hi guys, the trail is very soft (slight under statement) but there is a steady trail of hardy souls coming through. I thought I would post about a family that has just stayed with us(at Byrness) to give anyone who was worrying about doing it a bit more confidence.They were a family from Luxembourg with two little fellas of 11 & 13 called Garry & Kendy.They have walked it from Edale in one go,(and they were running around the garden after they got here last night), they are due to finish on Tuesday afternoon. congratulations boys.

Edale to Bryness in one day at that age - now that really is an achievement !

funny bloke in one go as oppossed to doing it in stages i.e. over several weekends. However they didn`t look at all wrecked like the other 7 (older) pennine wayers who were here the same night.

Joyce, just out of interest, how many people a week do you get coming through doing the Way?

I have just counted and in the last 7 days 29 pennine wayers have stayed this is higher than usual for August because of the rain,as many campers are sick of the constant wet and they are taking the chance of one last comfy night in a bed before tackling the cheviot.May,June & early July then Sep & Oct are the normal busy times as people feel they will need to carry less water than doing it in the height of the summer?(what summer) Joyce Forest View

Joyce. Thanks for that clarification. How many days did the Luxemburgers spend walking the Pennine Way ?

19 days with some rest days but I cant remember how many as there was two family groups and a couple of german guys all sitting chatting and comparing times and numbers of rest days.
A guy has come up today and he missed out Bellingham and is going straight through to Kirk yetholm tomorrow that is two very long days in a row but he is very fit. He runs 30 mile races!!

Joyce. While not wishing to belittle the Luxemburger's rambling, I think it's a sad reflection of today's society that walking thirteen miles a day is seen as such an achievement. In early Victorian times children would do that distance six days a week just to get to the mill for a twelve hour day, and that was on a diet of bread and dripping, but those urchins were probably healthier than today's couch potatoes who will only eat junk food and rarely walk more than thirteen yards a day. It's no wonder so many people are saying that the government should bring back National Service.

You may have a point but the trail from bellingham up to us in the last 3 weeks has been thigh deep in mud for the adults,the little urchins were almost swimming in mud.With regard to child health now compared to bygone days you are most correct there is nothing like a bit of plague,pestilence and ringworm for improving the fitness of the young.
Personally I prefer to aplaud youngsters who do something which requires effort.

Joyce, While I can't share your enthusiasm for 'plague, pestilence and ringworm' it has to be admitted that when such conditione were rife you never heard people moaning about the elderly being a burden on society nor were there any massive pension fund deficits. It is indeed rare now to see youngsters doing much constructive that requires effort.