Two false starts

Dean and Joan led a walk onto the moors above Blanchland. There were two false starts. 

First, they had a phone call to say that their new bathroom was in a lorry outside their house and the men wanted to deliver it! It was supposed to come next week. Dean set off to go to Hexham to take delivery, then thought better of it and asked the firm to deliver next week.

In the meantime, as the rest of the group toiled steadily uphill we were overtaken by a farmer on a quad bike. He came to say that we needed to move our cars because a low loader was coming to bring a delivery to the farm. We did not think we were in the way, but we walked back downhill, met Dean and moved our cars. The farmer actually opened a field for us to park in!

Then we set off uphill again!! 

It was bitterly cold but the sun came and went. The views were terrific. At lunchtime we watched the storm clouds gather and head towards us, only to back off. A tiny amount of snow/hail came down. 

Dean explained about how the auks orcs (in Lord of the Rings) used to live in the chimney on the moor and showed us the nursery where their eggs were hatched. He is obviously in training to be a walk leader.

We finished with a welcome drink at the Lord Crewe Arms until the sleet arrived and chased us to our cars, only to stop about 2 minutes later.

It was very cold but exhilarating and we had a lot of laughs all the way around. 

Sharon cooked cordon bleu smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for Mum's lunch. A great success.