Off to Newcastle for the weekend, our first weekend away together.
D wanted to show me a couple of places he likes in Manchester so we set off from Bedford shortly after 7am and were in Manchester by about 10. I was seriously impressed by both the Unicorn grocery coop and also Hulme garden centre. I only wish we had similar places in Bedford.
From Manchester we drove to Ing in the Lake District because the Watermill Inn there is recommended in the pub guide I was given as a leaving gift by a former colleague from my previous employment. We had a sturdy lunch and only one pint of ale each before setting off for Newcastle but just to make absolutely certain we were fit to drive, we took the route via Barnard Castle. We arrived on or about the dot of 5 and so Specsavers had just flipped the closed sign on their door, but we were happy to find that around the gents public toilet in the centre of town is a public herb garden. Not as well advertised as everything else in that particular locale.
And finally to a cosy pub/hotel for the night.

Main is D admiring the herbs around the Gents in Barnard Castle and extra is a bridge in Manchester – the only bridge photo from the whole weekend!
continued . . .