Wild Camp on the Pennine Way Byrness to Windy Gyle Day 16

Day 16 Byrness to Windy Gyle

Day sixteen 16 miles / 604m Ascent.

This was a tough day with over 1000 metres of ascent and torrential wind and rain which eventually cleared up by the time we reached our camp spot.
After walking back to the Pennine way path the day starts with a steep boggy hike up into ferns and slippy rocks.
Oh the wind, oh the sideways rain, past a firing range and on. The weather was ridiculous but flagstones kept our spirits high. There is also a boardwalk across the moor.
We skirted around a medieval village of Kemylpethe, a Roman fortlet which is just a slopey field.
Eventually the rain and wind died down and everything looked fantastic by the time we reached the mountain hut at Lamb Hill where we met Chris who had decided to spend his birthday here and sleep the night. We continued onwards.
The Cheviots are wonderful in good weather and things were looking better for us by now, we had battled through the rain and wind.
The little but long fence that separates England from Scotland is really interesting to walk along. The path is incredibly boggy even with a flag stone path. The views into Scotland and all around were just brilliant.
We saw some mountain goats and crossed into Scotland for the first time.
It was tempting to camp at Windy Gyle trig as the wind had died down but we made the right choice and continued on to a fantastic wild camp spot just off the Pennine Way path a bit further down the way.
We had a wonderful sunset which made a perfect end to a hard day.
No wind, some curious sheep, we slept really well.