Covid-19 Common Riding 2021

Frankie, Tom, & David at the Whita Well

Jubilee Cornet Robin Nixon with wife Ann and sister in law Margaret

Big Deev McVittie leads the horses up to the Castle Craig's

Part of the crowd up at Castle Craig's.

My cousin Susan, Dr. Mark Hallam who recently moved to Langholm and is experiencing his first Common Riding even if it's not the proper one, and of course the one and only Tom Stothart who made a special effort to be up early this morning.

A lovely clear morning with some mist in the hollows.

A bigger crowd at Whita Well

Semi Jubilee Cornet David McVittie and he did a great job.

 

Walking With the Southwells at Kippford

It is 2 years since we last saw Doreen and Norman from South Wales when they visited Langholm in 2019 but at long last they are back in Scotland and staying for 3 weeks at Barend near Sandyhills. Gaye and I and Tom Stothart met up with them this morning and after morning Coffee at their Chalet we took off to Rockcliffe to walk the upper footpath to Kippford and then back via the lower footpath.

The weather was glorious and both Rockliffe and Kippford was busy with walkers and bathers

Doreen and Norman's daughter Lindsay was up staying with them for a few days with her husband John.

Gaye with Doreen and Lindsay near Rockcliffe on the lower path

A few years ago I wrote an article for the E & L Advertiser about the walk from Kippford to Rockcliffe and I mentioned this Ice Cream van at Rockcliffe and we were delighted to see it is still there so Lindsay and Tom took advantage of it. 

This is Heston island viewed from Rockcliffe

All 7 of us at the start of the walk with dogs Findlay and Milo

This is Kippford from the upper pathway and the tide is coming in and will be at high tide in another hour.

Tom and Norman and Findlay the dog named after a Scottish Rugby Internationalist Findlay Calder

Gaye on the sea front at Rockcliffe in front of some lovely plants. After our walk we headed back to Barend and had a lovely meal courtesy of Doreen and Lindsay with new potatoes grown by Norman and brought specially for us from Wales.

 

A Walk, a Shop, and Lunch in Silloth

I feel very small beside this old gent and his dog on the sea front at Silloth. We headed out here for a nice brisk walk along the sea front while Gaye looked at a Charity Shop in Silloth and came away with a few books. 

A little boy called Tom dangling his legs on the seat. 

This is all that is left of the old Skinburness Hotel which was knocked down a couple of years ago. It used to be a posh hotel but its popularity declined along with that of many coastal hotels when people discovered holidays on the continent. This year Silloth is busier than ever with many enjoying Staycashion Holidays. 

Our visit coincided with High Tide so many of the creeks next to the Grune Peninsular were full with the incoming tide. 

Gaye enjoying a seat in the sun in the gardens between the main street and the Solway.

Almost High tide and the inlets are almost full.

In the background you can just see the Radio Masts at Anthorn

The Solway Firth at Silloth with Criffel on the Scottish side. We enjoyed a nice lunch in Mrs. Wilsons cafe after our walk. 

 

Thistle Viaduct and Netherby Estate Walk

This walk commenced from Kirkandrews on Esk Church and it really shows the difference between walking in England and Scotland. In Scotland we have the right to walk anywhere as long as we walk responsibly and adhere to The Country Code. In England there are loads of No Entry signs and No Right of Way signs and this is now the case on Netherby where they really don't want anybody to walk through this lovely estate. We are very lucky in Scotland with no Law of Trespass and we can go anywhere. This is an old Border Keep and I think there are Graham's living in it.  

Kirkandrews Church and it really is a lovely building although its many years since I was inside it and of course the doors are now always locked. 

The first part of the walk took us along the old Waverley railway line and in places it was tough going with loads of Nettles. We were all stung in places but David got the worst of it with his shorts on. 

This is one of the better bits on the line. 

This is Carwinley Mill and it has now been converted into a lovely house. 

The grounds of the old mill have now been turned into a small holiday complex and it has been done very tastefully and looks a lovely place to stay. 

We passed this field of Barley on our walk and it looks as if it is ripening well and wont be too long before its ready to harvest.

After Trespassing on Netherby Estate we expected to be stopped at any time but never saw anybody so managed to steal through unseen. David was thinking of the Newspaper Headlines as we walked through. Retired Deputy Lord Lieutenant of D & G Arrested for trespassing. Our excuse was we were going to Church as that was the only reason you could walk through the Estate but of course that's is only on a Sunday. We walked over the suspension bridge and my goodness it does swing a lot. Ruger was not a happy dog and glad to be over it. 

Tom bringing up the rear.

On the Thistle Viaduct. Tom explained that it used to be a double bridge to take both railway lines and when the line closed in the late 60s they removed one of the bridges.

 

David, Ruger, and myself. At the end of the walk we met the owners of Netherby Estate at Kirkandrews Church and apologised for our trespass. They were very nice about it. One of them was a Graham and her companion was an Elliot so we were among fellow Border Reivers. A very enjoyable walk but it will be the last time I do it as its getting more overgrown on the railway line and I resent not being able to walk through Netherby Estate

A Selkirk Walk With the Last of the Summer Wine Walkers

It is almost a year since we have all been together on a walk in the Borders so it was great to be back together again. It was a special pleasure to see Ken who has been in hospital recently and now hopefully on the road to recovery. Unfortunately Sandria had to call off at the last minute as she was unwell. Our route was a 6 mile walk at Selkirk with part of the route being on the Border Abbey Way

 

I remember this detour through a field to avoid farm buildings from my Border Abbey way walk almost 14 years ago. We did a December walk from Selkirk to Melrose in December 2007 and the temperature at the start was -8C and at Melrose when we finished it was -3C. A few days later I was in Salt Lake City when it reached -25C and then another week later we were in Hawaii when it was 25C

I love this signpost outside the farm near Lindean

John and Elizabeth having a good chat.

This Border Collie gave us a great welcome. We finished our walk with lunch in The Waterwheel Cafe and the service and food was excellent.

A Visit to Beamish and a stay in Newcastle

It is 19 months since we visited Fiona and family in Newcastle so the plan for this visit was to meet them at Beamish on Sunday and then travel to High Heaton to stay a couple of nights with them. It went like clockwork and we all arrived at Beamish within 5 minutes of each other. Its a 4 mile walk right round the place and Gaye managed to do this at her own pace. She is here crossing the railway line. Thanks to Hannah for keeping her company all afternoon.

This was a real treat for me to see them washing down the Shire Horses after they had been ploughing a field. It is what my father would do in the 30s when he worked for the Duchess of Gloucester looking after the Hunter Horses and then eventually Steeplechasers.

These were 2 beautiful Greys

The Town Centre at Beamish where the Girls visited the Bakers and Leo the Sweet Shop

This was Leo's favourite shop

Beamish Railway Station but no trains were working today.

 

After Sundays trip to Beamish I went on Monday for a walk along the Waggonways and then to Paddy Freemans Park where I met this family of Swans in the pond. 

The Waggonways are alive with Hawthorn Blossom at the moment.

Sunday evening and Mario has provided us with a BBQ which was excellent and despite concerns about whether the chicken was fully cooked we have all survived.

A Waterfall in Jesmond Dene

Thes Scooters are regularly hired by students to get about the city.

The Armstrong Bridge

The gentle flowing burn that goes through Jesmond Dean

A spectacular bridge covered in ivy. It really is a lovely place to walk.