Lakeland Dipper (further afield)

Mossyard

This was my view just before jumping in for a swim before breakfast. Thankfully I hadn’t sunk overnight after all that rain but it was interesting getting out. It had been so wet I was going to count my blessings and head home but seeing as I was so close I pressed on to Wigtown book festival.

Good decision. The sun came out and it was glorious. What a lovely atmosphere there, I’m so glad I went. I walked down to the Martyr’s Stake (extra ... what a grim history https://www.wigtown-booktown.co.uk/wigtown-martyrs/) and along to Wigtown Harbour. I haven’t been back since we wild camped there on our way to Ireland many years ago when we saw the tidal bore coming up the estuary and picked mushrooms for breakfast.

I got a ticket to hear Paula McGuire talk about her book ‘Must Try Harder’ and her experience of living with anxiety which had blighted so much of her earlier life. I sat next to Gillian who has spent the last 40 years mostly in mental health nursing. We admired the paper chains across the marquee that had been made out of old book pages.

Once I’d stocked up on a slice of parsnip and pecan cake for a tea break I headed for home.

Dad would have loved having a rummage in all the book shops.