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Week 5, 28th – 3rd June, Hexham to
Barnoldswick, 104 miles
On Monday morning, before breakfast, Grant
went out to see Marv and was greeted with his customary morning
whinny. It is guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s
face and is repeated when asked for until he gets his food.
Marv was waiting at the gate and was positively raring to
go, pushing towards Grant as he entered the field and pawing
the ground impatiently. His eagerness to set off was contagious
and after a hearty breakfast Grant wasted no time tacking
up and trotted Marv into Hexham.
Grant had initially planned to stay in a village called Blanchland,
so that was where I was headed. Northumberland is somewhere
he would definitely like to come back to. On arriving at the
village, I explained to the first person I met what Grant
was doing and asked if they knew of anywhere I would be able
to put a horse and a tent. I could not have met a more helpful
family. Christopher and Nelleke invited me into their home
(bearing in mind most people were still having their breakfast
at this time) sat me down and with in minutes I had a cup
of tea in front of me. Not long after that Christopher had
rung numerous friends in order to track down a couple they
knew who had a field on route. I left them to meet Grant for
lunch but not before they had made me a thermos of herbal
tea to take for him.
On my way to meet the pair of them and Maisie, I received
a phone call from Grant to say that Maisie had been stung
by something and that her eye was swollen and shut. Not surprisingly
she was feeling very sorry for herself and Grant, after checking
it, just wanted to make sure she was ok and to let me know.
After displaying legendary map reading skills,
I actually asked Grant which way south was then met them soon
after on the edge of a wood. Marv was left to graze whilst
Grant had a quick bite to eat. Marv was being slightly defiant
and rather than graze, kept trying to sneak past the car and
head back in the direction he had just come. As he obviously
did not need a rest and had no interest in eating it seemed
sensible to carry on. Fool of a horse, has he not realised
that the rest is more for his benefit!
Because they were making good time Grant decided to carry
on past Blanchland to a small village called Townfield. As
he was travelling off-road we agreed to meet just before reaching
the village to decide how much further he wanted to go that
day. I got there first with Maisie, whose eye was already
improving. As soon as Marv came around the corner and saw
the car he made a beeline over and proceeded to put his head
through the window to see what I had for him. Needless to
say he was rewarded with an extra strong mint or two. Maisie
thought this was the best game ever and made a sudden and
full recovery, in so doing lost any sympathy we had had for
her.
Grant made the decision to carry on over
the moor. This added about another 5 miles on to the day but
it was still early and Marv was on good form. By doing the
extra miles, it would make a considerable difference to the
following day, which was exceptionally steep and at 24 miles,
a very long day. I was sent on ahead to try and find a field
for Marv and somewhere we could pitch the tent. The moor was
a total contrast to Hexham.
We had now left Northumberland and were
in County Durham. The change in scenery was evident as soon
as we started to climb but none more so than when you reached
the moor. I was lucky enough to find a perfect location just
the other side. It was a farmhouse literally at the end of
the road and exactly where Grant wanted to be. The farmer,
Ian, was wonderful. I had obviously interrupted him whilst
having lunch but he still invited me straight into his house.
After explaining what Grant was doing and what we needed,
the offer of a field was immediate. As I left to find Grant,
Ian was calling Jackie (his wife) to let her know that we
would be staying and to inform his daughter that the horse
she would see in the field on her return was not an early
present. Apparently she has wanted a horse like Marv for a
while.
By now it was getting pretty cold and the
wind had really picked up. Crossing the moor was not going
to be particularly pleasant but would be well worth it. I
met Grant at the summit with the news that I had found a great
farm, in what I thought was a perfect location. By now it
was approaching 17.00 and both Marv and Grant were ready to
finish for the day.
The farm was exactly what was required
and on arrival Marv spent no time in getting acquainted with
the sheep and the chickens that he would be sharing with.
Maisie fronted the sheep and got the shock of her life when
they chased her. She eventually resorted to hiding behind
Marv. Once Marv was settled and had been fed we set the tent
up and Grant had a chance to sort his kit out. The evening
had totally changed and now the sun was shining providing
welcome warmth for all. We met Ian’s wife Jackie and
daughters who had just been to a county show. Marv was rewarded
with some horse treats before they left us for the evening.
We had the use of a tack room - which had electricity and
hot water; this was an added bonus and provided a great makeshift
kitchen for the night.
The following morning I left Grant and Marv
in the early hours to head back to Edinburgh. It was a horrible
morning, the rain was lashing down and the wind was whipping
around the tent. Marv looked dejected and thoroughly fed up,
Grant didn’t look much happier either. Later on when
Ian and Jackie were up they moved Marv into a stable and rugged
him up to try to dry him off. The weather did not improve
and the pair headed off up the first steep hill towards Westgate,
fighting against a cold biting wind. Both Marv and Grant were
tired and the going was slow. Once through Westgate Grant
rode Marv for a while before they hit another long and steep
climb where he once again dismounted and walked. As expected,
the day was proving to be tough. The going was not great and
the gradients were proving challenging for both Marv and Grant.
