The Singing Walk

I led a walk in the Haltwhistle Spring Walking Festival today.

Nine years ago we had our first singing walk and we have had one nearly every year since. The first walk came to Cawfields Quarry, shown in my blip, and we took a group photo there. Unfortunately this was 3 months before I became a blipper so I can't cross reference it for you.

Today 28 of us walked from Haltwhistle, along a path by Haltwhistle Burn. It's very pretty and the birds were singing.

Our music leader was Ian K Brown of Haltwhistle, who is well known locally as a singer, guitarist and ukulele player. He is great fun and we had a very relaxed and happy time.

It rained on our way back so we had a longer stretch of walking and waited for our final sing in Holy Cross church. By then we had learned 6 songs (I think) and we ended by learning the Haltwhistle Rambler (with apologies to Ewan MacColl who wrote the famous Manchester Rambler.).

The tea provided by church members was magnificent and people tucked in enthusiastically.

We sang all our songs and the ladies of the church made fresh tea so we could have our second go at the spread! Doggie bags were provided too.

Arth is very proud to have completed this walk, but was glad to sit next to an ice pack when we got home.

Otherwise, I have been fielding numerous calls about people changing walks. I never, ever want that job again. It's too confusing!

PS After my rant yesterday about the local paper, the reporter and photographer turned up today for the start of our walk! There was also a good spread in this week's paper.