On the way to Newcastle on the A1 there were sleet showers and snow. On the way back via Alston it was cold but sunny. 

I went to a talk by Max Adams about reading the landscape. A bit rambling, but never anything other than interesting. He always attracts a large audience and today was no exception. I think he is one of the best speakers, whatever he is talking about, and obviously a lot of people think the same. Gordon chose to walk by the sea to get rid of the last vestiges of a cold. It was a bit bracing, he said!

This is the sad looking Hartside Top Café. A favourite stop for cyclists, bikers and motorists, there has been a café at Hartside summit for around 75 years and, at a height of 1904 ft above sea level, it is reputedly the highest café in England. Except that it is not a café at the moment. In March this year a serious fire almost completely destroyed the building. I wonder whether it will ever be in business again. 

And I have just added a sunset picture in Extras just for the record. I know we can't capture them very well at all here, and everyone is probably fed up of them anyway, but they have been so amazing this week, I had to give it a go.