My Favourite Photos from 2018

Our year started with some bad weather in February and on my daily walk for a few weeks I was met most days by this tame Pheasant who walked this stretch of the riverside with me. Hannah and Leo named him after a Dutch Speed Skater but I seem to have forgotten his name. 

A visit to Eskrigg to see the Red Squirrels is always an enjoyable trip

Our year always starts with the Whisky Walk round Potholm on New Years Day

In February we moved out to Birkwood to enable work to commence on Ardlui. We were away for about 2 months while our house was being altered and at times we wondered if it was all with it, but it eventually proved to be a great success.

More snow in March and a trip to the Bird Feeders for Bob, Nancy and myself to top up the feeders. It was tough going in places.

Our roof at Ardlui being replaced. It was at this time I wondered if it would ever come together.

There is nothing like a good walk with this pair of rogues to brighten your day. 

At Easter we headed off to Barcelona for a couple of weeks with the family. It turned out to be a bit of a disaster with 8 out of the 11 of us taking ill with a bug. Despite that we had some great times together and these 5 got on extremely well together. 

The Graham & Menger Clan

Ardlui all finished

My Birthday Walk at Lauder

In June we had a Thank You party for all the Tradesmen involved in the Ardlui alterations. They made a fantastic job of it and we were delighted with the finished job.  

In June I met up with Mark Beaumont at the MTAF. I have followed his adventures for many years.

In June we all went to Embleton in Northumberland for our annual Walking Week. The weather was glorious.

A visit to Howick Hall Gardens near Embleton in Northumberland

Embleton Beach at 6.30am on a beautiful June morning. None of my walking colleagues would get up early to join me on this lovely walk at high tide so they missed out on a magical experience. An hour later the north sea Haar came in and the sun disappeared for several hours.

July and we were so proud of Fiona who graduated at Newcastle University and can now be called Dr. Menger. 

Dr. Menger with Mum and Daughter

Common Riding week and I had help at the Bird Feeders 

A Lovely walk near Haltwhistle

A grand afternoon out at Comlongen to celebrate Margaret Rodgers 70th Birthday 

I had been taking a photograph of this tree on the Castleholm every month but just a week after this photo was taken it was split in half during a storm and has now been completely felled. 

In September I was invited to The Scottish parliament on behalf of Paths for All

In September Gaye and I visited the Slate Islands and this is Gaye on Easdale  

A cold autumnal day near Alston

My good friend John with his new granddaughter Charlotte

Of our five Grandchildren I think Tommy is the most adventurous and he just loves being in the big outdoors. This is him on a Kayak expedition in Northern California

Hannah will be 13 on 2nd January and my how she is growing and will soon be as tall as Granny Gaye.