house to my right seemed very attractive and grand. I believe the family that own it are called the Trevellions.

I met a lady out planting things in her front garden who was incredibly helpful when I asked if the village had a place to get a drink, even if the answer was not helpful. The next place a pub was around 5 miles away. She told me many things about the family who owned the large house and the local history and then her husband came out to speak to his wife and we were all introduced, David and Rachel were nice people and were a little surprised by my name but took it with the spirit in which it is meant. David went into the house to collect some mas to show me the roads towards Rothbury and the pub at the junction in the road some 5 miles away. Rachel said that she had some sisters that would be fascinated to walk with a guy called Peaceful Warrior, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. One sister lived somewhere on the roads ahead, so I said it was just a simple task of e-mailing me to request an arrangement to be made ahead of me arriving. I would love to be able to walk with people as it is the best way I feel sure to get a deep understanding of another persons views and aspirations and a more rounded out understanding of local people and life and what it is to them to be British. I said my farewells to the kind people of Netherwitton and got a spurt on at the thought of a refreshing drink. I soon found out that my water had also ran out so more reason to get there.

If it was only 5 miles away as the signs said then I could be there in little more than an hour at the pace I set off at. I was really yomping along the road in double quick time despite the hills that I encountered, my poles came in very useful. At about an hour and a half I was beginning to get desperate and accused the authorities of changing the signs, by the time I saw a light at a window it was 9.45pm and I had been walking for over 2 hours so something had been amiss in my calculations. Well whatever I was here, but it was dark and finding a place may prove more difficult as it was now raining again.

I went in and got a warm reception form a group of locals who were surprised to see a stranger here let alone one walking at this hour. Our hostess, Val at the Gate Pub was very jolly and quickly served up a fine pint of ale, to quench my thirst. Conversations were forthcoming as everyone wanted to know what had possessed me to come out in this weather. Then after a while some more strangers just happened by and came for a thirst quenching drink, though they had arrived my vehicular transportation. They didn't stop too long, as they had to get back to accommodation elsewhere.

Val said that if I wanted that I could put my tent down in her field just outside the car park behind the pub.That sounded like a very nice and helpful suggestion so I thanked her and as the drinking finished I set out to erect the tent in a big hurry as it was raining again. Fortunately the outside lighting was still in operation which helped me to pitch the tent. Val warned me of possible Cock crowing early and sheep that might be curious, but neither were of mind to bother me now. The tent was up and I dived in, packed my baggage away and got into my sleeping bag. Val had said that she was leaving the toilets open for me, and the swallows that were nesting at the moment, but I wasn't going to be needing them tonight.

I hit the sack and sleep overwhelmed me, day 41 came to a wet and clammy end.