A friendly face

Today was perfect weather for a winter walk. After a very cold, frosty start, the sun soon broke through. It was cold, dry and bright.

I went out to check a portion of the route three of us did on Monday for the Haltwhistle Walking Festival. We had battled on through the rain, but could not find this section of path.

I approached it from a road at the other end of the section and found the path easily. When I came out, where we should have joined it, I realised why we had a problem. The gate is around a corner, with no signage. The sign on the gate is green (permissive path) not yellow (public footpath). 

Mystery solved, but the excitement was about to start. Back at the car I threw my backpack into the boot, complete with coat, hat and gloves. When I closed the boot, there was an odd clunk. My boot does not lock if the car keys are in there - and they were - in my backpack.

The boot was solid and I had not opened the doors as I approached. The sun disappeared and it started to snow a little.

Thankfully I had my mobile. Thankfully there was a signal. Thankfully Margret (next door) had just arrived home. She went for my spare keys and drove to find me.

Meanwhile, I looked up how to open the car when there is no battery in your key fob!!! By the time she arrived, I knew what to do.

I was able to open the lock, with difficulty, then drove straight to the wonderful mechanic at Wall garage. The strap of my backpack had jammed in the boot lock. He was able to release it, oiled the lock on the door and sent me on my way!

Today's blip is one of the calm, friendly horses on the route.