Part two of Kev’s double-header was a short sprint more than a long distance walk. Like the 60m sprint at the indoor athletics.

We started out near the bridge at Warden and then dipped between the few pretty houses and picked up the footpath that leads down to the river bank of the South Tyne. After only about five minutes along the path we reached the confluence of this river and the North Tyne at a place known locally as Waters Meet. It’s a lovely spot with the two rivers making an almost symmetrical ‘Y’ shape as they meet and tumble seawards.

There was a fisherman standing at the exact meeting point of the two rivers, casting optimistically for salmon that are making their way upstream at this time of year. In a perfectly timed comedy moment a large salmon leapt from the water behind him as he cast his line obliviously in front of him.

We left him to his enjoyment and headed off through the sandy riverside grassland towards Hexham. As the footpath cut through a small copse and reached the cycle path by the Tyne Valley railway line, we headed back to the start. This section was easy going on tarmac that soon became a single track rod leading back to Warden.

We rewarded our exertions with a drink in the Boatside Inn.

2 miles