I agree to walk to Durham, with two of my Brother's-in-law (Peter and Phil). It is a bit of a long story as to why they wish to make this journey.
In brief, the McCafferys, are a family of ten, and their father used to, on occasion, walk the older members of the family to Durham (about 19 miles by the route they took) to visit relations. They would stay the night, and then walk back the next day. For some months now they have been talking of recreating the walk, out of pure nostalgia. In the event only two of the siblings were "up for it", the rest crying off with various illnesses real or imagined.
My wife (Kathleen) opts to drive the car to Durham to give us a lift back. I am co-opted as an honourary McCaffery, because I own an Ordnance Survey Map! I am also delegated the task of working out a suitable route. I often marvel at the similarities between the McCaffery siblings, they are most definately evidence of inherited characteristics. So now I am able to note another such character trait, their wonderful ability to delegate tasks. With such finely honed delegation skills they should surely have climbed the greasy pole of management with ease?
The original walks to Durham took place over fifty years ago (approximately), and this causes some discussion of how things have changed in that time. Working (class) people such as my parents and Kathleen's parents did not have telephones in those days (no not even land lines for any younger readers, mobile phones were a futuristic fantasy only worthy of Buck Rodgers on Saturday morning Cinema). So instant communication, even with relations who were only a few miles distant was not possible. Despite this it was not unusual to visit ones relations, turning up unexpectedly, typically on a Sunday. Not only did they not have telephones, but neither did they have fridges or freezers so fresh food had to be bought as and when required, and shops opened only Monday to Saturday, remaining firmly closed on Sundays. In those days it appeared, that despite these difficulties, you could always be fed and accomodated, even if you turned up unexpectedly.
At this time of year in North East England, daylight hours are limited, so we set off at 08:00 (just shortly after sunrise), on a crisp but clear day, with snow still lying on the ground.
Fifty or so years ago, when the McCaffery's made this walk as children, few people had cars and traffic was light. Not so now, so working from the trusty Ordnance Survey Map, I have planned a route which, wherever possible, uses public footpaths, cycle routes or minor roads, so that we do not have to compete with the traffic.
Our route takes us via a bridleway parallel with the A19 to Downhill Lane, then turning right along the B1290 past the Nissan Factory, before turning left through the industrial estate, here we walk along a road called "Cherry Blossom Way", presumably the name is an attempt by Sunderland Council to make the Japanese feel at home.
Eventually we turn left and follow a footpath over the A1251, Sunderland-Washington Highway, where we stop for a brief photography session.
Our route now takes us along the River Wear, heading west, following part of the coast to coast (C2C) cycle route, past the Washington Wildfowl Park. With Penshaw Monument visible on the other side of the river we enter the Sir James Steel Riverside Park,
eventually arriving at Cox Green, where we cross the River Wear walk along the riverside once more, before walking up steps cut into the steep hill side and head toward Penshaw Village. Here we stop outside the Grey Horse pub, partake of our coffee and chocolate biscuits, whilst watching the barmaid clear the snow from the path outside of the pub.
Suitably refreshed we walk through Shiney Row, Peter in his enthusiasm to complete the journey claims to be able to see the spire of Durham Cathederal at this point. I think he is hallucinating. Now a footpath running more or less due south, takes us to Fencehouses, via Success.
At this point our route becomes a little hazy, to be honest I had not thoroughly planned beyond this point, since I did not expect us to make it this far!
We walk through Fencehouses toward Rainton Gate, trusting in the fact that we are heading south (according to our boy scout knowledge of the position of the sun in the sky).Undetered, a quick consultation of the map, and it is decided we can walk via Rainton Gate Nature Reserve to pick up a path toward West Rainton.
As we walk through the Nature Reserve we pass several lakes, which are frozen over and have hundreds of birds sitting on the ice. Our bird spotting skills are not up to recognising anything other than Gulls and Curlews however.
We arrive at West Rainton, alongside the church whose spire we have been able to see since Shiney Row and here we stop for coffee and sandwiches. At this point I find I have been shortchanged in the "looking after" department. Peter has sandwiches lovingly prepared by his wife, Val. Phil has homemade Quiche thanks to his wife Evelyn. I have sandwiches made by myself.
Now the end is in sight, it is clear that the dire predictions of us freezing to death in a snow drift, being lost in freezing fog, being swept away by an overflowing river, or being shot by an irate farmer as we trespass on his land are not to be. These are but a few of the predictions of the outcome of this foolhardy adventure from our respective wives and other (stay at home) members of the family McCaffery.
We walk on crossing the busy dual carriageway (A690) at West Rainton (by far the most scary part of our journey), and head toward Pittington along a fairly minor road. Just past the Blacksmiths Arms (the scene of many enjoyable evenings of drinking in my younger days),
we join a footpath which takes us across the fields to the outskirts of Durham. I take the opportunity to phone Kathleen and let her know we shall be arriving shortly, this turns out to be a little premature.
My estimate of "only about 1.5 miles to go" at this point proves a little optimistic as the path stretches ahead, with no signs of "civilisation". We walk on through this beautiful landscape, collecting a suntan as we go, despite the snow on the ground, and arrive at the outskirts of Durham City. I hand over responsibility for route finding to Peter and Phil, who both claim to know how to find the Nelthorpe residence.
My confidence in their abilities to do so is not helped by Phil's story of an earlier (attempted) visit by bicycle when he failed to find their house.
But faint heart never won fair lady (as the saying goes), and soon we cross the A1(M) via an underpass and negotiate a few more streets before arriving at the Nelthorpe residence.
We arrive at 14:20, so it has taken us just 6:20 to walk 17.4 miles, not bad in my humble opinion.
Kathleen and Evelyn (Phil's wife) have already arrived by car,
here Kathleen makes herself at home with "Aunt" Mary, who at 90 years old is still in fine form.
we are greeted by a delegation of Nelthorpe's (Ross, Alison, Jackie and Lynne) who we are told have gathered there especially to see us, how kind of them.
The fact that we three have chosen to re-live one of the epic McCaffery walks, is cause for much amusement and an afternoon of reminising ensues.
This being a McCaffery (and their relations) event, the consumption of alcohol and the singing of songs soon follow.
Ross and Lynne tell us they are enthusiastic walkers and I believe a promise was extracted from them, for them to make the journey to Jarrow (on foot of course), at some time in the near future.
Acknowledgement to Phil's artisticly executed photographs.
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