Long Walks–Alwinton to Windy Gyle and Back

I decided that, as part of TGO challenge training for next year (me and The Lad have places), instead of the usual training programme wot I do, which wasn't very effective, I would, instead, try to do a long walk each month between now and next April. By a long walk, I mean 20 miles and, maybe , a bit more. This means that I have to dream up a bunch of routes – or I could join the LDWA I suppose. My preference, I think would be to invent my own routes.
So, I have a walk designed for November and October’s walk was this one – Alwinton to Windy Gyle in the Cheviot Hills – originally thought to be 20 miles, but, with extra loops, turned out to be 23 miles. (dhuhh). However, this was a good thing, specially since the route did no damage and I also did  a nine mile walk with Wolsingham Wayfarers the next day.
LTD was less enthusiastic about the second walk, but once at the start, he was OK. I suspect he remembered the cold and wet parts of the Cheviot walk.

Li Yang decided she wanted to enjoy this walk too, and she told Diane and David who also came, as well, of course, as Lucky The Dog.
It was a day of heavy snow showers in the morning, clearing to blue skies and a Northerly wind , making the temperature on the top of Windy Gyle – at just a bit over 2000 feet, just around freezing, with an enormous wind-chill effect coming from somewhere really icy.
Our route was Clennel Street, diverting to Uswayford for a bit more distance, then up to the Border fence, along to Windy Gyle (brrr), a loop to Trow which David said I’d included on the map, but which I’d forgotten about, and back to Alwinton via the Usway Burn and Peth Pass, the ascent of which after 20 miles was a bit of a challenge. And, at the end, we got wet again.

I think we managed a dignified pace and came away unscathed and encouraged to do more of this stuff.
November’s walk is designed but without a date as yet, and , I think April’s will probably be the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
I’ll be carrying to headlights on these walks in the certainty that most of them will not be completed, or even started, in daylight.
Hopefully, by next May, I’ll be reasonably fit.