Pennine Way: The Cheviot and into Kirk Yetholm

Friday 26th April 2019

The last stage of the Pennine Way is a long, gruelling trek across the Cheviot Hills that has slightly differing opinions about its length from twenty-five miles according to Harvey Maps all the way up to Wainwright’s exhausting twenty-nine miles, although the shortest estimates are probably based on avoiding the highest point in the range. There is no accommodation anywhere near the trail on this section so the only options are to stick it out for the duration and arrive into Kirk Yetholm crawling on your knees, or find a hole somewhere around Windy Gyle to hide in overnight. I decided I would take my time on the trek splitting the journey over two days and wild camp on the Scottish side of the border near Windy Gyle. Wild camping in England is illegal without the landowner’s permission, but in Scotland permission is not required, so I had crossed the border on a track that comes down over Windy Rig and found a spot to camp near the top of the valley of the Calroust Burn. The weather had deteriorated the previous day forcing me to stop early and wait for the rain to stop. Fearing that a similar deterioration would happen on this walk I got up early and was ready to set off by seven o’clock when I could see stunning, sunny weather to the north into Scotland but thick, dark clouds lingered on the ridge and south into England.

Back on the Pennine Way I climbed up to the top of Windy Gyle, which was still enveloped in clouds, but beyond the large Russel’s Cairn at the summit I was surprised at the lack of a clear path with just footprints in the peaty ground. However, soon I noticed the clear, paved path on the other side of a fence, with my Harvey Map revealing that I should have turned south at the summit and then east beside the fence. In the end I was easily able to cross the fence and resume my walk along the Pennine Way dropping once more below the clouds where great views were revealed again into Scotland where the weather looked great in stark contrast to the poor weather in England. Continuing along the Pennine Way I followed the border along the top of the ridge passing the Border Gate, over King’s Seat and finally climbed up to the west top of the Cheviot. There I had a choice to make, whether to take the two and a half mile round trip to the miserable summit of the Cheviot, the highest point in the range, or miss it out by turning left and head straight towards Kirk Yetholm. I went up the Cheviot in 2006 and with the weather still being quite poor on the tops I did not need to go up again.

Nevertheless I turned right and followed a paved path across the dreary bog passing over Cairn’s Hill where the Scotsman’s Cairn briefly had me thinking I had already reached my target. Continuing through the bleak, cloud-covered landscape I thought the sun might be trying to make an appearance and even glimpsed blue sky as I approached the summit of the Cheviot. Sadly, by the time I reached the trig point on the large concrete platform that marks the summit the sun had disappeared, so turning around I headed back along the path I had just taken, however now the clouds did clear and I had a view of the boggy desolation that covers the top of the Cheviot. Eventually I returned to the junction on the Pennine Way and with the weather clearing I was afforded tremendous views across the hills north. It was fantastic being at the top of high hills in good, sunny weather with far-reaching views across a stunning landscape. At the Auchope Cairn I was ecstatic at the scenery with all my frustrations about the weather on the previous day completely gone as I stood in awe beside the tall cairn in the bright sunshine.

A steep descent took me down beside the craggy cutting of Hen Hole to the Mountain Refuge Hut on Red Crips where I stopped for a bite to eat and to enjoy the sunshine and surroundings before continuing along the ridge. As I sailed along the trail it seemed awesome to be on these hills in this weather only for my enthusiasm to be slightly abated by the steep ascent to the top of the Schil. There was a sharp, cold wind on this top, which continued throughout the rest of the walk, as I continued along the ridge down the other side of the Schil and along the signposted path around Black Hag and then since the weather was so good I decided to take the high level route of the Pennine Way that keeps to the ridgeline. I was still following the border between Scotland and England, but now I was staying resolutely on the Scottish side, but after another agonisingly steep climb over White Law I finally left the border and turned towards Kirk Yetholm. I remember walking this section of the Pennine Way thirty years ago while on a family holiday in the area when I thought it would be a good idea for my family to walk along the first couple of miles on the Pennine Way. Most of my family disagreed and it was only my father and I who actually reached the English border.

It was quite humbling to realise how short that walk had been as I descended into the valley of the Halter Burn to a narrow road where a cruel climb over a low hill finally brought me triumphantly into Kirk Yetholm. Because of my early start it was not yet two o’clock and yet the walk was over and I had finished the Pennine Way. I wandered around the lovely villages of Kirk Yetholm and its neighbour, Town Yetholm, for a short time, but eventually I headed towards the youth hostel where I spent the rest of the afternoon. I started my trek along the Pennine Way in 2009 when I walked from Gargrave to Alston, and two years later I walked from Edale to Gargrave, but now I had finally completed the Pennine Way walking from Alston to Kirk Yetholm. It was satisfying to have completed the trail, which was the first of its type in Britain and is still one of the toughest. The Pennine Way is a great test of a walker’s abilities and I hope it is not too long before I set off once more along this challenging trail.