17th July 2021
Whew, what a scorcher! I believe this was the hottest weekend of the year so far and at 30c+ it was certainly hard going! Macmillan had scheduled the Thames Path and Northumberland Coast on the same weekend and as I had done TP before I elected to travel to do the NC and had arranged with Macmillan to complete the TP on 12th June.
Again Macmillan had arranged a hike in a beautiful part of the country, starting at Alnwick castle (the locals stopped looking at me like I was an idiot when I realised it was pronounced “Annick” rather than “Aln-wick”) it is a largely flat route across countryside and then along the coastline and finishing at Bamburgh castle.
If ever there was a time to have had a backpack with a hydration bladder this was it as the heat was relentless and there was virtually no shade available outside of the rest stops. Macmillan had advised carrying a minimum of two litres of water and it was absolutely necessary. As an experienced hiker I was carrying 2.5 litres in my hydration bladder, and a 500ml bottle with electrolytes. I got through 9 litres of fluids on this hike without peeing at all during the day. I know a lot of people struggled wiuth hydration on this hike even with Macmillan lying on extra water stations along the route.
It was great to walk the last five or six miles of this hike with a young fellow called Peter O’Connor – a music teacher who really made those last miles go more easily with his company and conversation. It was also fab to see his face when he saw that his family was unexpectedly at the finish to greet him!
I really enjoyed this hike despite the heat and would recommend it if you are not one for hills, but as it was such a flat one it is unlikely I will do it again.
One point to note – my step sister Nicola was a mighty marshal on a lot of the Mighty Hikes this year and this was the first time I remembered to get a selfie with her! You will have seen her filling water bottles at the first pitstop, and at the extra filling stations on this hike.
I didn’t take the fantastic sunset shot over Bamburgh castle and cannot now remember which hiker it was – I hope they see it here and know what an amazing photo it is. And the last shot is of my suntanned legs after this hike… Honest!
