A grand 9 miles

As we had nothing in the diary I suggested we have a good hill walk. We drove up the Ingram Valley, further north but parallel to our Coquet Valley. We parked up and headed down the road to Alnhammoor where we took a rough track. Eventually we had to leave it to climb up over tussocks for 3/4 of a mile to reach the top of Schillmoor where Mr C took the photo of me at the trig point. The views were extensive. We returned to the track and descended steeply to Bleakhope. Aptly name I imagine in winter. From there it was 4 miles back to Alnhammoor on a road and then back up a very steep hill to the car.

The bracken was as high as an elephant’s eye but we didn’t need to go though it. The breeze kept the midges and flies away so our only companions were curlews, larks and lapwings. I’m pleased I managed the rough terrain and the distance, but I’m ready to slonk on the sofa now.

BTW - we’ve just heard the road to the top of our valley after Alwinton will be closed - the farms beyond are going to get mains electricity at last. They get cut off in winter, there’s no mobile signal and they have to have private generators. Imagine, it’s 2023. My family got electricity in 1962. No more paraffin stove or Aladdin lamp.