An exhilarating walk

It was pouring first thing, but then the rain disappeared and the sun arrived. I went out for a walk on Hadrian's Wall Trail, hoping to do the whole of the route I have planned for the Intermediate Walkers on Wednesday.

I was bathed in sunshine for the first part of the walk and the views were good. I could see where other people were catching the rain. It was windy and exhilarating.

I met various walkers on the way and had some very pleasant chats about dogs, walking routes and the Walking Festival (of course).

Near Upper Teppermoor, I had and early lunch in case the rain came. I had a long chat with a man and his dog. She is a gun dog, only 2 years old but doing very well. What a lovely calm dog who was clearly very attached to her owner. I learned a lot about gun dogs.

I watched the dark sky in the west as the rain approached and it did catch up with me. It was not unpleasant but I cut my walk short and arrived home rather wet. 

The waxcap mushrooms are appearing along Hadrian's Wall Trail. They are a sign of unimproved grassland. I saw a good number of yellow, orange and beige ones, but none of the splendid crimson ones. It was raining so I did not photograph any, but I did capture a splendid amanita muscari (fly agaric) early in the walk. It is the extra.