I can see you!

Today I walked about 7.5 miles (we split the difference from our various apps) with Eric, Kay, Brian and Jean. It was a beautiful day for walking: dry, sunny, slight breeze and not too hot.

We started at the hamlet of West Hall, west of Gilsland and did a circular route through fields of sheep and cows, up to Spadeadam House and round by Dunblar Rigg.

The extra was a heavily fortified stile. The gate next to it sported two padlocks. A few years ago I led a Haltwhistle Walking Festival walk in this area. There was one line of barbed wire. I took along a tube of polystyrene, the sort used to lag pipes, fitted it and we all got over safely. I fear the landowner is not in the "Walkers are Welcome" brigade.

We found part of the route challenging because it seems that no one walks here, but Brian heard a cuckoo, we saw swathes of wildflowers and I found the gate at the end of the awkward bit. Phew!

Back in Haltwhistle, we had a drink with Brian and Maureen at The Manor.

PS Don't say anything, but Arth enjoyed today's walk and hardly squeaked at all. Hooray!