Gavin and Peter's Birthday Walk

A combined Birthday Walk for Peter and myself with just John and Sandria managing to come down from Edinburgh. Peter collected them from Carlisle Station and the rest of us met them at Armathwaite to start our 7 mile walk in the Eden valley. The weather was perfect and we gave the Fox & Pheasant our lunch order to save time when we got back as the Edinburgh contingent had to be back at the station for 4.00pm. This is taken at Armathwaite Bridge and you can see the Fisherman scarecrow sitting on the fence or maybe it is Ken in disguise. 

Up river from Armathwaite this posh building is taking shape. 

Another fisherman standing patiently for a fish.

This is the Benchmark sculpture and it represents the theme of walking and being at one with nature.  The corner part represents a rucksack.  

A Slow-worm crossed our path

A nice view overlooking the Cumbrian Fells

Time for a short break at Ainstable Church. There has been a church on this site for 900 years. 

The Carlisle to Settle railway line crosses this viaduct in the distance 

Back at the finish we get a good view of the bridge over the river Eden at Armathwaite 

This Copper Beech is a lovely specimen on our route.

This is the perfect way to collect a field full of silage with one machine picking up the grass and chopping it up into very small particles and then feeding it into the waiting trailers. There were 4 trailers continually filling up and coming back in time to take their turn so the big piece of machinery never stopped. 

Officially I am Now an Old Man

Yesterday was my 70th Birthday so the family held a party in my honour with all my walking friends invited. Fiona was the driving force behind it and she made it such a special day by putting on a wonderful buffet. 

The original Last of the Summer Wine Walkers but it has been added to over the last 10 years and now there are now 8 of us plus of course partners.  

Ken, Peter, Bruce, and Jean.

My cake which was made by Fiona and decorated by Hannah

The Buffet which was just perfect and well appreciated by everybody as was the ample supply of Sparkling Wine

Elspeth and Martin

Almost the entire group of friends and family

Hannah & Leo did a great job welcoming guests and are now enjoying some cake

Our good friends Jean & Wattie Rutherford had a great time

Tom and I relaxing on the settee with me on my phone as usual but it was a Face Time call from Fraser in California and the kids sang Happy Birthday to me. Just wish they could have been here.

Ardlui 63 Henry Street

Our house will shortly be on the market for sale as we are planning to downsize. We have been here for 30 years but it is time to move on and get a smaller house. This will make a lovely family home for somebody.

Walking in Aberdeenshire & The Banff Coast

Prior to our holiday in Orkney we spent a few days in Newmachar, Aberdeenshire with Gaye's friend Collett and enjoyed excellent hospitality and Tom and I had some excellent walks. 

Our first walk was near Newburgh north of Aberdeen on an area of sand dunes that is now a nature reserve. 

There was plenty of wild life to see and these Eider Ducks were very noisy

This Seal was very nosy and followed us along the coast for quite a while 

A large colony of Eider Ducks

The sand dunes that had to be climbed before we reached the sea

Tom believes in being dressed for the occasion complete with his two hats 

The mile walk along the shoreline

On our way back to Newmacher we stopped at President Trumps new golf course. Nobody was playing.

The next day we headed to the Banff coast for a walk along the coast from Portsoy to Sandend.

The weather inland was not good but at the coast it was perfect

There was gorse everywhere and it was spectacularly colourful in the sunshine

The return journey to Portsoy took us away from the coast and through farmland where we saw this lovely Yellowhammer

The walk took us to the village of Sandend and its lovely harbour

The last mile of the walk along the shore from Sandend to the point where we turned inland has these great concrete blocks placed there during the war to stop a German landing.