Sunday
Set to be wet this afternoon. And we are taking it easy because it's Liz's hips and knees, this trip is a marathon not a sprint. It's pretty hilly around here so today just a gentle pootle around.
We wander up to Kielder Castle (a hunting lodge really) to find both Tourist Info and the Minotaur Maze closed, the latter because of ash die-back. Shame, I like mazes.
Here's the choice, upwards towards the red squirrel hide? A quick check of OS map and contours and no, downwards towards Kielder Village.
Kielder Village must be the Chaffinch capital of the UK although Liz's Merlin birdsong identification app did suggest a distant Red Crossbill. Binoculars scanning but no sighting, shame would have been nice after the Dipper I caught sight of yesterday. And we walked through the village and back on a pathway above the river (the North Tyne) there was plenty of evidence of spring but no flora or fauna that we might consider unusual.
And of course, all walks end at the pub. Quiet there today.
Back to the van and just chill out for the rest of the day, finish books, bread, ham, and cheese for our Sunday meal. Listen to the rain in the evening. Gosh, we really know how to live
Monday
Driving this morning. Ideally we would like lined to headed east towards our destination of Moffat but a road was closed so a longer route through Hawick and Selkirk had to be taken. Beautiful scenery all the way although on times the roads were less than perfect, some squeaky bum passing at narrow points and the last 10 miles into Moffat had potholes that could possibly swallow the van.
Hawick is a pleasant border town. We stayed here a few years ago as they allow/encourage overnight stays in their main car park. Nice to see somewhere that appreciates motorhome and campervans. I bought some gloves in the local tourist shop, partly because they were needed in the still biting wind, but also because I wanted to give the town some tourist revenue.
Weird parking in Morrisons, not a single notice re parking restrictions. No time limit, no pay and claim back in the shop, nothing.
A walk around town but no local bakers was found and both butchers had no wares in the window so not easy to see what we might want.
A few random snaps
Moffat early afternoon. A quick walk up town at 4pm confirmed that in Moffat shops close at 4pm.
Remember that trip to Morrisons, we bought a couple of Scotch Pies. So, Monday night, courtesy of the new mini air fryer we had pies in the van!!!! A first after what 13 years now!
Back to Saturday
I forgot to post the route
And here's Monday's route