After a slow descent into Newbiggin the pair stopped for lunch
where Grant fell asleep whilst Marv grazed. Grant had not
been feeling well all day and had been struggling to keep
up an even pace. By his own admission he had not been drinking
enough water and being dehydrated was not going to help him.
Add to that the cold and the rain and it is easy to see how
quickly you could go down and how important it is to take
care of yourself.
It was then onto a B road and the final
leg of the day. This took them through a lovely village called
Middleton in Teesdale, before heading up a final hill to Low
Selset where they were met by Les Spark the maker of the Free
N Easy saddle Grant was using. After an interview with a local
paper Grant un-tacked Marv and let him loose in a nearby field.
It was a lovely evening and after a great dinner and a couple
of glasses of wine, Grant and Les had a chance to talk about
the saddle and how it was performing. The saddle, after Marv,
was Grants most expensive purchase. It had been chosen after
a lot of research and many conversations with endurance riders
and Les. But it was still a risk as to whether it would live
up to expectations.
From Grants point of view, he could not
have been happier with the saddle. The pair have covered over
600 miles and been travelling for just over five weeks with
not a saddle sore or rub in sight. Les, although happy wanted
to have a look at the saddle and assure himself that it was
sitting in the right place and still contouring Marvs back.
He could not have been more thorough. The Free N Easy saddle
has proven itself to be well and truly up to the job and the
aftercare service that Grant has received has been nothing
short of fantastic. Grant also purchased a new neoprene girth
for Marv.
Wednesday morning heralded a change to
the normal routine. Grant had decided that Marv’s front
shoes needed replacing. Les had managed to find William Moor,
a farrier, who with very little notice, had kindly said he
would be able to fit him in. This meant boxing Marv to a nearby
farm house, which did not go down to well with him at all,
after 5 weeks on the road he saw no reason to change the routine.
Once shod the pair returned to Low Selset and set off to Kirby
Stephen at midday. Grant was still not feeling particularly
well.
It was a cold and windy day and the road
up to Lungdale, as well as being stunning, allowed for plenty
of trotting. They then climbed up to the highest point of
the pass. It was near here at Warcop Ranges (yes, another
military establishment) that Grant had completed his P Company
20 miler!
By the time he had reached this point Grant
realised the 24”girth he had bought was actually going
to be slightly too small. One phone call to Les and an hour
later he appeared with a new girth that he had also tailored
to Marv, you do not get much better service than that.
They continued into the next village (Brough)
for a juice and mint stop before stopping by the A66 for a
spot of grazing. It was here they met Captain Wall from 12
Regt RA, who stopped for a quick chat. This seemed to act
as a spur for the pair as they made great time down the A685
towards Kirby Stephen with plenty of trotting and cantering.
On reaching the town they met a great guy who offered Marv
some horse nuts and carrots. 1 ½ miles south of Kirby
Stephen was Nateby, where Grant got talking to Malcolm a local
farmer who offered him a field for the night. Once Grant had
settled Marv and set up his Basha, Malcolm came over and the
two of them had a very poignant chat. Malcolm knew first hand
the devastating effect the news that someone close to you
has cancer can have. To Grant, this just reconfirmed to him
why he was doing this ride.
After an initial early morning wake up,
Grant managed to sleep until 08.30 It was a lovely morning
and after a breakfast of warm alpen (powdered milk mixes better
when heated on the gas stove apparently) he began to pack
his kit up. Marv had crossed the small bridge that was in
the field and was asleep, happily unaware of what was going
on around him. It was only as Grant finalised his packing
that Marv, realising it was time to go, headed on over of
his own accord.
They left Nateby and headed up a track
and on to the dales and followed the route of the railway
line, crossing it twice. Most of the trains that passed were
freight trains and Marv was generally uninterested, the same
could be said about the free air show he was getting. Grant
on the other hand thoroughly enjoyed the fly past of military
planes including Tornado’s, Apache’s, Spitfire’s
and various others I can not decipher from his handwriting.
At about midday it started to rain and
the rest of the afternoon was spent diving for cover in and
under an assortment of trees, barns and bridges. The rate
of travel was getting progressively slower with Marv literally
plodding along. He had a ‘stupid’ attack at the
sight of a gypsy caravan heading towards him but was otherwise
oblivious to the traffic. As they progressed further they
came across more and more horses, some tied on the side of
the road and Grant indulged in a bit of friendly banter. They
were all heading to an annual horse fair that was to be held
in Appleby.
A quick takeaway bagette was bought at
a remote pub, and then it was on towards Dent and back in
to Cumbria (having been on the edge of Yorkshire for a while).
The pair went past Garsdale railway station, where they were
met by Chris, Grants godmother. After a brief chat Grant and
Marv set off up a steep hill, climbing to 1750ft to the summit
and an amazing view. They were met again by Chris and Graham
with some lunch, and Chris then walked in with them down to
their house. On the way they passed Dent Station, the highest
in the UK and great views of the nearby viaducts. The final
descent to Dent Dale Road was steep. Once at East Stone House
Marv had the run of 2 acres around the house and Grant could
see him from his bedroom window. When Marv was settled, Grant
had an opportunity to grab a bath and a quick snooze before
having tea. It had been a fairly long haul and by 21.00 he
turned in, still with a headache and sore feet to boot.
