Berwick Round

Last day! :(  I have soooooooooo enjoyed being at my home and I know tomorrow is going to break my heart as we travel back to Leicester. Not that there is anything wrong with our lives in Leicester - I love my job, I love the people, I enjoy my home, I love my church family and have lovely friends. It will be a long time before I can return as the cottage is now booked till September. Well there is a couple of weeks free in August, but I know from experience that they will be booked soon. It just feels as if I have two lives and I am being split in half leaving. I also know a couple of days being back in Leicester that I will be acclimatised and comfortable. Any way back to today. With the weather being a bit gloomy we spent the day doing  bits and bobs. Returning trousers to the shop because stitching had come undone. Paying bills, banking cheques, stocking up on supplies for keeping the cottage clean etc.

Rather different view of Berwick - looking all misty.

Note that you cannot see the top of the spire!

Saw these books for sale in a shop window - but don't they rather defeat the object of having a password! My information governance hat is screaming at the window - burn them!

Time for lunch and head off to The Corner House Cafe. I had a delicious squash and coconut soup, whilst Mr P had a fruit scone. We also played scrabble and sadly I lost. Scrabble is one of my favourite games and I often play it on my ipad, 98% time winning. Goes against the grain to loose.

Last trip to a rather misty Holy Island.

Spot where the castle is? It made us realise how sad it would be not to have the castle there. Well time to unwind and do some knitting. Sadly back to once or twice weekly blogs. Thanks for following my holiday adventures.

Flask Crawl

After both of us having an energetic day yesterday today we decided to take things a little easier. With the sun shining beautifully and knowing tomorrow is rain we headed south to Howick to walk along the coastal path to Craster.

So lovely to see the cows out of the sheds and onto the fields.

The views along this coastline are spectacular.

First flask stop - watching the seagulls.

Seemed strange to see lambs by the sea - guess I've spent the week seeing them roaming the fields.

Eventually we reached Craster. It is famous for smoking kippers. I know I have seen Craster Kippers for sale in Waitrose, in Leicester. This is a perfect spot for having a second flask stop and lunch.

After a long leisurely lunch we started to walk back.

We hadn't walked too far before we had another rest and enjoyed watching the tide coming in. But also with the sun blazing we both felt rather sleepy and yes we did fall asleep. I was very surprised that I fell asleep.

I had no idea that I had really gone into a deep sleep!

We were not the only ones asleep!

We managed another stroll before we had our final flask stop!

What a lovely sunny day we had.


Change of subject - it is a TAH DAH moment! Midnight last night I managed to finish crocheting my bag. Mr P says it isn't very practical. I said to quote words used by my No 1 daughter (when legitimising buying more shoes) "It's an investment piece and you don't have to worry about whether I am the right size for it".

Well I'm pleased with the bag and the colours make me feel happy.

Drama In The Village

Drama 1.
Mr P got up very early to drive to Scotland and I realised I was awake so I got up put the washing on and made myself a cup of tea to take back to bed. The next thing I know is it is 9.20am!!!!!!! Aargh I never lie in till this time, it's all wrong, half the day has gone. Mr P had even left me two messages on the phone and my mobile, saying he'd arrived safely and was starting the first munro! So I try to make amends by trying to speed along my dopey body. That was my first drama.
Drama 2
The second came as I was hanging out the washing. I heard something break and when I look across the road I can see broken glass.

These are shards of glass - they looked like something out of Midsomer Murders. Went to see the farmer and he said he had just walked into the barn and disturbed a pigeon who decided to go through a pane of glass! Can't see a dead bird so am presuming it survived its kamikaze flight.

Drama 3
Was speaking to my friend Mrs A. She has been very unwell and I felt so bad not having been around to support her. I won't go into the details of her illness, as that's not fair on her to publicise it but all of you as you read this please could you pray that she gets better soon. This weekend is Mrs A's birthday and she's supposed to be having a special weekend in London. I kind of reckon if we all pray God will get fed up of listening to us all, sort of being nagged and will make Mrs A better.


Have decided that today has been a day of not doing what I have planned to do. One was o be up early, second decision was to make a walk to Lowick to get a bottle of wine and come back home to do some crochet. Well I set off in glorious sunshine, enjoying walking from my home into new paths.

Enjoying seeing the wildlife, these pretty primroses growing in one of the many woods full with pheasants. The advantage of walking alone is that the wildlife doesn't hear you so well and so I get to see more.

So nice to see different views not that far away from the cottage.

Now my plan was to head towards Lowick but I could see Doddington Moor in front of me and so thats where I headed for.

Got excited when I saw this view as I recognised it as Ford Moss Reserve, which I have walked around many a time.

Having walked across these moors I climb over a stile to see this notice.

It was a bit late to have this info, would have been useful if there'd been the same notice at the other end of the footpath!

