Monks, moorland and mineshafts

Our Festival Walk today was 8.5 miles from outside Ladycross Quarry. This is a working quarry in Slaley Forest.

We walked through woodland, then out and over the moor tops. The land was nearly all dry as a bone. The views were wide, clear and open.

By lunchtime, we had descended to Blanchland, where the monks once resided. I found an immaculate vegetable garden behind a cottage.

There was a long ascent back to the moorland, but it was gradual. I felt much fitter than yesterday, when the standing around with binoculars did not suit Arth at all.

Today I met Barbara. She and I have both been on holidays with Helen Venus of Wild Rambling. We will both be together on a holiday later in the year. We made friends immediately.

My extra is a small adder who was lying on the track. I managed to walk over it without seeing it....... I have no idea why it did not move when it felt the thrum of our boots, but it stayed put and only left when too many people wanted to look at it.