More photos from John Petch of the Wooler section

Thanks John.....Enjoy

Day 12 Mitford to Ovington Mission Accomplished

Broadsword calling Danny Boy......... Broadsword calling Danny Boy.........Mission accomplished!!!!

The Northumbria Border Trek has been completed on schedule.

Well what a fantastic final day!

The team set off from Mitford around 8.15 picking up various people on the way and by the time they got to the Ponteland area there must have been around 25 people walking. The rain held off until early afternoon then absolutely soaked us all, never the less this didn't dampen spirits one jot. The lunchtime rest halt was at Jane's house in the Crescent where some lovely soup amongst other things were being handed out. More photos taken then onwards for the final push to Ovington. At one stage I found myself near the front following Pauline and she had such a head of steam on I thought we were about to start Jogging :-) Although it was quite wet and miserable at times the walk seemed to pass really quickly and in no time at all we were walking through the Whittle Dene up along the lonnen and into a great welcoming party for the Maidwell. Keith from Winships did a fantastic job with a drop of champers and free drinks for the walkers well done Keith. I don't know about anyone else but as Andy was going around shaking hands and kissing the girls I felt quite overwhelmed and emotional. I think the enormity of what the big man had achieved was just starting to sink in. I will be the the first to hold my hand up and say I thought he might have bitten of more than he could chew. I was wrong! The man has an inner strength of massive proportions to complete twelve days of long distance walking. Well done mate!

The day wasn't finished yet! We all gathered back at Winships for a celebration evening of fabulous food and fine wine. Many of the hardened walkers turned up very smartly dressed and everyone looked so fit glowing and well. The conversation and company was just the best and one of the best nights out I've personally had for a very long time.

Just before 23.00 Andy took to the floor and gave an account of the Trek which was both hilarious and moving, followed by his dad saying a few words in response.....Just brilliant!

The total on the just giving website is not far short of £10,000 for the NSPCC and I'm sure I heard a mention of an overall figure of £20,000 being raised? What an effort by all involved.

I think It just remains for me to say once again very very well done Andy a brilliant effort we are all so proud of you..........What next?

Click on this link and turn up your speakers for our piesta resistance http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/jw.wallis/AndySNorthumbriaTrek#5396535191030448386

Click on the link below and click slide show to see some photos supplied by Margaret Maidwell of the Saturday night at Winships.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/jw.wallis/blog#

Over and out from your Blog Master John Wallis x

Alnmouth to Mitford south of Morpeth

Mitford calling Mitford calling.....The boys are at their final stop on this massive walk around Northumberland. Today Andy reports a great walk south bound along the coastline via Duridge Bay where the R.A.F gave their blessing to the walk by a low level fly past from a 600 knot Tornado which sent Ben? the spaniel running into the sea after it :-) Spaniels I rest my case! The team left the coast and headed inland down past Morpeth and finally around 18.00 tonight arrived at Mitford. Here we are the penultimate day and Andy is still refusing to say he's nailed the walk just in case something goes wrong tomorrow...It won't.

The team are setting off on the last 21 miles tomorrow morning at 8.15 from Mitford and hope to have a lunch stop in Darras Hall between 12.00 and 13.00. The rendezvous will be the junction of Western Way and the Crescent. If you can make it and join Andy for the final section I'm sure that would make his day and compliment this incredible achievement.

Day 10 Seahouses to Alnmouth

Andy reports a most excellent day today with great scenery and excellent waves. The team walked down through some classic Northumbrian coastline today and if Carlsberg did coastlines it would have to be Northumberland. They walked through Beadnell, Newton, Embleton, Dunstanburgh, Craster, and finally into the Red Lion at Alnmouth around 17.30. Andy reports they managed to do 3 crosswords en route today :-) One of Andy's colleagues Cliff Thornton also joined them along the route. Tomorrow is the penultimate day and they hope to make it to Mitford south of Morpeth ready for the big push back to Ovington.

What a truly remarkable effort this had been.

Day 9 Holy Island to Seahouses

Had the report from Andy tonight and he has made it to Seahouses....A very wet Seahouses. He reports a long hard walk today along the coast with fellow walkers Simon, Tony, Ian and Mike. Although it was very wet and miserable the views of the waves crashing and the smell of the sea air made it a complete contrast to the previous part of the walk. The team arrived in Waren Mill where they also had lunch and a bit of respite from the elements. After lunch they rounded Budle Bay and continued into the headwind all the way to Seahouses. Well done guys unfortunately the forecast doesn't look any better for tomorrow.

Thanks to Simon Harper for the photos

Day 8 Wooler to Holy Island

The report today is that the walk from Wooler to Holy Island was a pleasant experience with a great crowd of 15 walkers. The trek today took in part of the St Cuthbert's Way then the team had lunch at St Cuthbert's Cave. This was followed by a bit of erratic map reading but was soon sorted possibly by divine intervention :-) They then risked life and limb crossing the A1 followed by the crossing of the East Coast Main Line. They got to the Holy Island causeway for 14:20 having to run the last 400 yards to catch their lift and then arriving at Holy Island at 15:00. Andy reports that it's good to finish the high level hill section and he's looking forward to walking down his favorite bit of coastline in the UK (Well it really is a bit special isn't it)Tomorrow he will be heading south towards Seahouses and home.

Photos to follow when folk get home and sorted but here's a couple from Jennifer Bernhart from an earlier section to keep you going.

Photos to jw.wallis@gmail.com

Day 7 Chew Green to Wooler

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!

Sorry but I'm getting really excited now this is looking really good.

