Boxing Day
Route
Walk leader | Michael |
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Route | Wylam Country Park Car Park – George Stephenson cottage – Close House – Heddon – old railway – Heddon Haughs farm – Wylam |
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Weather | Dry and overcast, cold in the wind or when stopped. |
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Walkers | Michael, Michelle, Sandy, Ron, Ashley, George | |||
Excuses | Diane and Richard - suffering from colds
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Comments |
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A pleasant walk of about 6.4 miles – ideal for Boxing Day. We were joined by Alex and Steve and their dogs, Margot and Molly, who were sporting festive red and white coats. We skirted round the edge of the Close House golf courses. We admired the wooden sculptures, including one of a horse carved from a dried-out tree trunk and a trunk fashioned into a bookcase containing several books. There was an old ice house nearby and a very modern 19th hole. We ate our lunch in Heddon park with all eight of us seated at the one picnic table. We indulged in mince pies, Stollen and chocolates. There were too many bad Christmas cracker jokes. Sandy had a go on the bucket swing afterwards. We spied Mary and Joseph in manger outside Heddon Methodist Church, with Gromit pushing a wheelbarrow on the other side of the road. We found a TV remote control on a fence as we descended out of Heddon towards the old railway line via several sheds full of smelly cows. Several dozen pigeons on shed roofs were eyeing up the piles of grain in some other sheds. We encountered crowds of people out for a stroll on the final stretch of the walk. There were lots of dogs as well including one in a blue onesie. Also, we saw a horse with a necklace of fairy lights. There wasn't a lot of wildlife about, just several birds and a heron on the river. We finished up at The Boathouse in Wylam, which claims that it is, arguably, the best pub in the world. |
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Meal | ||||
The Swan at Heddon-on-the Wall, joined by Richard, Diane, Beth and Tom, and Evelyn. The choice of food had to be pre-ordered several days before. However, all went smoothly on the night thanks to Michael and despite several people forgetting what they had asked for.
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Photo Gallery |
Walkers at Stephenson's Cottage
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Book Tree |
Horsey Seat |
Wylam Bridge |
Close House Golf Course |
19th Hole |
Wooden Horse
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Group
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Close House
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Hidden Door
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Sandy on Swing
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White Horse
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Michael |
Michelle
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Sandy on Paw Duty |