Vicious looking sheep!

Drama 4
Time for another drama. I'm happily walking my merry way when suddenly I spot at my feet a SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was too shocked to take a photograph. Thankfully it slithered away and only then did I think about a picture.

Here is a free image of the adder I saw. It was not as big as this, must have been a teenager!

Anyway after that close encounter I kept a firm eye of where my feet were treading!

Saw lots of butterflies - peacock above. Also saw tortoiseshell butterflies, common whites and maybe a gatekeeper(didn't stay still long enough to be identified).

Well I'm not sure how far I walked, but I never made it to Lowick as my feet were aching and I didn't fancy adding an extra mile and a half for a bottle of wine. Have had a bath, feet rested and am waiting for Mr P to come home. Sadly he only managed to walk up the first munro. As he tried to ascend the second munro the weather deteriorated and visibilty was nil, plus the path had disappeared under SNOW! I know he will be disappointed to complete only one, but he did have to go up it twice in order to get back to the car! But I am proud of him for doing the sensible option of leaving the mountains.

Walkabouts With Mr P

Weather a bit dodgy and after yesterdays walk we decided to have a rather more relaxing day. We headed off to Norham, but on the way we passed what was the old station.

It is  for sale if you have a spare £420,000 - doesn't it look so lovely.

 From what I can gather the last train went through in 1965. I do hope it gets bought soon and the museum continues.

We eventually reached Norham and then made a walk around the village. It is found on the side of the River Tweed,  famous for its salmon fishing and dividing England from Scotland.  Norham Parish Church is full of history but I did find it rather strange to have this old coffin cart placed by the pews.

After an interesting walk we then headed to Chain Bridge Honey Farm. This is a wonderful, unusual place. It is full of vehicles being restored, honey factory, a museum, play area for small children and all free. Best of all is the cafe in a double decker bus.

It's such fun sitting upstairs having a cuppa and cake.

Most of the staff are all family and it is such a treat to talk with them.

This is a 1942 Austin fire engine that was used in London during the war. It was then used in Newcastle and then to Wooler and finally made it to Horncliffe to be restored. I hope they get a ladder to put on the top.

This was the view inside, isn't it cute? 

I could show you lots of more pictures but don't want to bore you all but as you can see it is well worth a visit if you are in this region. By early afternoon it started raining - shocking I know. Don't do this wet stuff! So we headed to Berwick as Mr P wanted to buy some walking trousers. Tomorrow he is off to Scotland, for the day. He is planning on walking two munros. He would like to climb them all. So far has done two and only another 178 roughly to go! This is his plan for tomorrow Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin. After all these activities it was time to continue our cafe crawl onto Holy Island, to Pilgrims Coffee Shop.

I was a little disappointed that they have started using paper cups, but I suspect they are finding themselves rather busy. They do make all their own cakes and whilst we were there they must have been baking chocolate brownies - wonderful aroma. Well time for bed.

Walking With Mr P - Langlee to Old Middleton and Threestoneburn Wood

It is great to have Mr P with me in Northumberland and so nice to have some company. Foolishly decided to use - yes you've guessed - another walk from my red book Walking In the Cheviots by Edward Baker. Difference this time it wasn't just me getting cross with the guy but Mr P too. Mr P got furious with the guy because the walk starts with the wrong grid reference! Big schoolboy error! This time the hills are full with sheep and their newborn lambs. Guess everything is much later up in these hills.

At the front of the quad was probably the farmer's grandson wearing a cap just like his grandad. It was a lovely sight. The excitement came when we got to Old Middleton to the deserted cottage. It was fascinating - no health and safety signs. So we had a wander inside.

 Would you like to live here? Comes  with an original fireplace.

Lovely feature oven.

 Oh golly I recognise those tiles - had them in some of the homes we have lived in.

Don't have to worry about the mirror steaming up when you're in the bath!

Comes with a great view.

Now the next few photographs are something that Mr P found in one of the outhouses. But has anyone any idea what it exactly was and used for?

This was on the wall behind the next photograph.

Here is a picture of the name on the side of the above photo

The only thing I can say was in the next room, in the outhouse was a sink which I am guessing was used to do the family washing. There's my mystery - what is it all?

I found this old bicycle frame outside. Did enjoy this bit of the walk.

View looking back.

Mr P giving his back a break by resting the rucksack on the rock! Oh the dreaded red book!

Never seen such up market grouse shooting butts. There were ten of them - I did think if you were walking at dusk you could easily fall into them or animals too. Health and safety might not approve of them.

Me having a great day and having a lovely time with Mr P.

Then back to the start. Now you are not mistaken you have seen this bridge on a previous walk. The start was very near another walk I did on my own. Well Mr P is out of the bath and I should have done dinner! Ooops I'd better finish. Bye!