My next destination was Teesdale, a typical British market town. It
had a market area and the familiar sight of terraced houses lining the
main street. Surprisingly, the village also had a campsite with friendly
caretakers who offered me coffee while I pitched the tent. Their
kindness added to the already pleasant day.
Middleton-in-Teesdale – Chollerford - 61 Km
Although it was a beautiful sunny day, the first since my arrival in the
UK, biking was challenging. The way towards Chollerford led over the
North Pennines with hills of 20% gradients. However, the landscape
was picturesque and dotted by heather moors, deep valleys, rivers,
hay meadows, and timeless stone-built villages.
The going was immensely slow, with a few hills requiring walking the
bike. The road climbed out of the valleys only to descend into
another. I churned my way up the steep hills, eventually reaching the
famous Hadrian’s Wall, which I had imagined to be the Scottish
border, but that was not the case.
A cyclist met along the path pointed me towards a campsite where
various hikers, hiking the Hadrian’s Wall Route, were camping. The
many long-distance hiking routes I encountered made me want to
follow suit. I discovered I was firmly on the Pennine Hiking Trail,
Britain’s best-known and most demanding route.