So, after reading back the last 2 blogs - something I realise you are probably best doing BEFORE publishing rather than AFTER - I will attempt to document todays activities without mentioning either nesting birds or dog excrement!
The weather had been forecast to be rubbish today for the last few days, but on awakening to a bright morning and checking the BBC Weather app, it looked like it was to be fine for most of the day with a slight risk of showers - that will do.
The plan was always to go to a National Trust property so I didn’t see the need to change plans.
A non cooked breakfast got me in the mood for a bit of plumbing. After 20 minutes I gave up - again. Like most things DIY, this one turned out to be way above my “pay grade”. Oh well, it just means what little water I use needs to come from the watering can and the kettle - a good excuse to drink beer and go dirty!!
I was locking up Brunnehilda by about 10.30 and headed for the local beach- at Dunstan Steads. I thought it a good idea to give the dogs a run before we go out for the day. It was beautiful - the fog lifted and gave way to some blue sky and sun. I probably saw no more than a dozen folks and half a dozen dogs on my 45 minute walk up and down the Bay.
I’m not going to mention it by name, but as the more observant of you will see from this picture the dogs won again today!
Talking of observation - to add some much needed blog “added value” - I thought I would add in a competition today. What’s the story here?
After the beach we headed off to the nearest NT house I hadn’t already visited - Wallington Hall (near Morpeth). About an hours drive through some pretty (although views spoilt by the fog) Northumberland countryside.
The house looks magnificent and the grounds were interesting and extensive but … apart from a fabulous central hall it was a little bland / ordinary with only the downstairs open to the public. It was originally built in 1684 but with lots of remodelling during the 18th and 19th centuries.
It was very appropriately the home of the Trevelyan family. The last owner, Charles, was a member of the Labour Party’s first ever Government under Ramsey MacDonald in 1924! He gave the house “lock stock and barrel” to the NT in 1942. Appropriate because today the radio was full of the welcome news that after the local elections, we are possibly one step closer to getting rid of the current Tory Government. Yippee!
Oh, and another thing … Although there was one lovely young volunteer who was very chatty about the house and another lady who was also very good and gave an interesting 15 minute group presentation in the central hall, I was annoyed by one of their colleagues. She was sitting in a particularly interesting room reading something. I amplified my body language to suggest that I was up for a chat and to find out more about the room. She ignored me at first and then suddenly put down what ever she was reading and enthusiastically called over to me - that’s nice I thought! But no, she told me to take my rucksack off! Now given that the said ruck sack was tiny - to be fair I know a lot of men with fatter backs than this - i couldn’t believe it!
PS the last sentence works better if you read it in a Victor Meldrew voice!
The lad in the cafe was top notch though and I let him “upsell” me the potato wedges to go with my burger. And all with the 20% volunteer discount as well - result. I sat in the courtyard with said burger and a cup of tea and did a bit of discreet people watching - in the bright sunshine! Strangely I think I was the only “single” visitor. Although this really doesn’t bother me anymore.
And talking of which. Having a day like this on your own is really quite fun. You just make your mind up as you go along- where to go, when to go, what to eat, when to eat, when to leave, where to go next, when to go home. And no one to talk it through with and compromise!
If that’s on the credit side, it would be remiss of me not to mention the debit side - love, care, affection, companionship and cuddles!!
As is to prove my point, I didn’t really know where I was going next when I got back to the car. A quick look at the map and I decided to climb a hill!
First stop was to a Boots to buy some stuff to make my toes hurt a bit less. After asking Google maps, the nearest one turned out to be Rothbury.
What a smashing place - the town I mean, not the Boots! A typical pretty wee market town full of local interesting shops and lots of places to eat and drink. The sort of place that Kim and I loved and now the sort of place I can still only enjoy from afar. So, after visiting Boots I headed for the hills.
I don’t know how I picked the Beamish Valley and a place called Ingram - just inside The Cheviots National Park. The map showed a nice circular walk up Brough Law (about a 1,000 feet) and past some interesting hill forts.
I was quite surprised that the car park was totally empty - and it was still only 4pm. Then I saw the incredibly threatening looking clouds! I changed my mind and plotted a shorter route along the river, up the hill (mountain?) via a steep path and then back down via the more modest main path. During the whole time walking I didn’t see another soul!
It was going well until I got about 7/8ths the way up. It had started to rain and there was suddenly a loud clap of thunder and Benny bolted back down the hill. After a lot of screening and shouting he finally stopped and Tilly and I caught up with him. Time to get down ASAP. As I tentatively made it back down the main path in the pouring rain, thunder and lightening, I wondered exactly what Kim would have said! For a start we wouldn’t have been anywhere near this bloody hill - we’d be sitting in a lovely dry and warm coffee shop back in Rothbury!
I punched Embleton Caravan Park into the sat Nav and was virtually home when I decided to do a detour to Seahouses and go to one of my fave fish and chip shops - Neptune’s.
I had planned to eat it by the harbour but it was drizzling so, after a nice chat with the attractive middle aged lady server (potentially quite a “catch” I thought - mates rates for fish and chips as well!), I headed back to Brunnehilda for the feast.
Last day tomorrow - something else is happening tomorrow but for the life of me I can’t remember what!!??
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