June

Ron

Rookhope – Eastgate – Weardale Way – Rookhope.

Cloudy, odd spots of rain, temperature about 13 degrees C.

Ron, Sandy, George.

Ashley - injured

Mike and Michelle - touring Europe with a caravan

Comments

We were impressed by the standard of the toilets at the start. We walked down the road, passing a friendly foxhound and Irish wolfhound before crossing the Rookhope Burn by a very slippy wooden footbridge. We followed a path down the side of a burn, passing the remains of old mine workings for lead and feldspar. The path was blocked in several places by fallen trees, lots of wild garlic and may blossom.

We met a man feeding his hens. Eventually we reached Eastgate, where we went into the Cross Keys and had tea/coffee at a very reasonable price. The owners were very friendly as was their overweight Springer spaniel. On resuming the walk, Sandy had to go back to the pub to retrieve the map that Ron had left. We passed through an unfriendly farm, where the gates were tied up in a way that made them difficult to open. We saw two lame lambs, a couple of crows caught in a cage trap and a lot of abandoned ironmongery.

Our lunch was eaten sitting on a large comfortable log, although the views were limited by the drizzle. After lunch we followed an old waggonway down to a farmyard, where we had to divert from the path because of two cows and their calves. We passed a selection of white and black sheep.

The ground was wet after overnight rain and we were glad that we had all put on gaiters.

Wildlife / Flora / Fauna

Lots of rabbits, dipper, curlews, lapwings, oyster catchers, pheasants and grouse.

The Swan at Heddon, joined by Beth – nice meal as usual.

June walkers

On the bridge

Burn

Cross Keys

Into the mist

Black sheep

Black and white