Day 15 - September 16th 2004
Greenhead to Once Brewed - 7 miles
I think we were all looking forward to this short day as up to now we had averaged over sixteen miles a day, not counting miles getting lost or the bog hopping below Cross Fell. Sleep was good last night which also helped. After packing up and loading the car it was down for a not very good breakfast. Connie thought the eggs were powdered. I was not sure but if they were not then the chickens had been drinking a lot of water.
I met Brian and Steve out front and off we went. The weather was pretty clear but breezy. Connie drove us back up the A road so we could pick up the Way from yesterday and we hit the trail at 9.Well, this was a pretty good walk although we all got a bit confused right off and walked around Thirlwall Castle more than we should have. The only problem for the day was the constant up and down along the Hadrian’s Wall. The “up” worked up a sweat and when I reached each crest the breeze really cut through the wet shirt. Brian and I strayed at one point and got off the wall to the south where we continued in the right direction but it soon became obvious that we were, once again, not on the Way. We went up through a farmer’s field and over a dry stone wall where I had the only nettle encounter on my journey. Once we got up on top again it was the up and down along a famous part of Britain’s history, Hadrian's Wall. We did meet some day walkers, including Americans who were on a tour.
Shortly before Steel Rigg we met Connie at Windshields Crags as she walked back to meet us. At the car park it was off with the packs and into the car and down to the Twice Brewed Inn. It was just time for lunch. I had a good pint, some wonderful soup and a bread pudding with ice cream. I believe that was the first pudding I had on the trip. As usual, we sat over our ale, talked and had a good time. Brian and Steve were staying at Once Brewed and Connie and I were at the Bowes Hotel in Barden Mill. We arranged to meet the guys outside the pub the next morning and off we went.
Unfortunately the hotel/pub we were staying in was closed for the afternoon when we arrived. Fortunately, the owner responded to my repeated ringing of the bell and pounding on the door. We moved our gear to our room and we both immediately asleep. I think it was a combination of the walk and the ale.
We both slept close to two hours and on waking it was clean up and off to Corbridge for dinner. We both like that small town/large village. It has a good pub where we stayed several years ago as well as a fine Indian restaurant. On this run Connie discovered it also has a good market where I purchased provisions for tomorrow’s lunch. It was then over to the Dyvels for ale and then to the Station Restaurant for excellent Indian food. Back at the hotel we discovered our room was over the bar but its noise impact did not adversely affect us and we went to sleep pretty quickly. This was a good day and the shortness of the walk was much appreciated after the long hauls of the previous days.