Wet road and light rain when we woke up this morning. Perhaps that is what caused me to fall out of bed in the middle of the night? By the time we had breakfast and were ready to head for the railway station the rain had stopped so it was just a slow drag up the hill - about 1 km - to be there in time to get a ticket for the 10:13 train, which didn't arrive until almost 10:25. Anyway, only about three-quarters of an hour to Newcastle and then straight onto the metro to the airport to pick up the car.
Rather than go straight to the hotel we headed west to Corbridge and then back east along the Tyne Valley. I though that I had found the lane at Riding Mill where Aunty Vi and Uncle Joe were but after driving up it I am not 100% convinced. We thought to look for somewhere to stay on Monday night so head down from Crawcrook to Wylam but there wasn't anything obvious around. Back through Crawcrook we went up Mount View to have a look at the old place. Not much has changed externally except some of the backyard walls have been torn down to open up the yards, and some have been reduced in height.
After that we headed for Ryton to try to find Mrs Summerside's daughter Ann. After a while looking around and asking people, we found out that the Ryton address we have is actually Crawcrook - actually the road down to Wylam!
When we fronted up to Ann's fron door she was very welcoming and we had a good long chat and cup of tea with her and her husband, Colin. Actually, I don't think Colin could get a word in edge ways. It was good to catch up with them before we headed back to Newcastle to our hotel.
After a couple of phone calls we have firmed up to be in Nottingham on Wednesday afternoon to stay with Eric and Joy Foxley, and then to Hook, Hampshire to stay with the Wilkinsons. That gives us a couple of days to see a bit more of the countryside on the way down.
Reflections on The Walk
Some pluses from the walk:
- Very friendly people - at least, until we got nearer to Berwick when only 50% returned our greeting.
- Bird life and wildlife along the way, including Pheasants, Magpies, and lots of small birds. Also rabbits plus a lovely big hare which went lolloping across the field outside our B & B at Fenwick, then took off like greased lightning.
- some very interesting towns and villages along the way.
Minuses?
- Darned sea mist which obscured the seascape on the first three days.
