Pennine Way Day Fifteen: Bellingham to Byrness

Distance: 16 miles
Ascent: 500m
Weather: damp start, mostly dry, heavy rain shower late on

Rooks, Partridges, Skylarks, pippets, yellow green birds (possibly siskins)
Deer: 1
Bunnies: none!

The Pennine Way heads out of Bellingham on a road and then follows a track up to and through a farm, before leaving the tarmac and crossing the grassy fields. It was humid and cloudy and the route took a pleasant path (bit wet underfoot but firm) through heather over to Whiteley Pike where we stopped for first lunch and a sit down.The route to the lane at Gunstone is described as stone slabs slowly sinking into the bog. The slabs have been relaid since, but it looks like some are heading towards the same fate.

The path over Padon Hill (south and north) was quite rocky and a bit slippy, dropping down to a fence and some properly submerged slabs. Gorless Crag was muddy, wet and steep. At the top we headed around Rumblingsike Bog, following the boundary stones, where it was muddy, wet and flat.

There was a section of very wet forest, before we emerged on to a wide track that goes straight through Redesdale Forest. There were beautiful views over the forest, with patches of blue sky and atmospheric dark clouds. Eventually the atmosphere began to fall, so we put our waterproofs on, narrowly avoiding being mown down by a huge forestry truck.

A muddy path lead around to the River Rede and into Byrness. We are at the Forest View Inn, where the service has been excellent and we've even had our socks washed for us. Brave man.