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Wednesday 7 May - We ate breakfast listening to the highly entertaining "Tan Hill Inn" soundtrack (unsurprisingly, yes, this pub does have its own soundtrack), before setting off on the 17 miles for Middleton-In-Teesdale.
Despite the lively Tan Hill Inn, all spirit and enthusiasm for today was quickly quashed on departure. The venue for this morning's walk was the never-ending and featureless moorland of Sleightholme, which was something like the consistency of porridge to walk in. Never has there been a more desperate and utterly hopeless trudge to nowhere. If it hadn't have been for the sudden disruption of the occasional RAF jet flying low over our heads, the tedium would have been total and absolute, and we probably would have given up all will to live somewhere in the middle of Sleightholme moor. The Pennine Way has so far been a delight and has far surpassed our expectations...to now be confronted by this monotony was unexpected, and this started to feel like the "business end" of the walk, particularly as we getting to the half way point today.
It did however gradually improve...we climbed over two lines of hills and into two valleys with reservoirs (and it was
somewhere here where we not only passed from Yorkshire into our fifth county, County Durham, but where we also momentously reached the half-way point of the Pennine Way!), before finally topping the third line of hills to descend into Teesdale. This was welcome relief indeed...the afternoon sun was out and there were fantastic views up and down the valley as we made our weary way down to Middleton-In-Teesdale.
Middleton is an attractive small market town, definitely worth a visit. Only 130 miles to go! (Photos to follow!)
If you would like to support us in our fundraising effort, please go to www.ectopic.org.uk/fundraising/?p=46. Thank you very much for your support and messages. Lavinia and Steve.
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