Gill on the Brough

Mr C drove me to Gill’s in the next village so that we could do a different walk. We crossed the river and walked via Ryehill to see the first lambs - early for our area - then it was a steep pull up the road to Tosson. Normally fir the next stretch I’d go up through the woods but this route was more steeply up open countryside with the wind in our faces. I was very puffed. The views back across the valley to Cheviot and the Border Ridge were bright and clear. The blip is looking further east to Rothbury. My house can be seen.

Just after this point we had to get a ewe back on her feet - she was struggling as she was on her side with legs uphill so couldn’t do it on her own. After that good deed for the day we reached Simonside woods we went a bit further west on a forestry road before climbing a steep rocky path. It was running with so much water it was more like climbing up a burn. But once up, it was a gentle downhill on a forestry track to the car park. We went carefully through the muddy plantation and then it was a short pull up to Whitton Hillhead. I could have continued steeply down to Tosson Mill with Gill and home by the river but instead stayed higher and let the wind blow me along to Whitton and into the village. The 1/4 mile back up the steep path to our house finished me off. It was only 6.5 miles - but I am finding steep hills increasingly unattractive - especially at the end!

Last night Thomas and James came on WhatsApp to thank me for cards I’d sent them. James soon dashed off but Thomas was on almost an hour. He showed me his bedroom in case I’d forgotten, it having been over a year now since we were in his house. Then he read me the “book” he’d written about Stone Age up to the Normans.

A year ago we were on our last visit when we stayed with Jo and Alf. I don’t think any of us imagined we’d still be locked down.