Malt whisky did the trick! My wife’s father finished the walk in 43 hours and 42 minutes, crossing the finish line in Hexham at 5.42am. What an achievement! (I still think he’s mad, though). We all cheer and clap as the final walkers cross the line just a few minutes before the 10am deadline, and then we drive to the cottage in Nenthead that my wife’s parents have rented, for coffee and a bite to eat. My wife and I leave Nenthead at lunchtime to drive back home to Norfolk, stopping off in Chesterfield to visit my wife’s grandmother, who is delighted to see us.
We arrive back in Southrepps shortly before 10pm, unload the car, quaff a bottle of Hobgoblin each and then get off to bed.