Tuesday 17th April

We left Edinburgh on Friday (the 13th) and headed for Whitley Bay for no other reason than curiosity. On the way we visited Jedburgh which is very close to the Border and is a lovely town. While there we visited Mary, Queen of Scots house which was fascinating. We were also told about a local butchers that made award winning Chicken and haggis pies so had to try them, lovely. As the weather was very changeable we did not visit the Castle of Abbey there but may well return at some time. A very welcoming town.

Mary, Queen of Scots house at Jedburgh

Whitley Bay camp site was on low cliffs overlooking the sea and St Mary's island and lighthouse. With a cold wind coming off the sea it was not warm so we only stayed the one night and had a brief drive round the town the next morning, nothing very special.

We did walk along the causeway to St Marys Island, here is the proof.

Our next stop was at Haltwhistle, not far from Carlisle where I wanted to walk some of Hadrians Wall. Our camp site was ideally placed for this but not much else could be said in it's favour. Very expensive, isolated, basic facilities and a warden who always seemed to be watching what you were doing. Hadrians Wall walking was more tiring than I thought. Not so much the distances involved but the up and down nature of the route. I probably walked (and scrambled) about 15 miles (including an incorrect set of instructions causing me to walk the wrong way) and I ended up hitching a lift back to the site. Sue had wisely decided not to walk that day so stayed in the van in the warm. I walked and got hailed on several times along with a bitter wind. Very enjoyable though.

One of the Mile Castle's en route to Housesteads Fort on Hadrians Wall

It must rain a lot here, even the lambs wear macs

We are now on a site just outside Kendal in the Lake District again having completed a full circle. We have visited the local castle today, Sizergh Castle (fascinating) on whose land the site is located.If the weather suits tomorrow we are hoping to walk into Kendal and explore that a little.

Tulips at Sizergh Castle