Beech avenue

The Met Office forecast a sunny afternoon, and MrM had planned a walk taking in a short section of the Pennine Way. We set off hopefully, driving through sunshine and showers, and saw lots of rainbows (extra). Parked up by the start of the walk, we sat in the van eating our sandwiches, watching black clouds sweep across from Cumbria and horizontal rain lashing the windscreen.

Suddenly a walk over such exposed moorland didn't seem such a good idea, so MrM drove us down to nearby Sidwood, where it's much more sheltered! The rain had just about stopped as we started off on the Tarset Bastles Trail, which takes you past the remains of three bastles (fortified farmhouses) - Black Middens, Shilla Hill, and Boghead. It's a short (just over 4 miles) but lovely walk through varied woodland, and back along forest tracks, and at this time of year the foliage is nothing less than stunning (extra)! The beech avenue was bathed in late afternoon sunlight as we walked through it on the way back to the van.

The forecast was right, but a few hours out! It turned into a fine evening, and we ate our sausages and beans (the perfect 'van dinner', if not quite the same as a nice meal at the Redesdale Arms!) under a clear sky with a bright moon. Coffee was taken in the van, where it was somewhat warmer...

Home to sit in front of the woodburner, with a glass of red, for an episode of The Bridge.