Bastle trail

The spring Haltwhistle Walking Festival is currently in full swing. Today Mr hazelh and I joined the fabulous Bastle Trail along the Tarset Burn to learn all about these fortified farmhouses and their role in the history of the Border reivers.

We started the walk in the grey just after 11:00am. By lunchtime the cloud cover had evaporated and been replaced by glorious blue sky and sunshine. We ended our day out with some of the others sunbathing in a pub garden in Greenhaugh. (My mother tells me that the ceilidh band from our wedding was the resident band at this pub x years ago.)

My blip shows the group at Black Middens bastle. This was the last stop along the route, and the most intact structure that we visited. If you look closely, you should be able to spot me and Mr hazelh. Our bastle expert is the man in the multi-coloured hat at the top of the staircase.

When we returned to my mother's house after the walk we discovered that my not-so-little sister is back. This pleases me because it means that we may end up playing Exploding kittens again this evening. I am also trying to persuade her to sell me a piece of ancient Staffordshire pottery for which she paid £1 at Tynemouth market yesterday. It will look great in my tango-ed bathroom.

Exercise today: walking (15,872 steps).