Allendale Tar Bar'ls

New Year's Eve in Allendale Town. I have lived in the area for more than 20 years, but never made it to this spectacular event until this year.

Shaaamie has described the event well. We must have been standing very close to each other, because I have a similar shot to his, but the crowds, the noise, the flames and the scrambling for the best camera settings, rather took over my attention!

At about 11.45 the guisers were formed into a long procession, as they carried the flaming tar barrels around the market square. Photography is tricky because the faces are often in the relative darkness under the barrels, so I had to try to find spots where there was light and wait for a guiser to walk into that light. Many images were taken and many discarded.

At the end of the processing, all the tar barrels are emptied onto the bonfire and the flames raced towards the sky. (This is in the middle of a small market square with pubs, shops and houses all around. Health and safety could have a field day.)

I was home again at 0100. It was a freezing night.

This morning, with a temperature of -3 degrees, 22 Haltwhistle walkers set out for a New Year's Day walk led by Brian Walters. He took us on a pleasant (if boggy) route over the moors to Linshield Farm and back via the South Tyne. It was 8 miles, which feels about right for me at the moment.