Grant and Marv left Cowgill the following
morning with Chris and Graham, who walked with them for the
first hour. Missie, their neighbours boisterous Highland Terrier
also came along, so all together it was a good start to the
day. They rode alongside an amazing stream, bedded with limestone.
The rock had been eroded into some incredible shapes by the
water. After passing the viaduct and reaching the top of the
hill he said his farewells and headed south for Ribblesdale.
They travelled along a scenic road with dry stone walls on
both sides before following the Settle to Carlisle railway
line. The road was busy with a lot of motorbikes, luckily
for Grant, Marv had decided that motorbikes were no longer
anything to be bothered by.
Friday was turning out to be a very hot
day, and the area alongside another superb viaduct was covered
with people picnicking and enjoying the view. The mood was
very relaxed and both Grant and Marv were soon caught up in
it. Grant took the opportunity to call James Lanx, a great
friend of his who had recently reached the summit of Everest,
while Marv took advantage of the plentiful clover. Then it
was a couple of juice, carrot, apple and water stops before
passing a signpost stating that it was 4 miles to Stainforth,
(that evenings destination). The road was getting very busy
with a lot of traffic from the local quarry. Although not
a problem for either horse or rider it was still with some
relief that the pair reached the village and found them selves
a field for the night, courtesy of Mr Hennigan, who was house
sitting for his son Tony. The field was ideal with some long
deep grass for Marv who later that night got comfortable and
spent the night snoring.
It was the last day before a rest day.
Both Marv and Grant were ready for a day off, none more so
than Marv whose nose appeared in the bivi bag very early in
the morning. Unfortunately Grant had nothing more to offer
than wine gums, which did not go down well with Marv. After
a night of good grass Marv really had little to complain about.
The pair set off along a busy road before heading off down
a lane passed Settle. It was then through Giggleswick, and
past their Oval cricket ground before crossing the A65. Before
reaching the junction at Wigglesworth they came across a Horse
Spa, where Grant was tempted to check Marv in.
It was a roasting hot day, and as they
passed a pub Grant stopped to get a bucket of water for Marv,
who immediately turned his nose up at it. Not long after,
Mark - who is responsible for the great website and Vicki,
his girlfriend arrived and they stopped for lunch. Marv benefited
as usual, Vicki had bought him strawberries - which he loved.
Unfortunately on departing he managed to tread on, and smash
Grants camera which had been left in a jacket on the ground.
It was not Marv’s fault but none the less very annoying.
Luckily for Grant, Mark and Vicki were on hand to go and buy
a new one for him. Now Marv was thirsty, the puddles he tried
were not to his taste so Grant had to find him a trough.
They rode along some quiet lanes before
passing through Barnoldswick, and heading on to Stainforth.
Initially they had no joy finding a field for the evening.
Mark and Vicki went on ahead and found a great livery yard
run by Jackie and Howard Bradley who were more than happy
to have the pair to stay. Marv enjoyed a thorough hose down
before retiring to his field for a good roll and a big feed.
Vicki and Mark were camping with Grant and once the tents
were up, Mark cooked a superb dinner and then it was down
to the Anchor for a few drinks.
Guest Diary Entry by Mark (C-D)
Sunday was a very relaxed day. Finally poking
my head out of the tent at a lazy 08:20 I [Mark] spotted Marv
waiting patiently at Grants tent for his morning feed. On
spotting me he hastily came over before going and standing
with his nose against the glass of the rear door of the LandRover
staring at the bag of feed in the back.
Grant and Vicki were not long in getting
up. Then with Marv fed, I set about sorting their bacon rolls.
With the morning’s personal admin sorted my parents
came down to see Marv, and of course Grant. Marv got plenty
of attention, affection and an entire carrier bag of treats
which left my father wondering if there was any fruit or veg
left in the fridge at home.
Vicki decided to go back with my parents
to their house to get a shower, while myself and Grant got
a wash in the yard and drove into Skipton. The balmy day was
spent walking round the beautiful old town where the entire
main street had been blocked off for a classic car show. We
ambled around both this and a farmers market before relaxing
outside a café next to the Leeds Liverpool canal and
waited for a short barge trip. Then it was a drive back via
the chip shop in Barnoldswick, leaving grant in his bivi and
Marv getting familiar with the horses in the surrounding fields.
Many thanks to the people below whom kindly
provided grazing and shelter for Marv and for some of those
nights a bed, food and good company for Grant. He would also
like to thank all those along the route for their good wishes,
encouragement and sponsorship.
Monday - Lintzgarth – Jackie and Ian
Tuesday – Low Selset – Les Spark
Wednesday – Nateby – Malcolm
Thursday - Cowgill – Chris and Graham
Friday – Stainforth – Mr Hennigan, Tony Hennigan
Saturday and Sunday- Barnoldswick – Jackie and Howard
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