March

Ron

Fontburn Reservoir – Roughlees Farm – Newbiggin Farm – Fallowlees Farm – south shore of reservoir to car park.

Sunny start but clouded over later. Warm out of the wind.

Ron, George B, Michael, Michelle, Ashley, Olwen.

Carol - with a friend in Durham.

Sandy - working, but joined us at the Goat on the Roof café.

Bernie - coming to terms with work.

Evelyn - preparing for a concert in the evening.

Comments

The start proved a bit difficult as there were too many car parks. (Editor’s note: grid reference had been given beforehand for the correct car park). There was no sign of a bastle (peel tower) which was supposed to be there.

Olwen joined the group for her second walk with us.

The reservoir had a big overflow hole, and it wasn't possible too see the bottom. There were lots of fishermen at the reservoir, several of whom were up to their chests in water.

Crossing burns proved to be problematic throughout the walk. The bridge at Roughlees was hard to find, and another further on no longer existed. There were several precarious crossings by either slippy stepping stones or fallen trees.

The lunch spot was sheltered and out of the wind. Navigation at Fallowlees was difficult, where we had to squeeze through a narrow gap in the fence guarded by a large Weimaraner dog.

We had afternoon tea at the Goats on the Roof café, where Sandy joined us. It was a nice new wooden building with good views of the reservoir. There were some interesting photos on the walls. Food was a bit average apart from Ashley’s large piece of cake and George’s fruit scone and jam.

Wildlife/Flora/Animals:

Birds: Chaffinches (m/f), heron, guinea fowl, geese, chickens, homosexual ducks, shags, robins, pied wagtail, meadow pippet, oystercatcher and lots of buzzards. Heard a skylark.

Insects: A common fly and lots of little flying insects at lunchtime.

Mammals/others: Lots of pigs and sheep at Roughlees Farm, many of which were rare breeds. Saw lambs in a polytunnel nursery at Fallowlees Farm and a lone sheep in the pre-natal suite. Ashley tried to feed his spare banana to a sheep. Several persistent barking dogs. No goats on the roof at the café.

Plants / Trees: Mainly pine trees, a lot of which had been cut down which left the ground looking as if it had been devastated by a tsunami. Also alder, willow and silver birch.

The Swan, Heddon-on-the Wall. Very nice, excellent starter, main meal OK.

March walkers

Spillway

Reservoir overflow

Goose at rare breed farm

Fontburn and Wannee Line

Bridge

Simonside

Look, no hands!

Safely over

Precarious

Scenery and sheep

Taking the weight off

Fontburn Reservoir

Black knee gang

Group