A Tribute to Peter Bart-Smith

These are a few photos taken of our good friend Peter Bart-Smith during his walking expeditions and holidays with The Last of the Summer Wine Walkers. He was a great walking companion and we had such laughs and discussions. He will be sorely missed but we are all better people for having had him in our lives. Our sincere condolences to his family and many friends and especially those who enjoyed playing sport with him as he was a true sportsman in every sense of the word.

This was taken at 12.12pm on 12/12/2012

Peters first walk with The Last of the Summer Wine Walkers was near Appleby.

From our walk of The Great Glen

Walking the Pebble Beach near Cromer in Norfolk

With John in the Stocks in the Yorkshire Dales

Dinner at a nice Hotel near Colvend in the Stewartry

Another from The Yorkshire Dales

Somewhere in the Borders

On the Bowling Green for our annual LOTSWW match and the only sport he didn’t excell at but he tried hard

Last of the Summer Wine Walkers in Melrose

The plan today was to meet up at Melrose in time to catch the 11.00am bus to Earlston for a special walk down the Leader valley past this the Leaderfoot Viaduct and then finish at Melrose for a nice meal in Marmions Bistro. There was 6 of us walked and then a further 7 for the meal making a total of 13 people. Gaye, Elspeth and Sandria had a grand morning in Melrose visiting Gardens and a lovely Charity Shop. 

Anne, Tom, John, Ken, and Niall stop for a rest at Leaderfoot after a 5 mile walk down the Leader river.

Although it would appear this was a downhill walk down the Leader valley there were several places where we had to climb a fair number of steps on the route.

At the start in Earlston. The walk took us exactly 3 hours and we arrived back in Melrose just as the rest were gathering at the Bistro.

Near the end of the walk at Melrose Abbey after almost 7 miles and ready for something to eat and drink.

A very well carved seat at the half way point where we stopped for a short refreshment.

The 13 of us sit down for an excellent meal. From left Peter, Aileen, Sandria, Niall, Martin, Tom, Anne, Elizabeth, Gaye, Elspeth, Gavin, and Ken. John took the photograph. We have been walking together for many years and pre Covid had many Walking Holidays in Cornwall, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Norfolk, The Roman Wall, The Great Glen, The Cotswolds, Galloway, and the Kintyre Way plus loads of Wednesday walks. 

One of several fields still to be harvested but hopefully this will be done in the next few days as there appears to be good weather coming for a few days.

Peter looking forward to his Sticky Toffee Pudding. Peter and myself have been friends for almost 60 years from when he arrived to work at Reid and Taylor in the mid 60s. We shared an office at R & Ts for 3 years before I moved on and then he went to Border Fine Arts and then back to R & Ts as Production Director. On his retirement about 10 years ago he started walking with us and has enjoyed many holidays and walks with us. I hadn't seen him for a year and it was so nice to get together again. It has been a perfect day and everybody was so happy to meet up again. The meal at Marmions Bistro was excellent and we were so well looked after by the staff. 

 

Talkin Tarn and Brampton with Exile Peter

Its almost 6 weeks since we last saw Peter for a walk as he has now moved to Carlisle.We were keen to get him back with us on a regular basis and so was he after the stress of moving house just on the same day as his daughter in London gave birth to twins. We met him at Talkin Tarn and did a 5.5 mile walk round the Tarn and then on to Brampton along an old disused railway line and then back to Talkin through country lanes. Tom unfortunately had to call of due to him getting a visit from his cousin so it was a quiet walk with no arguments. 

Along the old railway line there were loads of Apple trees laded with fruit. 

John following a path through the field of Barley

While Peter and Niall keep to the edge and try to avoid the many Thistles

It looks from the distance to be a fairly good crop but I think it has suffered from a lack of rain during June and July. We completed the walk and then had a nice light lunch in the cafe at Talkin Tarn  and were back in Langholm by 2.00pm.

The sun was shining so Gaye and I went out for another walk. I pass this Rowan tree at Greenbank every morning  and rarely pay any attention to it but today the sun caught it in all its splendour and it looked magnificent.  

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.

Peter's Birthday Walk at Kelso

As this was Peter's Birthday walk deferred from earlier in the year he decided to take us to what I think is one of the nicest Border towns, Kelso with its lovely Town Hall. Of all the Border towns this must be the best Market Square with loads of room for people to park and many good shops. 

After a short delay due to discovering we could only park for 2 hours in the square we moved the cars and set off on our walk along the river Teviot which is a tributary of the Tweed. Note our war wounded walker Ken on the right at the back. More about his accident later in the blog.

The first place of interest was Roxburgh Castle and Peter had planned to take us up this small hill to see the ruins. Unfortunately the route was deep in Nettles and our brave leader led the way but most of us eventually decided it was not for us and headed back the way we had come. Poor Tom was wearing shorts and had many Nettle stings before he too gave up. 

The view from the top just before we turned back at the site of Roxburgh Castle was stunning with Floors Castle in the distance.

Having walked the right bank of the River Teviot we stopped for a lunch break near where 2 railway lines met. One line was to Kelso and the other one was to Jedburgh. The second half of the walk was along the now disused Kelso railway line.

This was the road just down from our lunch stop with 2 old bridges that would have taken the 2 separate lines over the road. 

Tom giving his stung legs a rest with Elizabeth keeping him company

This is the old curved viaduct that crosses the river Teviot. Upstream of the viaduct is the village of Roxburgh and the Roxburgh Hotel and Golf Course

There are many new houses in the village and they look a bit out of place here and not very attractive, although very expensive.

The band of walkers all giving their views on the houses in the village. 

The walk was 8 miles and we finished up having a lovely lunch in the Cobbles. Ken is sporting a  black eye and cut on his head which was the result of a fall while out walking earlier in the week. At least that is his story and he is sticking to it. In a weeks time we will be heading for Cromer in Norfolk where we have booked a large house and will walk stretches of the North Norfolk Coastal Trail and the Pedars Way. 

Peter's 70th Birthday Walk

Due to the bad weather and other unforeseen circumstances our planned Birthday Walk to Kelso has been postponed until later in the year. We did however go a short walk in the afternoon even although it was still raining fairly heavily. We headed up the road to Warbla and then through the wood to the Kernigal. It was very muddy underfoot.

Most of the trees have been felled in this area now and it is about to be replanted soon.

Peter examines the trees to be planted. The ground is so uneven that it will be a tough job planting these trees.

On our return home Gaye had a special birthday cake ready and waiting for Peter to celebrate his 70th birthday.