So, Boxing Day 2013, and time for my next mini-adventure. I had been planning this for a little while, knowing that I needed to find something of the right sort of length to do over Xmas. I searched around on the web and came across Isaac's Tea Trail on the Long Distance Walkers Association and the North Pennines Website. It is a 37 mile circular route around remote villages and hamlets in the North Pennines, following the route of an itinerant tea seller called Isaac Holden.
The area south of the A69 in Northumberland and Cumbria is pretty sparsely inhabited and includes some of the most remote places in England. With the small hidden valleys, hill and high exposed moors, it seemed like a good place to get out and train and experience the landscape.
So, having organised my bag the day before (5 Kg), I started out from the market place in Allendale Town where the trail starts half an hour before dawn in attempt to maximise the amount of daylight available (only four days after the winter solstice, this was going to be the biggest issue). It was a beautiful clear frosty morning and there was a very satisfying crunch underfoot as I started up the valley alongside the River East Allen. The pack didn't feel too heavy and my legs felt fresh which was good but progress was hampered by the number of gates and stiles and working out where the path went across each field - the route is probably more obvious if its light and you're walking! The only company at this point were the sheep in some of the fields who kept following me, evidently convinced I was there to feed them. The only unfriendly on was rather a grumpy looking up in one field, though fortunately I managed to navigate around him without upsetting him - I had a long way to go and didn't fancy being chased!
Frosty road at the top of Allendale before starting out over the moors. |
Along the Black Trail looking towards Allenheads |
View south from the path down to Coalcleugh |
Having made it over the moors, admittedly slowly with the terrain
and the photo-taking, but feeling fresh, I passed through a gate with a little Welcome to Cumbria sign on it and headed down into
Nenthead. It was a little odd to suddenly be down in some form of civilization
again and the next section was down the valley to Alston. At this point I was a
little concerned about the time, so after following the trail for half an hour
or so up and down through fields and round the back of some gardens (one of
which had an interesting collection of old red telephone boxes and model
villages in), I decided to drop down to the road of a little bit which wouldn't
be any shorter but would allow me to make faster progress.
After rejoining the path and following it
down by the river I got to Alston. I took the South Tyne Trail
along by the steam railway and I started to make faster progress, rejoining the
trail at Kirkhaugh Station and crossing the river. At this point I was starting
to feel the distance and was a little worries about the time, knowing I had a
fair way to go. I organised to be picked up by the pub in Whitfield instead of
going back to Allendale - not too far from the end but I knew the route.
Anyway, the brief section on the road from
the river crossing was very pretty and I came within a few meters of a red
squirrel on the wall- I haven't seen one in years. The trail then veered off up
the side of the valley through some fields to Ayle. At this point I started to
feel something pulling slightly in my left hamstring but it didn't get any
worse. Another short section on the road and some backwards running up a hill
to help with the hamstring and the trail joined a track below some old mine
workings. I've seen these from the road above before and always been curious -
all part of the adventure.
Abandoned buildings above Nenthead |
Next it was up a rocky track and up over
the main road and past the pottery (another thing I've driven past many times
over the years but never gone into). Then it was back up onto the moors with
the sun getting lower in the sky and casting a lovely golden glow. At either
end of the track I came across some old rea advertisements attached to the gate
posts which was a nice curious touch. The views were stunning again in the
evening light as I got up over the moor and started the descent on the icy
track down towards Ninebanks. It was at this point I saw the only other runner
I saw that day, dressed in red and coming in the opposite direction. It turned
out to be my brother with two dogs which was a nice surprise - he had come with
my mum and dad to meet me in Ninebanks which was a nice moral boost - I had
started to feel a little tired.
My brother joined me for the last few
miles which was nice company having spent the previous several hours in my own
company. We carried on up the road, through the village and then up the hill
and through some final few fields and into the woods above Whitfield Hall. I
had a surprising amount of energy left and enjoyed the last few miles and it
was a lot more fun with the company.
I had only drunk 1.5 liters (all I had carried with me) over the course of the route and two and a half Clif Bars - not ideal for speedy progress but good practice I think (hope!). We made it down to the pub just after
4.30, completing 8 and a half hours and 32 miles of trail running - a great day
out and mini-adventure in a stunning part of the world that I now know that bit better... Onto the next one!
Much thanks for keep this data. click here
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