Thanks to all involved. As always not easy.
Link to the photos I took
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KM2RRD81GY4ADNxF9
Both myself and Clare developed something of a wheeze coming down the long drag from Dun Fell. The long nature of that descent means you chill down much more than you expect.
Below are a few comments/thoughts:
1) The snack packs could probably do with some thinking about.
2) The section after the main event CP1 up to the wall will come as a bit of a surprise to some as it is very rough with no defined path, very easy to twist an ankle.
3) I can see many people sticking to/using the Roman Military way for all the sections where it exists. Far better territory than the wall, and without the queues.
4) The route at Haltwhistle to get out of the town under the railway line is not that obvious. At the complex junction look ahead for the white building with black stonework (the Railway Inn), and pass down the short RD between it and its outside seating space to zebra crossing. TL and TR with path to pass under railway on RD
5) I was expecting the railway track to be hard work, it wasnt possible because of the fairly significant gradient.
6) The Pennine Way south of Alston was shock to the system, simple due to the number of wall stiles that you had to cross (stone steps up jutting out the wall and a a small gap (sometimes with a gate at the top). The instruction at Bleagate took a little while to work out, realising that the gate was at parallel to us and where we went in the farm yard. Initially missed the stone seat at Low Scilly Hall and went down the wrong parallel path (the GPX is a bit off here)
7) The track at the rubbish area before coming into Garrigill is slightly up and to your left. If you follow the fence on the right you will miss it. Again the GPX is off here.
8) The track up Cross Fell was much better than I was expecting, and until within a mile or so of Gregs hut a recently graded stone track (must have cost the estate a lot to put in), It really is keep going straight up the track, no turns left or right.
9) The road down from Dun Fell is to die for (rope, gun, knife, pills, anything really). It is an almost 5 mile quite steep descent, on tarmac, the two cars which came up the track when we were going down came up at speed. As said above, this is a section where you are not putting much energy in and if it is cold put on extra layers at the top. (I had the layers, didnt think they were needed/realised too late, suffered as a result)
10) The ground conditions are very good (the only mud we found was the bog on the top of Cross Fell - but I found that up to my calf)
See you all at the end of the month!
Andy