The day started at 7.00am from Chew Green the biggest and most strenuous section of the walk. Fellow walkers for this important leg were Peter Bernhart, Alan Rodham, Nigel Davison, and Graeme Bunn (I hope I've got the names correct) They all started off in the dark with mist down to the ground making their way along the border ridge passing such famous places as Lamb Hill, Beefstand Hill, Mozzie Law, Russell's Cairn on Windy Gyle and finally Cheviot all in very poor visibility and very very cold and windy...A Man's section!

Anyone who was out walking yesterday may have seen a Dutch plated land rover type vehicle with what looked like a pair of mercenaries in it. Our car passed them as it went dark on our way off the military ranges wondering what they were up to. Well Andy and the guys came across them camped up on the Pennine Way today, goodness knows what they were up to?

I digress! The guys descended down Cheviot and onwards toward Wooler and the Tankerville Arms for food refreshments hot bath and bed. Andy reported tonight that the leg took 11 hours in pretty grim weather conditions. What a bloody brilliant effort by all involved! I know this was a big psychological section for Maidwell but he's cracked it and now it almost seems like a leisurely walk to Holy Island. Bloody well done lads!

I'm told photos to follow

JW

Day 6 Kielder Castle to Chew Green

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Wow what a turn out today at Kielder,must have been 18 people or more plus dogs having the time of their lives. A 9.30 start gave folk a bit more time to get up to Kielder Castle and the start which was the forest drive. Lots of chit chat as we walked the 12 miles of the forest drive, but the weather wasn't playing ball as the cloud lowered and the drizzle started. It was pretty cold and grim until we got to Byrness where it looked a little more promising. After refreshments at the caravan site most of the group said their farewells leaving 9 walkers to complete the big climb on to the border ridge and the Pennine Way. This cleared the cobwebs from the lungs and killed the conversation for a while at least. Once on the top the weather closed in again and the visibility was poor. Compass bearing and back up GPS saw us all disappear into the mist. The wind picked up the drizzle continued and the going under foot was very wet and boggy, someone disappeared in the bog right up to his b*****s not good! As we reached the highest point on this leg the viz was grim but as we started to descend things changed and the cloud base went up a little letting us navigate much easier. This pretty tough section finished at Chew Green Roman Camp where various cars got people back to civilization....A good day!

Day 5 Bellingham To Kielder

Today's section started from the Riverdale Hall Hotel in Bellingham with what looks like the biggest gathering of friends and family to date. Today's route was to follow the North Tyne up to Kielder Water, a beautiful walk by all accounts. The lunch spot was to be the Eastern tip of the reservoir, followed by the long and arduous trek along the Northern side of Kielder Water itself. Some of the group broke away and managed to get disorientated (Maidwell wasn't one of them) However they managed to re-group before the finish in Kielder village.

Day 4 Greenhead to Bellingham

Day 4 Greenhead to Bellingham is reported by the man himself as the longest and hardest section yet!

Starting off from Greenhead at 8.30 and not getting into Bellingham until 18.20. The weather has been brilliant for walking and the views from Hadrian's Wall and the forests north were breath taking, what a fabulous county we live in we're so lucky. The high light of the day was to be from a "Pug" called Roxy who was brought along by Steve and Billy from Response Engineering. Roxy decided to go AWOL in the forest and was gone for 30 min's causing a bit of a panic. Roxy was eventually recovered and the team continued onto Bellingham and the Riverdale Hall where food and drink were taken on board and I believe some remedial work carried out on the feet.

JW

Day 3 Allendale to Greenhead

Poor old Jane became a casualty today as her back had been given her some trouble on day 2 so she had to drop out as she was in a lot of pain. She's told me she will be back hopefully on Monday after some treatment and rest. Jane's taken 2 weeks holiday to complete this monster walk with Andy and she's been training like hell and got herself very fit, both Andy and Jane are gutted she's had to pull out. Best wishes Jane!

The team today consisted of Andrew Nigel Colin and Simon. The weather was overcast but dry. We crossed the Allen Valley to Whitfield then up and across Plenmeller to Lambley Viaduct before heading north through Featherstone Castle in the South Tyne Valley some 22 miles. There are blisters a plenty today.

The team have now reached 25% of the distance.

Day 4 Friday takes the team to Bellingham.

Day 2 Blanchland to Allendale Via Allenheads

Day 2 started just after 8.00 from the Lord Crew, the team consisted of Andrew Jane Fern Geoff Paul James Rob and myself. We made good time onto the Blanchland moors heading west until we made a navigational error at a multi junction on the moors. A slight correction soon seen us back on track however the track disappeared and we had to go onto a compass bearing and eventually picked up the main track again, the going was heavy and tough. We enjoyed lunch on the moors a few miles short of Allenheads. Once in Allenheads we topped up our fluids at the cafe then set off along the Allen Valley looking for the Isaac tea trail. After walking for several miles through fields with very poor tracks we came across the Elusive Trail and thank Christ for that!http://www.teatrail.info/ We made our way into Allenheads and had a couple of well earned pints.

Just a word of warning if you're thinking about doing a day with Andy be sure your fitness level is pretty reasonable as these are big days of walking and demand a lot of stamina.

JW

Day 1 Ovington to Blanchland

Well what a great send off the team had this morning from Winships in Ovington. I was really quite surprised when I turned up to see the press and many of Andy's friends and colleagues. The report from the team is that the first day went very well with only a couple of navigation errors and one irate farmer that wouldn't let them continue on his land. The lunchtime stop was to be the Rose and Crown in Slaley where the land lord let them eat their sarnies in the warmth of his pub while they supped a half of ale, well done that man. The team arrived in Blanchland after 21.5 miles....A canny start to this monster walk. Day 2 starts at 8.00 from the Lord Crew in Blanchland.

Anyone who is doing parts of the walk that can send me photos of the day would be most excellent. Please send them to jw.wallis@gmail.com