July

Lance

Wooler Common – Brown Law – Gleadscleugh – Yeavering Bell – Tom Tallons Crag (side of) – Gains Law – Currick – Wooler Common

Very warm and sunny.

Lance, Julie, George, Ron, Sandy, Richard, Diane, Bernie, Ken.

Michael and Michelle - on holiday

Ashley - in Thailand

Comments

Ron and Sandy headed up the valley towards Tom Tallon’s Crag, near which we met up with them later in the day. We kept in touch using walkie talkies (and call signs John OGroats/Land’s End). Ron and Sandy met an Irish lady from north Berwick who was doing a PhD on an Antarctic explorer.

We encountered many participants taking part in a run/walk along St. Cuthbert’s Way from Melrose towards Wooler or Lindisfarne. We stopped for lunch on the side of Gains Law having climbed up part of it. There were good views of the Eildon and Lammermuir Hills and also looking back towards Wooler. Several gliders were airborne.

After lunch Diane and Richard went off on the lower route towards Tom Tallon’s Crag while the rest of us plodded up the steep climb to Yeavering Bell, from which we could see Ron and Sandy, and also Diane and Richard, who appeared to have veered off the route a bit. We descended through the whins and checked for ticks, while also keeping a good look out for sunbathing adders. Eventually we all met up again and headed back towards the cars.

We met two Canadian ladies who were participating in the walk along St. Cuthbert’s Way, but were really struggling with the heat and the terrain.

Wildlife: Curlew, stonechat, greenfinch, swifts, pied wagtail, meadow pipit, flycatcher, young adder and a grass snake. Also a dead young grouse and a discarded adder skin.

The Tankerville Arms, Wooler. Joined by Evelyn and Dorothy. Nice meal with friendly service, dog friendly.

Grand depart

Ruby leading

Three on the trail

Making headway

Grass snake

Hills

Ascending

Lunch on White Law

Waiting for the rest

Yeavering Bell

Through the ferns

The Grand Reunion

St Cuthbert's Way